February

Sleep is a billion-dollar industry, yet a good night’s sleep is elusive to many, especially during these trying times as the COVID-19 pandemic lingers. Auburn University Psychology Professor Jennifer Robinson and her team have discovered a wide assortment of side effects from a lack of sleep. In addition to impaired motor skills, sleep deprivation also negatively affects emotions, decision-making abilities and overall health.

Supergiant Betelgeuse—normally the 10th-brightest star in the night sky—made headlines earlier this month based on analysis that has revealed the star dimmed significantly in 2020. The red-colored star—part of the constellation of Orion—is well-known to the science world because it has been observed and studied for centuries and is, at 750 times the size of the sun, easily visible to the naked eye. Melissa Halford, a lecturer in Auburn University’s Department of Physics in the College of Sciences and Mathematics, or COSAM, took some time to discuss the popular star, which is roughly 530 light years from Earth.

Auburn University Professor Kimberly Key provides information on tax preparation, tax laws and the effect of COVID-19 stimulus checks. She serves as the PWC Professor of Accounting in Auburn University’s Harbert College of Business.

In late December, the idea that safe, effective vaccines against COVID-19 had been created in less than a year seemed miraculous—a triumph of science and American ingenuity. It took only six weeks to tarnish that image. Pride in the remarkable feat has been replaced by confusion, accusations of unfairness, frustrating waits and the nightmare of vaccine vials gathering dust while tens of thousands of people die of what is now a preventable disease.

The recent market highs reached by Bitcoin, Ethereum and other major cryptocurrencies have sparked a dramatic uptick in interest in this 10-year-old class of digital currency. Fueled in part by renewed coverage in mainstream media and announcements of large purchases by hedge funds and traditional investment pools, Bitcoin and a handful of other leading cryptocurrencies are rapidly becoming embraced by merchants, financial institutions and consumers alike. Many experts believe that the higher-profile cryptocurrencies are on the brink of an explosion in popularity and value in the coming years.