A new shared approach to suicide prevention in universities is needed – one where students, staff, families and wider communities work together to make student life safer and more supportive for all, say leaders of a new project.

rocery prices are having a moment in 2025. On social media, food costs have become a full-blown cultural conversation, from outrage over a $19 strawberry (yes, one strawberry) at the upscale Los Angeles grocery store Erewhon to the rising price of staples like eggs. These moments fuel frustration, memes and more than a few stressed-out grocery haul videos.

But behind the jokes and viral receipts is something real: food isn’t optional. For many, these price spikes aren’t just inconvenient—they’re overwhelming. And while the financial burden is a driving force, the constant conversation around the cost of food—whether we’re talking overpriced indulgences or everyday essentials—may also reflect deeper concerns about stability, control and trust in the economy.

To unpack the psychology behind these reactions, we turned to neuroeconomist Uma Karmarkar, an associate professor with a joint appointment at UC San Diego’s Rady School of Management and School of Global Policy and Strategy. Karmarkar holds a Ph.D. in neuroscience from UCLA and a second Ph.D. in consumer behavior from Stanford, and her research draws from psychology, marketing and neuroscience to understand what drives economic behavior. 

Ancient bacteria that have evolved to become integral to our cells – converting nutrients from food into energy – may also contribute to neurologic disorders, such as spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) and autism, according to research in the lab of Yongchao Ma, PhD, from Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago.

Interview with Professor Graeme Swindles, School of Natural and Built Environment, Queen’s University Belfast, U.K.

Author of PLOS One paper: Swindles GT, Mullan DJ, Brannigan NT, Fewster RE, Sim TG, Gallego-Sala A, et al. (2025) Climate and water-table levels regulate peat accumulation rates across Europe. PLoS One 20(7): e0327422. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0327422 

AND Interview with John T. Van Stan II, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Natural Philosophy at Cleveland State University, U.S.

Associate Editor of PLOS One paper: Swindles GT, Mullan DJ, Brannigan NT, Fewster RE, Sim TG, Gallego-Sala A, et al. (2025) Climate and water-table levels regulate peat accumulation rates across Europe. PLoS One 20(7): e0327422. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0327422