With the hoots, howls, and Hershey bars of spooky season now out of our systems, it’s time once again to run through some of the sweetest stories coming from UNLV.

How did skeletons become associated with Halloween? Is eating a gluten-free diet truly healthier? Could soaking our dishes in the sink overnight get us sick? What impacts could the government shutdown ultimately have on the Strip?

These stories barely unwrap the surface of the candy bar. See what treats await you in the October Newsmakers…

Health & Science

• Neuroscientists Dustin and Rochelle Hines’ research team has uncovered how to create CBD-like compounds from a common kitchen spice, which could prove vital in improving seizure therapy. Their work was prominently featured in publications such as Nutrition Insight, Marijuana Moment, Leafie, El Planteo, Green State, Drug Discovery News, and KLAS: 8 News Now.
• Registered dietitian nutritionist Samantha Coogan was a popular source of insight, being featured in several prominent articles: foods packing more protein than chicken, nutrition myths, whether carrots are good for your eyes, cooking with olive oil, and foods that fight inflammation or promote longevity.
  Martha Stewart (twice); Lose It; Verywell Health (twice); Good Housekeeping
• Verywell Health discussed healthy teas and the antioxidant power of matcha with registered nutritionist Arpita Basu. Both she and Samantha Coogan were featured in a Consumer Affairs story evaluating the health benefits of coffee and tea.
• Medical entomologist Louisa Messenger provided insight to Reuters regarding the struggles of international mosquito data collection during a period of uncertainty over federal budgets .
• Health covered five ways taking the stairs can improve your body with health scientist Janet Dufek. She also provided insight on the benefits of walking backward in The Independent and Associated Press (also shared by KNPR).
• Infectious disease expert Brian Labus explained why working out while sick is a bad idea in Parade and The Independent. Men’s Health’s story about when to get the measles vaccine, and Reader’s Digest’s article about the dangers of soaking dishes overnight also featured Labus.
• Public health expert Manoj Sharma pitted green tea and black tea against each other in Real Simple.
• Astronomer Jason Steffen’s research detailing the formation of planets was shared on Phys.org and Universe Today.
• Space.com, IFL Science, Science Magazine, and Phys.org covered the research of astronomer Carl-Johan Haster, which provides new insight into black hole mergers.
• Biochemistry professor Chandra Bhattacharya’s research into organ-specific drug delivery, which can help treat pancreatic cancer and diabetes, was covered by Earth.com.

Culture & Technology

• TODAY consulted emerging media expert Benjamin Burroughs regarding the trendy teenage slang phenomena “41” and “6-7”.
• Inspired by Taylor Swift’s latest album, TIME talked about the life of a showgirl with Special Collections and Archives curator Su Kim Chung.
• English professor Katherine Walker, an expert on magic and holiday history, provided background for how skeletons became associated with Halloween to The History Channel. Walker also spoke of the allure of the occult in Fortune.
• Marketing researcher Marla Royne Stafford reminisced on a once popular deli meat of years past in Fox News (also picked up by the New York Post).
• Hospitality expert Amanda Belarmino provided advice for restaurants struggling to adapt whenever the clocks fall back or spring forward in Food Republic. MarketWatch talked to Belarmino about how higher bed taxes might affect the costs of hotel stays.

Politics & Economics

• Economic researcher Andrew Woods spoke of the parallels between the Las Vegas and national economy in a story from the New York Times.
• Reuters featured comments from law professor Drew Simshaw regarding the lack of guidelines surrounding the use of artificial intelligence in U.S. courts.
• Therapist Dawn Moore spoke of the prominence of politics in modern dating with Deseret News.
• Political scientist David Damore was part of an expert panel discussing the government shutdown on Vegas PBS. Damore was additionally featured in a Newsweek article about the fate of Nevada’s race for governor.
• Newsweek featured political scientist Nerses Kopalyan, who explained the importance of a small corridor in the Caucasus, and why it’s the source of contention between Armenia, Azerbaijan, and the world powers.
• LiveNow from Fox covered the significance of recent White House renovations with historian Michael Green.
• Hospitality expert Amanda Belarmino and airline historian Dan Bubb commented on how the government shutdown could impact tourism in the Las Vegas Sun.
• Casino researcher Anthony Lucas provided his more optimistic thoughts on Las Vegas tourism in the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

Experts Roundup

• The Washington Post, Fortune, and Business Insider covered sports betting and gambling addiction with help from psychologist  Shane Kraus.
• Airline historian Dan Bubb appeared in several stories about air travel, including the best ways to solve the pilot shortage, why you often can’t always change seats on a plane, if the Clear+ subscription is worthwhile for boarding planes – all of which were published in sources such as AARP, Reader’s Digest (twice), and Deutsche Welle.
• Education professor Kenneth Varner expressed his respect for the teaching abilities of Aces head coach Becky Hammon in the New York Times.
• Homes.com spoke to law professor Francine Lipman about calculating the capital gains tax on home sales.
• Money featured architectural psychologist Dak Kopec, who detailed the most important parts of a home to renovate for aging in place comfortably.
• The Boring Company is facing repeated allegations of regulatory violations, and public policy expert Ben Leffel commented on the severity of the penalties in ProPublica.