Why the Catholic Church bans gluten-free communion wafers
A worshipper receives Communion.Amr Nabil/AP PhotoA recent letter from the Vatican reminded the world’s Catholic bishops of a rule mandating the use of wheat gluten for the celebration of the Eucharist, a Christian liturgical service called the Mass by Catholics. Reactions were immediate. Cat...
Sharkathon 2017 is here: How to watch it like a scientist
Hey, what about us? Whale shark (spotted) and manta ray, a close shark relative.Justin Henry , CC BYJust when you thought it was safe to turn on your television, the Discovery Channel’s Shark Week and National Geographic Wild’s SharkFest are hitting the air with competing daily programmi...
Both franchisees and franchisors benefit from company-owned stores
Do company-owned stores really compete with franchisees?ShutterstockSome franchisees of hardware chain Mitre 10 are calling for an end to “company-owned” stores. These are stores owned and run by Metcash, which owns the Mitre 10 brand and is a supplier to the franchisees. But research sh...
Who's avoiding sex, and why
More women than men avoid sex, but the reasons for both genders vary. PKPix/www.shutterstock.comSex has a strong influence on many aspects of well-being: it is one of our most basic physiological needs. Sex feeds our identity and is a core element of our social life. But millions of people spend at ...
The Supreme Court made it harder for states to ban sex offenders from social media. Here’s why
Kostasgr/Shutterstock.comUntil recently, North Carolina law prohibited registered sex offenders from using various social media sites, such as Snapchat, Twitter and LinkedIn. In June, a landmark Supreme court decision in Packingham v. North Carolina overturned that law. The result is important for t...
The Georgia peach may be vanishing, but its mythology is alive and well
Anton Wattman/Shutterstock.comThis is a tough year for the Georgia peach. In February, growers fretted about warm winter temperatures, which prevented some fruit from developing properly. They were more discouraged in March after a late freeze damaged many of the remaining fruit. By May they were pr...
How some rich people are trying to dismantle inequality
Members of Patriotic Millionaires, whose privileged members advocate for higher taxes on the rich, met with lawmakers in this 2015 photo to discuss legislation to close the carried interest loophole.Senate Democrats, CC BY-SAAmple research indicates that the growing problem of wealth and income ineq...
Vital Signs: the RBA's still longing for Goldilocks growth
Vital Signs is a weekly economic wrap from UNSW economics professor and Harvard PhD Richard Holden (@profholden). Vital Signs aims to contextualise weekly economic events and cut through the noise of the data affecting global economies.This week: has the Reserve Bank of Australia made the right call...
The Library of Congress opened its catalogs to the world. Here's why it matters
The Library of Congress is in Washington, D.C.Valerii Iavtushenko/Shutterstock.comImagine you wanted to find books or journal articles on a particular subject. Or find manuscripts by a particular author. Or locate serials, music or maps. You would use a library catalog that includes facts – l...
Explaining the rise in hate crimes against Muslims in the US
Muslim women hold signs to express opposition to hate crimes and rhetoric.AP Photo/Seth WenigHate crimes against Muslims have been on the rise. The murder of two samaritans for aiding two young women who were facing a barrage of anti-Muslim slurs on a Portland train is among the latest examples of b...
How Lula evolved from Brazil's top politician to its most notable convict
Brazilians watched along with the rest of the world as one of the country’s leading federal judges ruled that its most popular political figure is a criminal. On July 12, Sergio Moro, the federal judge leading Brazil’s massive “car wash” investigation, convicted former two-te...
Can Trump use the presidential pardon to thwart the Russia investigations?
Speculation is mounting that President Donald Trump could issue a pardon to members of his family and close associates who are suspected of colluding with Russia in the 2016 campaign.Sen. Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, recently cautioned about “the possibil...
Why the US doesn't understand Chinese thought – and must
Plato, Confucius and Aristotle. Ancient Greek philosophy is widely taught in American universities, but classes in Chinese philosophy are few and far between.Public domainThe need for the U.S. to understand China is obvious. The Chinese economy is on track to become the largest in the world by 2030...
How to borrow tools from the startup world for aid and development
New funding vehicles could finance large scale agricultural programsShutterstockIdeas borrowed from the startup world – crowdfunding, incubators, accelerators and online marketplaces – could help close the US$2.5 trillion shortfall in funding for the United Nations Sustainable Developmen…
Australian coworking spaces cater to a more diverse crowd than just young tech entrepreneurs
Most coworking spaces target small-business workers who tend to be in professional services and technical or knowledge-based work.Josh Hallett/Flickr, CC BY-SAThe phrase “coworking spaces” may conjure up images of tech-savvy millennials working for startups in converted warehouses. Add i…
Here's the three-pronged approach we're using in our own research to tackle the reproducibility issue
Step one is not being afraid to reexamine a site that's been previously excavated.Dominic O'Brien. Gundjeihmi Aboriginal Corporation, CC BY-NDIf you keep up with health or science news, you’ve probably been whipsawed between conflicting reports. Just days apart you may hear that “science…
Game of Thrones Inspired wall divides office workplace
* Parcel company constructs a GoT inspired wall made of cardboard boxes through the middle of their office for team building experiment * The surface area of cardboard used for the wall was 1,872 inches2 * 3,848 inches of parcel tape was used to tape all the boxes together * Video of how the …
Adding Education While Taking an Aussie Holiday
When taking a long holiday, it makes sense for many parents to want to add in some education. Aside from keeping younger minds sharp for when they return to classes, fostering a life-long love of learning is one of the most important or beneficial things parents can help instil in their children. …
Protecting your smartphone from voice impersonators
Is this an impostor trying to break into your phone with his voice?Georgejmclittle/Shutterstock.comIt’s a lot easier to talk to a smartphone than to try to type instructions on its keyboard. This is particularly true when a person is trying to log in to a device or a system: Few people would c…
How to make sure we all benefit when nonprofits patent technologies like CRISPR
Are research nonprofits holding up their end of the tax-exempt bargain?Will Hart, CC BYUniversities and other nonprofit research institutions are under increasing fire about their commitments to the public interest. In return for tax-exempt status, their work is supposed to benefit society.But are t…
Dunkirk survivors’ terror didn’t end when they were rescued
A scene from 'Dunkirk,' a Warner Bros. Pictures release.Courtesy of Warner Bros. PicturesIn late May 1940, Vic Viner was one of the 338,000 Allied troops on the beaches around the French port of Dunkirk hoping for rescue as the German Army neared and the Luftwaffe circled above. At age 99, Viner met…
