The Conversation

Chinese spy balloon over the US: An aerospace expert explains how the balloons work and what they can see

Written by Iain Boyd, Professor of Aerospace Engineering Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder

A Chinese surveillance balloon in U.S. airspace before it was shot down by the U.S. military.Peter Zay/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

The U.S. military shot down what U.S. officials called a Chinese surveillance balloon off the coast of South Carolina on Feb. 4, 2023. Officials said that the U.S. Navy planned to recover the debris, which is in...

Biden's plan for ending the emergency declaration for COVID-19 signals a pivotal point in the pandemic – 4 questions answered

Written by Amy Lauren Fairchild, Dean and Professor of Public Health, The Ohio State University

COVID-19 emergency status prompted coordinated vaccination efforts by health care providers, paramedics, volunteers and others.Wesley Lapointe / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

President Joe Biden announced on Jan. 30, 2023, that he intends to end both the national emergency and the public health emergency declarations related to COVID-19 on May...

Native Americans have experienced a dramatic decline in life expectancy during the COVID-19 pandemic – but the drop has been in the making for generations

Written by Allison Kelliher, Assistant Professor, Department of Family & Community Medicine, University of North Dakota

Indigenous patients who live in rural areas often have limited access to medical care. THE PALMER/E+ via Getty Images

Six and one-half years.

That’s the decline in life expectancy that the COVID-19 pandemic wrought upon American Indians and Alaska Natives, based on an August 2022 report from the National Center for Health Statistics.

This...

A brief history of the Black church's diversity, and its vital role in American political history

Written by Jason Oliver Evans, Ph.D. Candidate in Religious Studies, University of Virginia

The exterior view of the Bethel African American Methodist Episcopal Church at 125 S. 6th St. in Philadelphia.Breton, William L., circa 1773-1855 Artist via the Library of Congress, World Digital Library

With religious affiliation on the decline, continuing racism and increasing income inequality, some scholars and activists are soul-searching...

Police traffic stops can alienate communities and lead to violent deaths like Tyre Nichols' -- is it time to rethink them?

Written by Derek Epp, Assistant professor in the Department of Government, The University of Texas at Austin

The fatal beating of Tyre Nichols started after he was pulled over by cops.City of Memphis via AP

The killing of Tyre Nichols has raised questions about the use and risks of a routine part of U.S. policing: the traffic stop.

Nichols died in the hospital on Jan. 10, 2022, from injuries sustained in a beating by five officers three days earlier. The...

Civil rights legislation sparked powerful backlash that's still shaping American politics

Written by Julian Maxwell Hayter, Associate Professor of Leadership Studies, University of Richmond

A group of voters lining up outside the polling station, a small Sugar Shack store, on May 3, 1966, in Peachtree, Ala., after the Voting Rights Act was passed the previous year. MPI/Getty Images

For nearly 60 years, conservatives have been trying to gut the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the crowning achievement of the civil rights movement. As a...

40 years of legal sports betting in Australia points to risks for US gamblers – and tips for regulators

Written by Alex Russell, Senior Postdoctoral Fellow, CQUniversity Australia

The country's history of state-sanctioned gambling goes back to the early 19th century.William West/AFP via Getty Images

Australians love to gamble. It’s often said that if they could, they would bet on two flies crawling up a wall. The Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge were funded, in part, by government lotteries.

It’s only...

The ethical dilemmas behind plans for involuntary treatment to target homelessness, mental illness and addiction

Written by Katherine Drabiak, Associate Professor of Health Law, Public Health Law and Medical Ethics, University of South Florida

Involuntary treatment for homeless people aims to help – but also raises ethical debates.Robert Nickelsberg/Getty Images

Over the past year, cities across the United States have unveiled new policy plans to address homelessness amid rising concerns about health and crime – for homeless people themselves, as well as for surrounding...

Guinea worm: A nasty parasite is nearly eradicated, but the push for zero cases will require patience

Written by Kimberly Paul, Associate Professor of Biochemistry, Clemson University

Guinea worms are long, white parasites that emerge from the legs of infected people through painful blisters.CDC/Wikimedia Commons

A painful, parasitic disease that once infected 3.5 million people per year is tantalizingly close to being eradicated.

On Jan. 24, 2023, The Carter Center, a nonprofit founded by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter,...

New Advanced Placement African American Studies course is a watered down version of itself

Written by Suneal Kolluri, Assistant Professor of Education, University of California, Riverside

Black students are underrepresented in Advanced Placement courses.Hill Street Studios / Getty Images

On February 1, 2023– the first day of Black History Month – the College Board released the framework for its new Advanced Placement African American Studies course.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a Republican, has criticized the pilot...