The Conversation

Fossil teeth reveal how brains developed in utero over millions of years of human evolution – new research

Written by Tesla Monson, Assistant Professor of Anthropology, Western Washington University

Any hominid fossil find with molar teeth can be plugged into a new equation that reveals its species' prenatal growth rate.Gil Cohen-Magen/AFP via Getty Images

Fossilized bones help tell the story of what human beings and our predecessors were doing hundreds of thousands of years ago. But how can you learn about important parts of our...

The SAT and ACT are less important than you might think

Written by Mary L. Churchill, Associate Dean, Strategic Partnerships and Community Engagement and Professor of the Practice, Boston University

Whether on paper or computerized, standardized tests may be in decline.Klaus Vedfelt/DigitalVision via Getty Images

College admission tests are becoming a thing of the past.

More than 80% of U.S. colleges and universities do not require applicants to take standardized tests – like the SAT or the ACT. That proportion of institutions with...

Calls for Pope Benedict's sainthood make canonizing popes seem like the norm – but it's a long and politically fraught process

Written by Joanne M. Pierce, Professor Emerita of Religious Studies, College of the Holy Cross

People pray in front of the tomb of the late Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI inside the grottos of St. Peter's Basilica, at the Vatican, on Jan. 8, 2023.AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia

Like many others around the world, I watched the funeral of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI live on the internet. Before the service began, an unexpected announcement came over the...

Starbucks fans are steamed: The psychology behind why changes to a rewards program are stirring up anger, even though many will get grande benefits

Written by H. Sami Karaca, Professor of Business Analytics, Boston University

The rewards price to get a free cup of hot coffee at Starbucks is going up. AP Photo/Elaine Thompson

Starbucks, the coffee chain giant, is modifying its rewards program, and the news is full of stories of outraged consumers.

The main focus of their ire is that, starting Feb. 13, 2023, it will cost twice as many of the program’s reward points,...

Atlanta's BeltLine shows how urban parks can drive 'green gentrification' if cities don't think about affordable housing at the start

Written by Dan Immergluck, Professor of Urban Studies, Georgia State University

A pedestrian walking along the BeltLine in Atlanta on Feb. 17, 2016, passes townhomes under construction. AP Photo/David Goldman

Is Atlanta a good place to live? Recent rankings certainly say so. In September 2022, Money magazine rated Atlanta the best place to live in the U.S., based on its strong labor market and job growth. The National...

Typical mass shooters are in their 20s and 30s – suspects in California's latest killings are far from that average

Written by Jillian Peterson, Professor of Criminal Justice, Hamline University

Two deadly mass shootings have California on edge.AP Photo/Jae C. Hon

The two men who shot dead 18 people in separate incidents just days apart in California are the latest perpetrators in America’s long history of mass gun violence. But something about these public shootings, and the men held responsible, stands out.

The median age of mass...

Monterey Park: A pioneering Asian American suburb shaken by the tragedy of a mass shooting

Written by James Zarsadiaz, Associate Professor of History, University of San Francisco

A community in mourning.Qian Weizhong/VCG via Getty Images

For Americans of Asian descent, Monterey Park – a town near Los Angeles, located in the San Gabriel Valley – is a cultural center.

It embodies the modern Asian American experience; that is, a place where Asians in America can access and practice a diverse array of traditions...

'The Whale' is a horror film that taps into our fear of fatness

Written by Beth Younger, Associate Professor of English & Women's and Gender Studies, Drake University

Over the course of 'The Whale,' Charlie's body gradually breaks down.A24

Editor’s note: This article contains plot spoilers for “The Whale.”

I knew before seeing “The Whale” that it was a movie about a man named Charlie who weighs over 600 pounds, is grief-stricken over the death of his partner, and is effectively...

Combating antisemitism today: Holocaust education in the era of Twitter and TikTok

Written by Alan Marcus, Professor of Curriculum & Instruction, University of Connecticut

Technology is increasingly important in Holocaust education – seen here in 'The Journey Back' within The Richard and Jill Chaifetz Family Virtual Reality Gallery at the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center.Courtesy of the Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center, CC BY-NC-ND

In the era of social media, antisemitism and...

Grassroots AIDS activists fought for and won affordable HIV treatments around the world – but PEPFAR didn't change governments and pharma

Written by Dan Royles, Associate Professor of History, Florida International University

AIDS activists have used protests to demand access to treatment.Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images

The President’s Emergency Program for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR, has revolutionized the fight against global AIDS over the last 20 years. In that time, the U.S. program has brought antiretroviral treatment to nearly 19 million people living with HIV,...