The Conversation

5 tips for parents of new kindergartners who are younger than their classmates

Written by Gregory Fabiano, Professor of Psychology, Florida International University

In kindergarten, it can be apparent to teachers and parents alike that some students are younger than others.AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez

A good kindergarten experience sets kids up for success in school and into adulthood. Students in smaller kindergarten classes are more likely to go to college than students from larger classes. And by age 27,...

Google's powerful AI spotlights a human cognitive glitch: Mistaking fluent speech for fluent thought

Written by Kyle Mahowald, Assistant Professor of Linguistics, The University of Texas at Austin College of Liberal Arts

Words can have a powerful effect on people, even when they're generated by an unthinking machine.iStock via Getty Images

When you read a sentence like this one, your past experience tells you that it’s written by a thinking, feeling human. And, in this case, there is indeed a human typing these words: [Hi, there!] But these days, some...

Misinformation will be rampant when it comes to COVID-19 shots for young children – here's what you can do to counter it

Written by Jaime Sidani, Assistant Professor of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh Health Sciences

Talking about vaccines with trusted health care providers and with family can help wade through the sea of information – and misinformation. Morsa Images/DigitalVison via Getty Images

When the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention endorsed both the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines for all children ages 6 months to 5 years on...

How do painkillers actually kill pain? From ibuprofen to fentanyl, it's about meeting the pain where it's at

Written by Rebecca Seal, Associate Professor of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh Health Sciences

A variety of pain-relieving drugs are available both over the counter and by prescription.SelectStock/Vetta via Getty Images

Without the ability to feel pain, life is more dangerous. To avoid injury, pain tells us to use a hammer more gently, wait for the soup to cool or put on gloves in a snowball fight. Those with rare inherited disorders that...

Wealth of nations: Why some are rich, others are poor – and what it means for future prosperity

Written by Amitrajeet A. Batabyal, Distinguished Professor and Arthur J. Gosnell Professor of Economics, Rochester Institute of Technology

What makes a nation wealthy?Getty Images

Why are some nations rich and others poor? Can the governments of poor nations do something to ensure that their nations become rich? These sorts of questions have long fascinated public officials and economists, at least since Adam Smith, the prominent Scottish economist whose famous 1776 book was titled...

Helping Afghanistan after earthquake will be hard: 3 questions answered

Written by Mohammad Qadam Shah, Assistant Professor of Global Development, Seattle Pacific University

Afghan children stand near a house that was destroyed in an earthquake on June 22, 2022.AP Photo

Afghanistan’s deadliest earthquake in more than two decades took place on June 22, 2022, killing more than 1,000 people and injuring at least 1,600. The disaster struck a remote mountainous region and came at a time when millions of Afghans are...

Federal gas tax holiday: Biden says it will provide ‘a little bit of relief’ – but experts say even that may be a stretch

Written by Jay L. Zagorsky, Senior Lecturer in Markets, Public Policy and Law, Questrom School of Business, Boston University

Gas prices are at record highs. AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar

President Joe Biden called on Congress to suspend the federal gas tax to “bring families just a little bit of relief” as average gasoline prices exceed US$5 a gallon. The tax is 18.4 cents on regular gasoline and 24.4 cents on diesel. Biden’s proposal would rescind both taxes...

Yes, fireworks prices are skyrocketing, but there should be plenty of bottle rockets and sparklers for you and your family this Fourth of July

Written by Jay L. Zagorsky, Senior Lecturer in Markets, Public Policy and Law, Questrom School of Business, Boston University

Many cities, such as New York, returned to hosting big public displays in 2021 after skipping 2020 due to the pandemic. AP Photo/John Minchillo

If you’re looking forward to shooting off bottle rockets and Roman candles this Fourth of July, I’ve got good news and bad news.

The bad is that fireworks prices are soaring this year along with...

Demolishing schools after a mass shooting reflects humans' deep-rooted desire for purification rituals

Written by Dimitris Xygalatas, Associate Professor of Anthropology and Psychological Sciences, University of Connecticut

A playground bench is colorfully decorated at the new Sandy Hook Elementary School, which replaced the one torn down after a gunman killed 20 first graders and six educators in 2012.AP Photo/Mark Lennihan

After the recent shooting in Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, which claimed the lives of 19 children and two teachers, some local...

What is BPA and why is it in so many plastic products?

Written by Benjamin Elling, Assistant Professor of Chemistry, Wesleyan University

Most plastic products that are clear and strong are made using bisphenol A, or BPA.Beton Studio/iStock via Getty Images

Bisphenol A, or BPA, is a chemical widely used to make hard, clear plastics. It is an endocrine disruptor that has been linked to many negative health effects, including cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. In 2013, the U.S....