The Conversation

Netanyahu’s hardline foreign policies may outlast his tenure

Written by David Mednicoff, Chair, Department of Judaic and Near Eastern Studies, University of Massachusetts Amherst

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may soon exit the political stage.Reuters/ Ammar Awad

The upcoming indictment of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could end the long-serving conservative politician’s career. But even an abrupt exit would leave his hawkish policies in the Middle East intact.

The most serious allegation the...

5 ways life would be better if it were always daylight saving time

Written by Steve Calandrillo, Jeffrey & Susan Brotman Professor of Law, University of Washington

It's almost time to 'spring forward.'Pair Srinrat/shutterstock.com

In my research on daylight saving time, I have found that Americans don’t like it when Congress messes with their clocks.

In an effort to avoid the biannual clock switch in spring and fall, some well-intended critics of DST have made the mistake of suggesting that the...

Fyre debacle shows how smaller acts can get burned in modern music festival economy

Written by Jonathan Wynn, Associate Professor of Sociology, University of Massachusetts Amherst

Festivals can offer great exposure for smaller acts, but the competition for slots is fierce.dwphotos/Shutterstock.com

The Fyre documentaries on Hulu and Netflix gave a behind-the-scenes look into an ill-planned music festival and its aftermath.

Both films tell the story of how co-producers Billy McFarland and Ja Rule convinced investors and...

Lightweight of periodic table plays big role in life on Earth

Written by Nicholas Leadbeater, Associate Professor of Chemistry, University of Connecticut

The Periodic Table of the ElementsPanimoni/Shutterstock.com

Although hydrogen is the lightweight of the chemical elements, it packs a real punch when it comes to its role in life and its potential as a solution to some of the world’s challenges. As we celebrate the 150th anniversary of the periodic table, it seems reasonable to tip our hat to...

EPA's plan to regulate chemical contaminants in drinking water is a drop in the bucket

Written by Laurel Schaider, Visiting Scientist, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University

Hoosick Fall, N.Y. is one of many U.S. communities whose drinking water has been contaminated with PFOA or PFOS.AP Photo/Mike Groll, File

After more than a year of community meetings and deliberations, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced in February 2019 that it would begin the process of regulating two drinking water contaminants,...

After Cardinal Pell’s conviction, can a tradition-bound church become more accountable?

Written by Mathew Schmalz, Associate Professor of Religion, College of the Holy Cross

Cardinal Pell is the most senior Catholic cleric to be charged with child sex abuse.AP Photo/Andy Brownbill

A court in Australia recently convicted Cardinal George Pell on charges of molesting two choir boys 20 years ago. Pell is the most senior Vatican official ever to be convicted of such a crime.

The verdict on Pell was announced only days after...

Is it more dangerous to let Islamic State foreign fighters from the West return or prevent them from coming back?

Written by David Malet, Assistant Professor, American University School of Public Affairs

Three British teenagers, including Shamima Begum, center, left the U.K. to join the Islamic State in 2015. Begum wants to return home now.AP/Metropolitan Police

The United states and other countries around the world are dealing with the same question: Should their citizens who join foreign terrorist organizations and fight for them be allowed to...

Your lungs are really amazing. An anatomy professor explains why

Written by Arthur Dalley, Professor of Anatomy, Vanderbilt University

A 3D image of lungs.MDGRPHC/Shutterstock.com

Lungs are remarkable organs that continuously achieve amazing feats, which they do so well that we take them for granted, except when their function is diminished. It all happens in a space inside your chest, divided in two and reduced by the presence of the heart, the great vessels and the esophagus.

With...

What makes natural gas bottlenecks happen during extreme cold snaps

Written by Sarah Ryan, Professor of Industrial Engineering , Iowa State University

Chicago's Lake Michigan waterfront froze during the 2019 polar vortex.AP Photo/Kiichiro Sato

When temperatures in Minneapolis fell to 27 below zero during the January 2019 polar vortex, the Xcel Energy utility urged all Minnesota customers to lower their thermostats to conserve natural gas needed for power generation. In Michigan, where it was also...

Why Congress needs to make child care more affordable – 5 questions answered

Written by Taryn Morrissey, Associate Professor of Public Administration and Policy, American University School of Public Affairs

A new bill to provide affordable child care for working families faces an uphill battle in Congress.Rawpixel from www.shutterstock.com

Editor’s note: Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., and U.S. Rep. Bobby Scott, D-Va., recently reintroduced their Child Care for Working Families Act – a bill they say will “ensure affordable, high-quality...