The Conversation

From cohabitation to cohousing: Older baby boomers create living arrangements to suit new needs

Written by Nancy P. Kropf, Dean, Perimeter College & Professor, Social Work, Georgia State University

Elders are looking at new living arrangements geared toward their desires, not a developer's. Rawpixel/Shutterstock.com

One of the major questions of growing older is, “where do I want to live as I age?” For many baby boomers, an important goal is staying independent as long as possible. Many in this generation desire to age in their...

How to get preschoolers ready to learn math

Written by Erica Zippert, Postdoctoral Scholar of Psychology, Vanderbilt University

Those shapes may prove as constructive as the numbers.NadyaEugene/Shutterstock.com

If you’re a parent of a preschooler, you might be wondering how you can help set your child up for success once they enter kindergarten.

By now, you have probably heard of the importance of reading and talking to your child to support their language and literacy...

Good communication is a key part of disaster response

Written by Shannon A. Bowen, Professor of Journalism and Mass Communications, University of South Carolina

High surf in Vero Beach, Fla. in advance of Hurricane Dorian. AP Photo/Gerald Herbert

Behind the scenes during hurricanes and other disasters, scores of public information officers in state and local government agencies are fixed to their screens – often in 24-hour shifts – frantically fielding facts and phone calls, rushing to get...

Here's what happens when political bubbles collide

Written by Alexander J. Stewart, Assistant Professor of Mathematical Biology, University of Houston

Are you trapped in an echo chamber?Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock.com

Social media has transformed how people talk to each other. But social media platforms are not shaping up to be the utopian spaces for human connection their founders hoped.

Instead, the internet has introduced phenomena that can influence national elections and maybe even threaten...

For some children born abroad, US citizenship has never been a guarantee

Written by Victoria Reyes, Assistant Professor of Sociology, University of California, Riverside

The Trump administration announced on Aug. 28 that it would revoke the longstanding policy of granting citizenship to some children of parents stationed abroad who are U.S. citizens and government employees or members of the U.S. armed forces.

Public uproar ensued, including the use of the hashtag #Trumphatesmilitaryfamilies.

The policy requires a...

1 in 5 college students takes math courses that repeat what they already know

Written by Federick J. Ngo, Assistant Professor of Higher Education, University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Complete College America dubs remedial classes the 'bridge to nowhere.'AP Photo/Patrick Semansky

Although going to college offers the promise of engaging with new ideas and learning new skills, when it comes to math, the experience can sometimes be like high school all over again.

In a new study of more than 5,000 students in two- and four-year...

Artificial intelligence in medicine raises legal and ethical concerns

Written by Sharona Hoffman, Professor of Health Law and Bioethics, Case Western Reserve University

Scientists are working with artificial intelligence in hopes of being able to better detect cancer.www.shutterstock.com

The use of artificial intelligence in medicine is generating great excitement and hope for treatment advances.

AI generally refers to computers’ ability to mimic human intelligence and to learn. For example, by using machine...

One skill that doesn't deteriorate with age

Written by Roger J. Kreuz, Associate Dean, College of Arts & Sciences, University of Memphis

Reading and writing can prevent cognitive decline.AJP/Shutterstock.com

When Toni Morrison died on Aug. 5, the world lost one of its most influential literary voices.

But Morrison wasn’t a literary wunderkind. “The Bluest Eye,” Morrison’s first novel, wasn’t published until she was 39. And her last, “God Help the...

Why methane emissions matter to climate change: 5 questions answered

Written by Anthony J. Marchese, Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs, Walter Scott, Jr. College of Engineering; Director, Engines and Energy Conversion Laboratory; Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering and Energy Institute Affiliate Faculty, Col

A powerful heat-trapping gas, methane is released from the natural gas delivery infrastructure.AP Photo/Brennan Linsley

The EPA on Aug. 29 unveiled a proposal to rescind regulations to limit methane emissions from the oil and gas industry. Critics said the rollback will worsen climate change and air quality. Reaction from energy companies varied,...

An opioid success story: Efforts to minimize painkillers after surgery appear to be working

Written by Michael Kim, Clinical Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology, University of Southern California

Many hospitals are implementing new procedures to replace prescribing opioids after surgery. Dmytro Zinkevych/Shutterstock.com

The opioid epidemic has been wreaking misery and death across the nation for years. In 2017 alone, opioid overdoses killed more than 47,000 people – 10,000 more deaths than were caused by traffic accidents that year....