The Conversation

Harsh punishments under Sharia are modern interpretations of an ancient tradition

Written by Jessica Marglin, Associate Professor of Religion, University of Southern California – Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences

The Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque, one of the landmarks in Brunei. Brunei recently announced punishing gay sex by stoning offenders to death.AP Photo/Vincent Thian

After Brunei introduced death by stoning for homosexuals under its Islamic law, or Sharia, the condemnation from human rights organizations and others was swift. Recently, the...

Electricity grid cybersecurity will be expensive – who will pay, and how much?

Written by Dominic Saebeler, Adjunct Instructor of Business Administration, University of Illinois at Springfield

In a power outage, some lights are on, but others are not.Felix Lipov/Shutterstock.com

Recently, a neighbor asked one of us whether Russia, China, North Korea and Iran really are capable of hacking into the computers that control the U.S. electricity grid. The answer, based on available evidence, is “Yes.” The follow-up question was,...

Science images can capture attention and pique curiosity in a way words alone can't

Written by Felice Frankel, Research Scientist in Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

These small 'robots' can create a complex system when they find each other as they roam around.Felice Frankel, CC BY-ND

Were you recently gobsmacked when you saw the very first image of a black hole? I know I was.

This first image shows a bright ring formed as light bends in the intense gravity around a black hole that is 6.5 billion times more...

From 'Total exoneration!' to 'Impeach now!' – the Mueller report and dueling fact perceptions

Written by David C. Barker, Professor of Government and Director of the Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies, American University School of Public Affairs

Can a country move ahead when its citizens hold dueling facts? Shutterstock

The Mueller report was supposed to settle, once and for all, the controversy over whether the Trump team colluded with Russians or obstructed justice.

Clearly it has not.

Reactions to the report have ranged from “total exoneration!” to “impeach now!”

S...

Predicting the next stock market 'flash crash'

Written by Romesh Saigal, Professor of Industrial & Operations Engineering, University of Michigan

Flash crashes have become more common in recent years.JMiks/shutterstock.com

Soon after the Great Recession, the U.S. stock markets plunged – and rebounded within 36 minutes. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped more than 9%, losing more than 1,000 points before suddenly recovering.

This May 6, 2010 event was the first recorded “flash...

Why the IRS is legally required to give Congress Trump's tax returns – but probably won't

Written by Philip Hackney, Associate Professor of Law, University of Pittsburgh

Is the IRS required to hand over the president’s tax returns if Congress asks?

According to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, the answer is a resounding no – at least when it comes to the request submitted by Democratic Congressman Richard Neal on April 3. Mnuchin said it “lacks a legitimate purpose.”

Although many...

Robotic health care is coming to a hospital near you

Written by Mattie Milner, Ph.D. Candidate in Human Factors, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

Are you ready for this?MONOPOLY919/Shutterstock.com

Medical robots are helping doctors and other professionals save time, lower costs and shorten patient recovery times, but patients may not be ready. Our research into human perceptions of automated health care finds that people are wary of getting their health care from an automated system, but...

What geology reveals about North Korea's nuclear weapons – and what it obscures

Written by Marshall Rogers-Martinez, PhD Candidate, University of Southern California – Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences

Pedestrians in Tokyo pass a television screen broadcasting a report on May 4, 2019 that North Korea has fired several unidentified short-range projectiles into the sea off its eastern coast. AP Photo/Koji Sasahara

North Korea’s leader, Chairman Kim Jong Un, clearly is in no hurry to demilitarize his country. In the wake of two historic yet...

Coral reefs provide flood protection worth $1.8 billion every year – it's time to protect them

Written by Michael Beck, Research professor, University of California, Santa Cruz

Underwater view of waves breaking over a healthy coral reef, reducing wave energy at the shoreline that can cause flooding.Curt Storlazzi, USGS

The news is grim: According to a report compiled by hundreds of scientists from 50 countries, Earth is losing species faster than at any other time in human history. Thanks to climate change, coastal...

Trump’s one-on-one approach to China has dangerous implications for global trade and world peace

Written by Charles Hankla, Associate Professor of Political Science, Georgia State University

Last week President Donald Trump seemed to be on the cusp of a trade deal with China. A couple of threatening tweets later, the odds of ending the 16-month-old U.S.-China trade war have dropped dramatically.

Whether or not American and Chinese trade negotiators ultimately salvage a deal – the U.S. says China backpedaled on a commitment and...