The Conversation

Florida's academic standards distort the contributions that enslaved Africans made to American society

Written by Rodney Coates, Professor of Critical Race and Ethnic Studies, Miami University

Enslaved Africans built landmarks like the White House, the U.S. Capitol and New York's Wall Street. Bettmann via Getty Images

The state of Florida ignited a controversy when it released a set of 2023 academic standards that require fifth graders to be taught that enslaved Black people in the U.S. “developed skills which, in some instances,...

Discrimination took a heavy toll on Asian American students during the pandemic

Written by Roxanne Prichard, Professor of Psychology, University of St. Thomas

One study has found that only 20% of Asian college students diagnosed with a mental health disorder receive treatment.Ishii Koji/DigitalVision via Getty Images

The Research Brief is a short take about interesting academic work.

The big idea

Experiencing discrimination significantly harmed the well-being of Asian and Asian American college students in...

After Maui fires, human health risks linger in the air, water and even surviving buildings

Written by Andrew J. Whelton, Professor of Civil, Environmental & Ecological Engineering, Director of the Healthy Plumbing Consortium and Center for Plumbing Safety, Purdue University

Fire sites like Lahaina, where residents were allowed in on Aug. 11, 2023, are filled with hazards, both obvious and unseen. AP Photo/Rick Bowmer

People returning to what remains of the beachside town of Lahaina, Hawaii, and other Maui communities after one of the nation’s deadliest wildfire disasters face more dangers, beyond the 2,700...

Trump’s free speech faces court-ordered limits, like any other defendant’s -- 2 law professors explain why, and how Trump’s lawyers need to watch themselves too

Written by Thomas A. Durkin, Distinguished Practitioner in Residence, Loyola University Chicago

The E. Barrett Prettyman U.S. Courthouse in Washington, D.C., where an Aug. 11, 2023, hearing was held on the Trump case. Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images)

A 90-minute court hearing on Aug. 11, 2023, that would have been routine in almost any other case was, in fact, historic. It was the first time lawyers prosecuting and defending former President...

Native Hawaiian sacred sites have been damaged in the Lahaina wildfires – but, as an Indigenous scholar writes, their stories will live on

Written by Rosalyn R. LaPier, Professor of History, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

A view of the devastation in Lahaina, Hawaii, following the wildfires in August 2023.AP Photo/Rick Bowmer

Native Hawaiians are devastated by the recent wildfires that swept through Lahaina, Maui, killing dozens of residents and destroying hundreds of homes, buildings, Christian churches and Buddhist temples.

It is not just the historic buildings and...

Wildfires are a severe blow to Maui's tourism-based economy, but other iconic destinations have come back from similar disasters

Written by Rich Harrill, Research Professor of Hospitality and Tourism and Director, International Tourism Research Institute, University of South Carolina

Destroyed homes and buildings in Lahaina on Aug. 10, 2023, in the aftermath of wildfires on western Maui, Hawaii.Patrick T. Fallon / AFP via Getty Images

Major wildfires on the Hawaiian island of Maui have killed dozens of people and caused heavy damage, particularly in the historic town of Lahaina, as of Aug. 10, 2023. The state has asked all...

Government support was key for thousands of US nonprofits battered by COVID-19's early costs − new research

Written by Jennifer Mayo, Assistant Professor of Economics, University of Missouri-Columbia

Federal funding shored up charities when the economy was in distress.mj0007/iStock via Getty Images Plus

Government funding helped keep U.S. charities afloat during the first six months of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a study I conducted with Stephanie Karol, a fellow economist.

We found that charitable donations declined by more than an...

Why does your hair curl in the summer? A chemist explains the science behind hair structure

Written by Tara S. Carpenter, Principle Lecturer, University of Maryland, Baltimore County

Summer humidity can change the way your hair is behaving -- but what's the science behind that?Tim Robberts/Stone via Getty Images

If you have curly hair, you know that every day is a new adventure. What will my hair do today? Why does it curl better on some days than others? And even those without naturally curly hair might notice their hair...

Gut microbes are the community within you that you can't live without – how eating well can cultivate your microbial and social self

Written by Christopher Damman, Associate Professor of Gastroenterology, School of Medicine, University of Washington

Communal meals are a social glue that binds people together.Klaus Vedfelt/DigitalVision via Getty Images

The age-old adage “you are what you eat” holds profound truth. Nearly every molecule in your body is absorbed from what you eat and drink. Your food choices are directly linked to your physical, emotional and social health. And...

Skin cancer screening guidelines can seem confusing – three skin cancer researchers explain when to consider getting checked

Written by Enrique Torchia, Assistant Research Professor of Dermatology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus

A history of sunburns may put people at greater risk of developing skin cancer.dnberty/iStock via Getty Images Plus

Protecting oneself from the summer sun and its damaging ultraviolet rays is often not straightforward. And public health messaging around when and how to be screened for skin cancer has become somewhat confusing.

In April 2023, the...