The Conversation

Thanksgiving hymns are a few centuries old, tops – but biblical psalms of gratitude and praise go back thousands of years

Written by David W. Stowe, Professor of Religious Studies, Michigan State University

King David playing the lyre in a scene from a 15th-century manuscript of the Book of Psalms.Historica Graphica Collection/Heritage Images/Hulton Archive via Getty Images

Thanksgiving doesn’t ring in the ear for months on end, unlike another holiday that lies just ahead. Yet readers may remember a couple of hymns that roll around each November...

COP27's ‘loss and damage’ fund for developing countries could be a breakthrough – or another empty climate promise

Written by Adil Najam, Professor of International Relations, Boston University

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry closes COP27 in the early hours of Nov. 19, 2022. Christophe Gateau/picture alliance via Getty Images

Developing nations were justifiably jubilant at the close of COP27 as negotiators from wealthy countries around the world agreed for the first time to establish a dedicated “loss and damage” fund f...

Rappers are victims of an epidemic of gun violence – just like all of America

Written by A.D. Carson, Assistant Professor of Hip-Hop, University of Virginia

Takeoff performs onstage in Atlanta on Oct. 8, 2022. He was killed less than a month later.Paras Griffin/Getty Images

Add the name of Takeoff, a member of the popular rap trio Migos, to the ever-growing list of rappers, recent and past, tragically and violently killed.

The initial reaction to the Nov. 1, 2022, shooting death of Takeoff, born...

Retailers may see more red after Black Friday as consumers say they plan to pull back on spending – acting as if the US were already in a recession

Written by Ayalla A. Ruvio, Associate Professor of Marketing and the Director of the MS of Marketing Research program, Michigan State University

Black Friday is one of the busiest shopping days of the year.AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews

Retailers are gearing up for another blockbuster holiday shopping season, but consumers burned by the highest inflation in a generation may have other ideas.

Industry groups are predicting another record year of retail sales, with the National Retail Federation for...

When's the best time to use frequent flyer miles to book flights? Two economists crunched the numbers on maximizing their dollar value

Written by H. Sami Karaca, Professor of Business Analytics, Boston University

The value of frequent flyer miles can change significantly in the weeks and months ahead of a given travel date.Jetlinerimages/E+

Traveling during major holidays like Thanksgiving can be expensive, since so many people want to see their friends and families, wherever they might be.

It’s especially hard this year with inflation soaring at the...

18th- and 19th-century Americans of all races, classes and genders looked to the ancient Mediterranean for inspiration

Written by Sean P. Burrus, Post-Doctoral Curatorial Fellow, Bowdoin College

In a new land, the ancient past held special meaning.'Temple of Aphaea, Aegina' by John Rollin Tilton. Courtesy of Bowdoin College Museum of Art

The ancient world of the Mediterranean has long permeated American society, in everything from museum collections to home furnishings. The design of the nation’s public monuments, buildings and univer...

This course teaches how to judge a book by its cover - and its pages, print and other elements of its design

Written by Lynda Kachurek, Head of Book Arts, Archives, & Rare Books, University of Richmond

Books have shaped societies throughout the ages.normallens via Getty Images

Unusual Courses is an occasional series from The Conversation U.S. highlighting unconventional approaches to teaching.

Course Title:

“For the Love of Books”

What prompted the idea for the course?

The idea for the class came from seeing University of Richmond...

How to design clean energy subsidies that work – without wasting money on free riders

Written by Eric Hittinger, Associate Professor of Public Policy, Rochester Institute of Technology

How long should a solar subsidies, or any subsidy, last?Artur Debat/Moment via Getty Images

The planet is heating up as greenhouse gas emissions rise, contributing to extreme heat waves and once-unimaginable flooding. Yet despite the risks, countries’ policies are not on track to keep global warming in check.

The problem isn’t a lack of...

People don't mate randomly – but the flawed assumption that they do is an essential part of many studies linking genes to diseases and traits

Written by Richard Border, Postdoctoral Researcher in Statistical Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles

Statistical pitfalls in GWAS can result in misleading conclusions about whether some traits (like long horns or spotted skin, in the case of dinosaurs) are genetically linked.@meanymoo, CC BY-NC-ND

The idea that correlation does not imply causation is a fundamental caveat in epidemiological research. A classic example involves a hypothetical link...

Air pollution harms the brain and mental health, too – a large-scale analysis documents effects on brain regions associated with emotions

Written by Clara G. Zundel, Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University

As the planet heats up, air pollution is getting worse.Westend61/Getty Images

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

The big idea

People who breathe polluted air experience changes within the brain regions that control emotions, and as a result, they may be more likely to develop anxiety and depression than those who...