The Conversation

Campaign spending isn't the problem – where the money comes from is

Written by Richard Briffault, Joseph P. Chamberlain Professor of Legislation, Columbia University

Lots of money is spent on campaigns. But is that a problem?Shutterstock

The tide of campaign money seems to be running high and threatening to swamp our democracy.

For the first time, the cost of congressional elections is likely to surpass US$5 billion.

Certainly, $5 billion sounds like a lot to spend on a midterm election. But consider the stakes...

How safe is your place of worship?

Written by Christopher P. Scheitle, Assistant Professor of Sociology, West Virginia University

Many Americans may be wondering what security measures are in place at their place of worship after 11 people were killed in Oct. 27 shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh.

President Donald Trump also alluded to this question when he said “the results would have been far better” if the Tree of Life congregation had armed...

Developing teen brains are vulnerable to anxiety – but treatment can help

Written by Paola Odriozola, Ph.D. Student in Psychology, Yale University

The character of Kayla in 'Eighth Grade' is a true-to-life representation of an anxious teen.A24

Adolescence is the life stage when mental illnesses are most likely to emerge, with anxiety disorders being the most common. Recent estimates suggest that over 30 percent of teens have an anxiety disorder. That means about one of every three teenagers...

New findings on ocean warming: 5 questions answered

Written by Scott Denning, Professor of Atmospheric Science, Colorado State University

The ocean absorbs about 90 percent of the excess heat produced as climate change warms the earth. Image Catalog

Editor’s note: A new study by scientists in the United States, China, France and Germany estimates that the world’s oceans have absorbed much more excess heat from human-induced climate change than researchers had estimated up...

DJ Durkin's firing won't solve college football's deepest problems

Written by Joseph Cooper, Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership, University of Connecticut

Former University of Maryland football coach DJ Durkin pictured on the field in an undated photo.mpi34/MediaPunch /IPX

Maryland college football coach DJ Durkin was ultimately fired after the death of a player during practice – and findings that his players were bullied and abused by coaches and staff over the course his three-year tenure....

Jamal Khashoggi's murder finally brings media attention to plight of Arab world's exiled critics

Written by Sahar Khamis, Associate Professor of Communication, University of Maryland

Candles, lit by activists, protesting the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, are placed outside Saudi Arabia's consulate, in Istanbul.AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis

The gruesome and dramatic killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Turkey has captivated media outlets around the world.

A columnist for the Washington...

Los migrantes viajan en 'caravanas' por una razón: seguridad

Written by Karen Jacobsen, Henry J. Leir Chair in Global Migration, Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy, Tufts University

Los migrantes de Centroamérica se enfrentan a extorsiones, robos, asaltos, secuestros, violaciones y asesinatos mientras atraviesan México. Algunos se sienten a salvo en grupo.AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd

Una caravana de inmigrantes de Centroamérica que se dirige a Estados Unidos para solicitar asilo se encuentra en ahora México....

Immigration to US Westernizes Asian guts

Written by Pajau Vangay, Research Specialist in Biomedical Informatics and Computational Biology, University of Minnesota

S'gaw Karen girls of Khun Yuam District, Mae Hong Son Province, Thailand.Takeaway, CC BY-SA

Have you ever lived long enough in another country to see changes in your overall health? Or perhaps, you have noticed that after a friend moved to the U.S. his health seemed to deteriorate.

Many immigrants arrive in the U.S. healthy. But after living in...

30 years ago, the world's first cyberattack set the stage for modern cybersecurity challenges

Written by Scott Shackelford, Associate Professor of Business Law and Ethics; Director, Ostrom Workshop Program on Cybersecurity and Internet Governance; Cybersecurity Program Chair, IU-Bloomington, Indiana University

Floods of traffic can clog up an internet server and the wires connecting it to other systems.BeeBright/Shutterstock.com

Back in November 1988, Robert Tappan Morris, son of the famous cryptographer Robert Morris Sr., was a 20-something graduate student at Cornell who wanted to know how big the internet was – that is, how many devices were...

Coal can't compete with cheaper alternatives and the industry's true costs are higher than they appear

Written by Daniel Cohan, Associate Professor of Environmental Engineering, Rice University

The Big Brown coal plant in Fairfield is among the Texas power stations that have been shut down.AP Photo/David J. Phillip

There are costs associated with electricity beyond what shows up on your monthly bill.

When that energy comes from coal, residents who live downwind pay through poorer health and, as with all fossil fuels, the whole world pays...