The Conversation

What western states can learn from Native American wildfire management strategies

Written by Kari Marie Norgaard, Professor of Sociology and Environmental Studies, University of Oregon

Aja Conrad, the Karuk Tribe's workforce and internships coordinator, lights a prescribed fire in Orleans, California.Jenny Staats, CC BY-ND

For several months in 2019, it seemed wildfires wouldn’t rage across the West as they had in recent years. But then came the dry autumn and California’s Santa Ana and Diablo winds, which can drive...

Rabies' horrifying symptoms inspired folktales of humans turned into werewolves, vampires and other monsters

Written by Jessica Wang, Associate Professor of U.S. History, University of British Columbia

A rabid dog's bite can make a person seem to have animal characteristics.Taras Verkhovynets/Shutterstock.com

In 1855, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported on the gruesome murder of a bride by her new husband. The story came from the French countryside, where the woman’s parents had initially prevented the couple’s engagement “on...

Is the US losing the artificial intelligence arms race?

Written by James Johnson, Postdoctoral Fellow in Nonproliferation Studies, Middlebury Institute of International Studies

The U.S.-China rivalry extends to digital weapons.Khanh Tran, CC BY

The U.S. government, long a proponent of advancing technology for military purposes, sees artificial intelligence as key to the next generation of fighting tools.

Several recent investments and Pentagon initiatives show that military leaders are concerned about keeping up with &ndas...

The EPA disbanded our clean air science panel. We met anyway – and found that particle pollution regulations aren't protecting public health

Written by H. Christopher Frey, Glenn E. Futrell Distinguished University Professor of Environmental Engineering, North Carolina State University

Vehicles are a major source of particulate air pollution.Deliris/Shutterstock

Since 1980, emissions of six common air pollutants have decreased by 67%, thanks largely to government regulation. At the same time, U.S. gross domestic product has increased by 165%. While some assert that regulation acts as a drag on the economy, this record indicates...

Before Martin Luther, there was Erasmus – a Dutch theologian who paved the way for the Protestant Reformation

Written by Katherine Little, Professor of English Literature, University of Colorado Boulder

Desiderius Erasmus, a Dutch humanist and theologian.Quentin Matsys

Martin Luther, a German theologian, is often credited with starting the Protestant Reformation. When he nailed his 95 Theses onto the door of the church in Wittenberg, Germany on Oct. 31, 1517, dramatically demanding an end to church corruption, he split Christianity into...

Lebanon uprising unites people across faiths, defying deep sectarian divides

Written by Mira Assaf Kafantaris, Senior Lecturer in English, The Ohio State University

Lebanese protesters formed a 105-mile human chain connecting geographically and religiously diverse cities across the country, Oct. 27. 2019. AP Photo/Bilal Hussein

Religion has shaped Lebanon since it gained independence from France in 1943. In this multicultural country of Muslims, Christians and Druze – a medieval faith derived from Islam &...

Half a billion on Halloween pet costumes is latest sign of America's out-of-control consumerism

Written by Jay L. Zagorsky, Senior Lecturer, Questrom School of Business, Boston University

Halloween spending is out of control.

Americans are expected to spend US$8.8 billion on candy, costumes and decorations this year – or $86 for every person who plans to celebrate. That includes a half a billion dollars on costumes that Americans are buying for their pets, which is double the amount they spent a decade ago. Pumpkins and hot...

Zombie flu: How the 1919 influenza pandemic fueled the rise of the living dead

Written by Elizabeth Outka, Associate Professor of English Literature, University of Richmond

Did mass graves in the influenza pandemic help give rise to the living dead?Tithi Luadthong/Shutterstock.com

Zombies have lurched to the center of Halloween culture, with costumes proliferating as fast as the monsters themselves. This year, you can dress as a zombie prom queen, a zombie doctor – even a zombie rabbit or banana. The rise of the...

Why we love big, blood-curdling screams

Written by Frank T. McAndrew, Cornelia H. Dudley Professor of Psychology, Knox College

A good scream can stop us in our tracks.Paramount Pictures

Of all the sounds humans produce, nothing captures our attention quite like a good scream.

They’re a regular feature of horror films, whether it’s Marion Crane’s infamous shower scream in “Psycho” or Chrissie Watkins’ blood-curdling scream at the...

The scariest part of Halloween may be costume contact lenses, an eye doctor says

Written by Phillip Yuhas, Assistant Professor of Optometry, The Ohio State University

Contact lenses as a prop for your Halloween costume may look good, but they have scary risks.marinafrost/Shutterstock.com

Your appearance won’t be the only frightening thing about wearing costume contact lenses this Halloween. Your eyes might look like a lizard’s for an evening, but the risk of permanent vision loss may not be worth the...