The Conversation

Why you should give the gift of mindfulness this New Year

Written by Jeremy David Engels, Professor of Communication Arts and Sciences, Penn State

The late Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh leading a meditation walk.Steve Cray/South China Morning Post via Getty Images

The start of another year can feel magical to many of us. Even though the days remain short and dark, the flip of the calendar can make it seem new beginnings with new resolutions are possible.

Mindfulness scholars and teachers like me...

Global economy 2023: Why central banks face an epic battle against inflation amid political obstacles

Written by Steve Schifferes, Honorary Research Fellow, City Political Economy Research Centre, City, University of London

This could get ugly. Shutterstock/Nataletado

Where is the global economy heading in 2023? After all the challenges of last year, it’s a question we ask with trepidation. Just as the economy was dealing with the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February ramped up inflation.

Significant rises in the...

Americans are taking more control over their work lives – because they have to

Written by Scott Sonenshein, Professor of Management, Rice University

Workers take on side hustles not just for the money, but also to compensate for limited control in their traditional jobs.Jeff Greenberg via Universal Images Group/Getty Images

One thing that’s become clear in the past few tumultuous – and for many, traumatic – years is that it’s easy to feel like there is no control in our...

Kick up your heels – ballroom dancing offers benefits to the aging brain and could help stave off dementia

Written by Helena Blumen, Associate Professor of Medicine and Neurology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine

Not only is it good aerobic exercise, but dancing may help the elderly with reasoning skills and memory.Thomas Barwick/Stone via Getty Images

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

The big idea

Social ballroom dancing can improve cognitive functions and reduce brain atrophy in older adults who are at increased risk for...

Just over 1 in 4 members of Congress in 2023 will be women – at this rate, it will take 118 years until there is gender parity

Written by Laurel Elder, Professor of Political Science, Hartwick College

U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez watches Donald Trump's state of the union address in 2019 with other female Democratic lawmakers.Alex Wong/Getty Images

When the 118th Congress convenes on Jan. 3, 2023, the number of women among its 535 members will inch up by just two – increasing from 147 in 2022 to 149 in 2023.

Even though more women...

Pope Benedict XVI: A man at odds with the modern world who leaves a legacy of intellectual brilliance and controversy

Written by Mathew Schmalz, Professor of Religious Studies, College of the Holy Cross

Pope Benedict XVI waves as he is driven through a crowd during his weekly general audience, in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, on June 2, 2010.AP Photo/Andrew Medichini

Benedict XVI leaves behind a complex legacy as a Pope and theologian.

To many observers, Benedict, who died on Dec. 31, 2022 at the age of 95, was known for criticizing what he...

Pelé: a global superstar and cultural icon who put passion at the heart of soccer

Written by Simon Chadwick, Professor of Sport and Geopolitical Economy, SKEMA Business School

Held aloft as the embodiment of the beautiful game.Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images

Pelé, soccer’s first global superstar, has died at the age of 82. To many fans, the Brazilian will be remembered as the best to have ever played the game.

For others it goes further: He was the symbol of soccer played with passion, gusto and a smile....

Heart rate variability – what to know about this biometric most fitness trackers measure

Written by Anne R. Crecelius, Associate Professor of Health and Sport Science, University of Dayton

An increase in this particular biometric is a good thing.visualspace/E+ via Getty Images

Your heart beats around 100,000 times every day. Heart rate is a key marker of cardiovascular activity and an important vital sign. But your pulse is not as steady as a precision clock – nor would you want it to be.

As a cardiovascular physiologist, I...

Better sleep for kids starts with better sleep for parents – especially after holiday disruptions to routines

Written by Erika Bocknek, Associate Professor of Educational Psychology, Wayne State University

When sleep routines have gone haywire, there are things to keep in mind to help the whole family reset.Catherine Falls/Moment via Getty Images

Everyone knows that sleep is critical for growing children and their mental and physical health. Regular, high-quality sleep habits help children consolidate memory and learn better. A lack of sleep contribut...

Homes that survived the Marshall Fire harbored another disaster inside – here’s what we’ve learned about this insidious urban wildfire risk

Written by Colleen E. Reid, Assistant Professor of Geography, University of Colorado Boulder

Homes that survived the Marshall Fire didn't come through unscathed.Matthew Jonas/MediaNews Group/Boulder Daily Camera via Getty Images

This article is part of a collaboration with Boulder Reporting Lab, The Center for Environmental Journalism at the University of Colorado Boulder, KUNC public radio and The Conversation U.S. to explore the impacts...