The Conversation

Is COVID-19 infecting wild animals? We're testing species from bats to seals to find out

Written by Jonathan Runstadler, Professor of Infectious Disease and Global Health, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University

A wild mink in Utah was the first wild animal in the U.S. found with COVID-19.Peter Trimming via Wikipedia, CC BY-SA

Over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers have found coronavirus infections in pet cats and dogs and in multiple zoo animals, including big cats and gorillas. These infections have even happened when staff were using...

Trump sees power as private property – a habit shared by autocrats throughout the ages

Written by Fernanda G Nicola, Professor of Law, American University

Lord of all he surveys?Nicholas Kamm/AFP via Getty Images

Shortly before crowds of his supporters stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, Donald Trump implored them to “take back our country.” His words echoed a long history of authoritarians who have attempted to privatize power and turn it into personal property.

Taking back what is yours would...

Tooth or consequences: Even during a pandemic, avoiding the dentist can be bad for your oral health

Written by Andrew J. Corsaro, Clinical Assistant Professor, College of Dentistry, University of Florida

Your dentist should wear appropriate personal protective equipment. LukaTDB via Getty Images

Dental care remains critical for tens of millions of Americans, even during the pandemic. More than one-quarter of U.S. adults live with untreated tooth decay, with nearly half of adults over 30 showing signs of gum disease. And nearly 1 in 4 adults report...

For these students, using data in sports is about more than winning games

Written by Felesia Stukes, Assistant Professor of Computer Science, Johnson C. Smith University

The 'DATA Bulls' use computer science skills to create data analytics for college sports teams. Felesia Stukes, Author provided

When professional sports teams use big data and analytics, their objective is to improve player performance and win more games.

That approach is paying off in a major way.

For instance, after the Golden State Warriors became...

My research helped uncover a long-lost right-wing provocateur – but then I turned away from her work

Written by Carole Sargent, Literary Historian; Founding Director of the Office of Scholarly Publications, Georgetown University

An example of 18th-century right-wing conservative commentary: 'The New Atalantis.'Transliteracies Project

Years ago I discovered a shocking early English political satirist when a professor urged me not study her. Dismissing what I assumed was his liberal bias, I claimed bipartisan curiosity and dove in anyway. You could say I fell for the...

Biden can transform the US from a humanitarian laggard into a global leader – here's how

Written by Edward R. Carr, Professor and Director, International Development, Community, and Environment, Clark University

Until now the U.S. hasn't coordinated its disaster aid and development spending.Jekesai Njikizana/AFP via Getty Images

Even after the Trump administration’s repeated efforts to slash foreign aid and global partnerships, the United States remains the world’s largest source of official development assistance for low-income countries.

Still,...

Cheaper solar power means low-income families can also benefit – with the right kind of help

Written by Galen Barbose, Research Scientist, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

Solar power is becoming more common for households at all income levels. These homes in Richmond, California, went solar with the help of GRID Alternatives.GRID Alternatives, CC BY-ND

Until recently, rooftop solar panels were a clean energy technology that only wealthy Americans could afford. But prices have dropped, thanks mostly to falling costs...

Zoom work relationships are a lot harder to build – unless you can pick up on colleagues' nonverbal cues

Written by Nancy R. Buchan, Associate Professor of International Business, University of South Carolina

Using nonverbal cues like hand gestures can help make communicating over video more effective. Ariel Skelley/DigitalVision via Getty Images

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

The big idea

Workers who communicate with their colleagues mainly through videoconferencing are far less effective at building relationships...

Figs show that nonnative species can invade ecosystems by forming unexpected partnerships

Written by Jared Bernard, Ph.D. Candidate in Entomology, University of Hawaii

A tiny wasp explores the surface of a fig different than the one it evolved to pollinate.Jared Bernard, CC BY-ND

While surveying the Hawaiian island of Kauai in search of invasive plants in 2017, botanist Kelsey Brock spotted something unusal: a few nonnative species of figs seemed to be settling in.

As people traverse the planet for trade or...

Biden has a congressional shortcut to cancel Trump’s regulatory rollbacks, but it comes with risks

Written by Daniel Farber, Professor of Law, University of California, Berkeley

Many of the resolutions and executive orders Trump signed early in his administration reversed Obama-era decisions involving the fossil fuels industry.AP Photo/Evan Vucci

The Trump administration dedicated itself to deregulation with unprecedented fervor. It rolled back scores of regulations across government agencies, including more than 80 environ...