The Conversation

Why a 14th-century mystic appeals to today's 'spiritual but not religious' Americans

Written by Joel Harrington, Centennial Professor of History, Vanderbilt University

A sculpture of Meister Eckhart in Germany.Lothar Spurzem , CC BY-SA

The percentage of Americans who do not identify with any religious tradition continues to rise annually. Not all of them, however, are atheists or agnostics. Many of these people believe in a higher power, if not organized religion, and their numbers too are steadily increasing.

The...

We've been studying a glacier in Peru for 14 years – and it may reach the point of no return in the next 30

Written by Mathias Vuille, Professor of Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences, University at Albany, State University of New York

The Quelccaya Glacier in Peru, which has major social and economic value, is disappearing along with other tropical glaciers. Edubucher, CC BY-NC-SA

High mountain environments in South America, which in many locations encompass peaks that reach 21,000 feet (6,500 meters) or more in altitude, are home to some of the most spectacular glaciers on our...

From pledges to action: Cities need to show their climate progress with hard data

Written by Conor K Gately, Postdoctoral Associate, Boston University

Port of Long Beach, California.USCBP/Charles Csavossy/Wikimedia

As world leaders negotiate rules for cutting greenhouse gas emissions at the COP24 meeting in Poland, U.S. cities have a vested interest in the outcome. About 85 percent of Americans live in cities, and urban areas produce some 80 percent of our nation’s greenhouse gas emissions....

The John Birch Society is still influencing American politics, 60 years after its founding

Written by Christopher Towler, Assistant Professor of Political Science, California State University, Sacramento

Some of the far-right group's staff in 1976AP Photo/J. Walter Green

The retired candy entrepreneur Robert Welch founded the John Birch Society 60 years ago to push back against what he perceived as a growing American welfare state modeled on communism and the federal government’s push to desegregate America.

Although Welch’s group has...

The web really isn't worldwide – every country has different access

Written by Allison McDonald, Ph.D. Student in Computer Science, University of Michigan

When a website blocks access, it sometimes delivers a notice saying so.Screenshot from airbnb.com, CC BY-ND

What the internet looks like to users in the U.S. can be quite different from the online experience of people in other countries. Some of those variations are due to government censorship of online services, which is a significant threat to...

Countering misinformation about flu vaccine is harder than it seems

Written by Matthew Motta, Postdoctoral Fellow in the Science of Science Communication, University of Pennsylvania

Californians in June 2015 protest a bill that did away with personal belief exemptions for vaccinating children before they enter school.Rich Pedroncelli/AP Photo

Many Americans hold beliefs about the flu vaccine that are at odds with the best available scientific evidence. For example, a recent study found that more than two-fifths, or 43 percent,...

Climate change resilience could save trillions in the long run – but finding billions now to pay for it is the hard part

Written by David L Levy, Professor of Management, Director of the Center for Sustainable Enterprise and Regional Competitiveness, University of Massachusetts Boston

Waves from a 2012 superstorm crash into a seawall and buildings along the coast near Boston Harbor. AP Photo/Steven Senne

Is your city prepared for climate change?

The latest National Climate Assessment paints a grim future if U.S. cities and states don’t take serious action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The bottom line is that the costs...

No president should assume office without a 'fitness for duty' exam

Written by Bandy X. Lee, Assistant Clinical Professor, Yale School of Medicine, Yale University

The current and former presidents at the funeral for George H.W. Bush in WashingtonAP/Carolyn Kaster

Since the beginning of Donald Trump’s presidency, mental health professionals have come forth in historically unprecedented ways to warn against entrusting the U.S. presidency to someone who exhibits what we have called his...

La protección estricta del Amazonas fomenta la productividad agrícola en Brasil

Written by Rachael Garrett, Assistant Professor of the Human Dimensions of Global Change, Boston University

Jair Bolsonaro, el nuevo presidente de Brasil, deberá tomar varias decisiones importantes durante su mandato de cuatro años: cómo enfrentar la violencia, por ejemplo, y estimular una economía estancada.

Estas decisiones tendrán un gran impacto sobre los brasileños, que salieron seriamente divididos...

Medicaid work requirements: Where do they stand after the blue wave?

Written by Simon F. Haeder, Assistant Professor of Political Science, West Virginia University

Laura Kelly, governor-elect of Kansas, was part of the blue wave in November. Kelly, shown here in October, opposes Medicaid work requirements. AP Photo/John Hanna

The 2018 midterm elections have dealt a significant setback to President Trump’s agenda in the legislative arena.

However, there are still many ways for the Trump administration...