The Conversation

How 'nones' − the religiously unaffiliated − are finding meaning, purpose and spirituality in psychedelic churches

Written by Morgan Shipley, Foglio Endowed Chair of Spirituality & Associate Chair of Religious Studies, Michigan State University

An ayahuasca ceremony at a Hummingbird Church in Hildale, Utah, in 2022. AP Photo/Jessie Wardarski

More and more surveys point to decreasing membership in religious institutions and a corresponding rise of “nones.” Many people might assume that this indicates the absence of belief or a lack of spirituality.

Particularly in the West,...

Claudia Goldin’s Nobel Prize win is a victory for women in economics − and the field as a whole

Written by Veronika Dolar, Associate Professor of Economics, SUNY Old Westbury

The world's newest Nobel laureate takes a bow.Carlin Stiehl/Getty Images

Economic history has long been chronicled through a male lens, emphasizing the contributions of men and their viewpoints. For proof, just look to the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences. It’s been awarded to 90 men since 1969 – and just three women.

The third...

Why more school counselors and psychologists alone won't solve America's mental health crisis among students

Written by Joni Williams Splett, Associate Professor of School Psychology, University of Florida

Student-to-counselor ratios in America's schools often exceed what is recommended.SDI Productions via Getty Images

Of all the challenges that threaten the well-being of America’s schoolchildren, one of the most serious and severe is the lack of school counselors and school psychologists. Despite the increased demand for their services,...

Spicy food might burn in the moment, but it likely won't harm your health in the long term

Written by Paul D. Terry, Professor of Epidemiology, University of Tennessee

Many cultures integrate hot peppers into traditional dishes. AP Photo/Susan Montoya Bryan, File

Everyone has a different tolerance for spicy food — some love the burn, while others can’t take the heat. But the scientific consensus on whether spicy food can have an effect — positive or negative — on your health is pretty...

Cancer in kids is different from cancer in grown-ups – figuring out how could lead to better pediatric treatments

Written by Ranjini Bhattacharya, Ph.D. Candidate in Integrated Mathematical Oncology, University of South Florida

Cancer in children is often more invasive and aggressive than that of adults.FatCamera/E+ via Getty Images

Cancer arises when cells accumulate enough damage to change their normal behavior. The likelihood of accruing damage increases with age because the safeguards in your genetic code that ensure cells function for the greater good of the body...

Why Al-Aqsa remains a sensitive site in Palestine-Israel conflict

Written by Ken Chitwood, Senior Research Fellow, Muslim Philanthropy Initiative at IUPUI and Journalist-fellow, USC Dornsife Center for Religion and Civic Culture, University of Southern California

A view of the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound and its Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem's Old City.Ahmad Gharabli/AFP via Getty Images

As a scholar of global Islam, I teach an introduction to Islam course and include a discussion about Al-Aqsa as part of the syllabus. That’s because Al-Aqsa has deep religious significance for Muslims around the world.

But...

Today's white working-class young men who turn to racist violence are part of a long, sad American history

Written by Colin Kohlhaas, Doctoral Candidate, History, Binghamton University, State University of New York

Dressed in orange prison garb, Payton Gendron is sentenced to life in prison for the murder of 10 Black people in Buffalo, N.Y. Derek Gee/Buffalo News/Pool via Xinhua

In recent years, the United States has seen a surge of white supremacist mass shootings against racial minorities. While not always the case, mass shooters tend to be young white men....

Glacial lake outburst floods in Alaska and the Himalayas show evolving hazards in a warming world

Written by Brianna Rick, Postdoctoral Fellow, Alaska Climate Adaptation Science Center, University of Alaska Anchorage

Glacial lakes are common in the Himalayas, as this satellite view shows. Some are dammed by glaciers, other by moraines.NASA

In August 2023, residents of Juneau, Alaska, watched as the Mendenhall River swelled to historic levels in a matter of hours. The rushing water undercut the riverbank and swallowed whole stands of trees and multiple...

Are people born with good balance? A physical therapist explains the systems that help keep you on your toes

Written by Gurpreet Singh, Assistant Professor of Physical Therapy, Binghamton University, State University of New York

People learn balance as they grow – and can usually improve their balance with practice.uzhursky/iStock via Getty Images

Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to curiouskidsus@theconversation.com.

Are people born with good balance? – Sebastian L., age 15,...

Hamas assault echoes 1973 Arab-Israeli war – a shock attack and questions of political, intelligence culpability

Written by Dov Waxman, Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Foundation Professor of Israel Studies, University of California, Los Angeles

The 1973 Yom Kippur War proved a watershed moment in Middle East conflict and Israel's politics.Daniel Rosenblum/Keystone/Getty Images

The parallels were striking – and surely not coincidental.

Exactly 50 years and a day after being taken completely off guard by a coordinated military attack by its neighbors – Egypt and Syria –...