The Conversation

China's climate progress may have faltered in 2018, but it seems to be on the right path

Written by Phillip Stalley, Associate Professor and Fulbright Scholarship Program Advisor, DePaul University

A woman in Beijing wearing a mask to avoid inhaling smog passes an anti-pollution mural.AP Photo/Andy Wong

Despite clear signs that the need to act on climate change is becoming more urgent, global greenhouse gas emissions are set to rise for the second straight year.

China, the world’s second-largest economy and ground zero in the global...

With a limited on-screen presence, autistic characters have emerged in another medium: fan fiction

Written by Jonathan Alexander, Chancellor's Professor of English and Gender & Sexuality Studies, University of California, Irvine

In one Harry Potter fan fiction story, Hermione Granger anxiously awaits the results from a recent test.

It isn’t her performance on an exam in a potions course that she’s concerned about. Instead, the higher-ups at Hogwarts had ordered she undergo some psychological tests. They had noticed how quickly she talked, along with her...

Brexit rooted more in elite politics than mass resentment

Written by Craig Parsons, Professor of Political Science, University of Oregon

Thirty months after the British voted to exit the European Union, or the EU, nobody knows where Brexit will end up.

Champions of the exit hoped to free themselves from the EU’s constraints – especially requirements for open migration from Europe – while maintaining access to its vast market. This proved impossible to negotiate...

Think teens need the sex talk? Older adults may need it even more

Written by Heather Honoré Goltz, Associate Professor, Social Work, University of Houston-Downtown

A senior couple being intimate. Photographee.eu/Shutterstock.com

Humans are sexual beings. This urge does not stop when the clock strikes 60. Or even 90.

Young adults may deny older relatives are having sex, but sexual activity is a strong indicator of healthy aging and vitality. In fact, sexual activity is roughly equal to climbing two flights of...

You may not even need a telescope to see Comet 46P/Wirtanen in the night sky this month

Written by Shannon Schmoll, Director, Abrams Planetarium, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Michigan State University

A comet-gazing opportunity to close out the year.I MAKE PHOTO 17/Shutterstock.com

As comets blaze across the night sky, they can bring wonder and excitement to those watching from Earth – or even a sense of impending doom. In the past, people debated what comets even are – an atmospheric phenomenon, a fire in the sky, a star with a...

El glaciar peruano Quelccaya está en peligro, así como las personas que viven de él

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

El glaciar peruano Quelccaya, de gran valor económico y social, está desapareciendo junto a otros glaciares tropicales.Edubucher, CC BY-NC-SA

Los entornos en los que se encuentran las montañas más altas de Sudamérica, que en muchos casos reúnen picos de hasta 6.500 metros, concentran algunos de los...

How stereo was first sold to a skeptical public

Written by Jonathan Schroeder, William A. Kern Professor in Communications, Rochester Institute of Technology

Record companies released stereo demonstration albums that showcased how sound could move from left to right, creating a sense of movement.From the collection of Janet Borgerson and Jonathan Schroeder, Author provided

When we hear the word “stereo” today, we might simply think of a sound system, as in “turn on the stereo.”

Bu...

Diamonds are forever – whether made in a lab or mined from the earth

Written by Joshua Wilhide, Manager of the Molecular Characterization and Analysis Complex, University of Maryland, Baltimore County

Are you in the market for some sparkle?clearviewstock/Shutterstock.com

It’s diamond season. Almost 40 percent of American engagements happen between Thanksgiving and Valentine’s Day, with Christmas the most popular day to pop the question – and hand over a sparkly piece of ice. Jewelry stores do at least double their usual monthly...

Don't worry about screen time – focus on how you use technology

Written by Margaret E. Morris, Affiliate Faculty in Human Centered Design and Engineering, University of Washington

Through creative off-label uses of technology, some people have improved close relationships and their health.KristinaZ/Shutterstock.com

Many Americans find themselves bombarded by expert advice to limit their screen time and break their addictions to digital devices – including enforcing and modeling this restraint for the children in their...

Where's my package? Common carrier freight lockers can ease city traffic and prevent failed deliveries

Written by Barbara Ivanov, Director, Urban Freight Lab, University of Washington

Unloading packages and arranging them for delivery in New York City.AP Photo/Mark Lennihan

Online shopping is a big convenience for many Americans, but porch piracy can ruin the experience. For example, Mikaela Gilbert lived in a row house in West Philadelphia while she studied systems engineering at the University of Pennsylvania. By her junior...