The Conversation

Superman at 80: How two high school friends concocted the original comic book hero

Written by Brad Ricca, Lecturer of English, Case Western Reserve University

In 1938, a cultural icon was born.ChameleonsEye/Shutterstock.com

Superman – the first, most famous American superhero – turns 80 this year.

The comics, toys, costumes and billion-dollar Hollywood blockbusters can all trace their ancestry to the first issue of “Action Comics,” which hit newsstands in April 1938.

Most casual...

Barbara Bush may have suffered from a chronic lung disease called COPD – a doctor explains

Written by Frank Sciurba, Professor of Medicine and Education, University of Pittsburgh

Barbara Bush and her husband, George H.W. Bush, at his Houston campaign headquarters June 4, 1964. AP Photo/Ed Kolenovsky/file

Former First Lady Barbara Bush died on April 17, 2018, two days after spokespeople said that she had decided not to seek additional medical treatment. CNN had reported that Barbara Bush had COPD.

I am a respiratory disease...

What is the TPP and can the US get back in?

Written by Charles Hankla, Associate Professor of Political Science, Georgia State University

Is there still room for the U.S.? AP Photo/Esteban Felix

President Donald Trump recently said he was open to returning to the Trans-Pacific Partnership, but only if he could get a “substantially better” deal than his predecessor.

This apparent change of heart, announced via Twitter, caught most observers off guard. The TPP was on track...

The Second Amendment comes first in teaching constitutional law

Written by Anthony Johnstone, Professor of Constitutional Law, The University of Montana

The Second Amendment used to be absent from constitutional law classes. No more.Shutterstock

Twenty years ago, when I was a law student taking constitutional law, the Second Amendment did not even come up in class.

Today, as a law professor, I teach the Second Amendment as the very first case in my constitutional law class.

The emergence of the...

What Earth Day means when humans possess planet-shaping powers

Written by Christopher J Preston, Professor of Philosophy, The University of Montana

Humanity's control over nature represents a shift in the relationship between humans and the surrounding world. boscorelli/Shutterstock.com

For nearly 50 years, Earth Day has provided an opportunity for people across the globe to come together and rally in support of the natural world. While the specific challenges have varied, the goal has...

What is hell?

Written by Joanne M. Pierce, Professor of Religious Studies, College of the Holy Cross

The abyss of hell.Sandro Botticelli.

The recent dispute over whether Pope Francis denied the existence of hell in an interview attracted wide attention. This isn’t surprising, since the belief in an afterlife, where the virtuous are rewarded with a place in heaven and the wicked are punished in hell, is a core teaching of Christianity.

So what...

How the lowly mushroom is becoming a nutritional star

Written by Robert Beelman, Professor of Food Science, Pennsylvania State University

Mushrooms for many are just an addition to a slice of pizza, but the fungi are now gaining a reputation for their nutrients.Subbatina Anna/Shutterstock.com

Mushrooms are often considered only for their culinary use because they are packed with flavor-enhancers and have gourmet appeal. That is probably why they are the second most popular pizza...

Americans support legal marijuana – but states don't agree on how to regulate it

Written by Santiago Guerra, Assistant Professor of Southwest Studies, Colorado College

Marijuana varieties on display in a California dispensary. AP Photo/Mathew Sumner

On 4/20, many across the U.S. gather to celebrate their love and appreciation for marijuana.

Polls show that 64 percent of Americans favor legalizing marijuana. But, despite the majority support, there’s no clear consensus on how it should be regulated. As a...

Después de una acalorada elección, Costa Rica ya no parece tan excepcional

Written by Rachel E. Bowen, Associate Professor of Political Science, The Ohio State University

El progresismo sí gana en Costa Rica — por ahora. AP Photo/Arnulfo Franco

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Carlos Alvarado Quesada ganó la presidencia costarricense con 61% de los votos, una victoria contundente para un candidato progresista que llegó al día de las elecciones en empate técnico con su rival conservador.

Al...

A scholar's journey to understand the needs of Pol Pot's survivors

Written by John Ciorciari, Associate Professor of Public Policy, University of Michigan

Cambodian villagers walk to a courtroom before appeal hearings for two Khmer Rouge senior leaders facing charges of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. AP Photo/Heng Sinith

Forty-three years ago today, the Khmer Rouge took power in Cambodia. Their radical regime, led by the dictator Pol Pot, inflicted countless atrocities and left...