The Conversation

Lessons for first responders on the front lines of terrorism

Written by Mahshid Abir, Assistant Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine, Director of the Acute Care Research Unit, Affiliated Adjunct and Natural Scientist, RAND Corporation, University of Michigan

After two terror attacks the prior week, police patrolled the Westminster Bridge on election day 2017 in London.AP Photo/Markus Schreiber

Acts of terrorism are on the rise globally. Over the past several weeks alone, the world has seen stabbings, shootings and bombings in Flint, Tehran, London, Kabul and Bogota.

We’ve spent the past several...

Don't hate your gut: It may help you lose weight, fight depression and lower blood pressure

Written by Jasenka Zubcevic, Assistant Professor, University of Florida

Trillions of microorganisms live inside your gut. Anatomy Insider/Shutterstock.com

A universe of organisms living inside you may affect every part of your body, from your brain to your bones, and even your thoughts, feelings and your attempts to lose weight.

This is a universe of trillions of microorganisms – or what we biologists call microbi...

Why some Arab countries want to shutter Al Jazeera

Written by Philip Seib, Professor of Journalism and Public Diplomacy, University of Southern California, Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism

On June 5 four Arab states – Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt – declared a soft war on Qatar. They had a long list of demands, ordering Qatar to weaken ties with Iran, expel Turkish military forces from the country and take other steps that would reduce Qatar’s influence in the region. They also demanded...

The Supreme Court, religion and the future of school choice

Written by John E. Taylor, Professor of Law, West Virginia University

The Supreme Court's decision in the Trinity Lutheran case is blurring the lines between church and state.aradaphotography/Shutterstock.com

The Supreme Court recently decided that Trinity Lutheran Church should be eligible for a Missouri state grant covering the cost of recycled playground surfaces. Though the state originally rejected the...

Why did sanctions against North Korea's missile program fail?

Written by Daniel Salisbury, Postdoctoral Fellow, Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey

North Korea’s successful test of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), allegedly with the capability to hit Alaska, is the latest in a series of significant advances for the country’s missile program.

North Korea has been seeking to develop long-range missile technology for over 20 years. For much of this period, the...

Trump's friendly meeting with Putin further blurs US-Russia relations

Written by Stephen Benedict Dyson, Associate Professor of Political Science, University of Connecticut

President Donald Trump shakes hands with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the G20 Summit AP Photo/Evan Vucci

It emerged early this morning: a few seconds of grainy footage showing U.S. President Donald Trump shaking hands with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the G-20 summit in Hamburg, Germany.

Trump, the taller man, stoops to meet Putin on...

How being friends with someone who has dementia can be good for you both

Written by Janelle Taylor, Professor, Medical Anthropology, University of Washington

Friendship helps protect against loneliness even when oldsters do not have dementia. It can be especially beneficial for those who do. sirtravelalot/Shutterstock.com

Each year, in the final few hours of the last day of December, many people all across North America gather with friends to raise a glass and sing Robert Burns’ famous ballad,...

Will global warming change Native American religious practices?

Written by Rosalyn R. LaPier, Research Associate of Women's Studies, Environmental Studies and Native American Religion, Harvard Divinity School, Harvard University

What does the shrinking of the Colorado River mean for Native American religions?Ken Lund, CC BY-SA

The Colorado River, one of the longest rivers in the United States, is gradually shrinking. This is partly a result of overuse by municipalities and seasonal drought. The other reason is global warming.

The decline in the river reservoir will have...

Andrew Wyeth and the artist's fragile reputation

Written by Henry Adams, Ruth Coulter Heede Professor of Art History, Case Western Reserve University

Andrew Wyeth stands by a creek on his Chadd's Ford, Pennsylvania property in 1964.AP Photo/Bill Ingraham

I vividly recall my first encounter with Andrew Wyeth’s art when I was 14 years old, in the dingy galleries of Harvard’s Fogg Art Museum.

While giants like Picasso painted a world of artistic contrivance, Wyeth seemed to directly...

Can Congress pressure the White House on human rights?

Written by Sarah Snyder, Associate Professor, American University School of International Service

In June, the Senate tried to block a US$500 million arms sales to Saudi Arabia.

Saudi intervention in Yemen’s civil war has produced high numbers of civilian casualties, human rights abuses and a humanitarian crisis. The White House’s decision to sell arms to the Saudis is just one indication that the Trump administration may be...