The Conversation

Japan's Laughing Buddha Hotei is merging into Santa Claus -- both are roly-poly sacred figures with a bag of gifts

Written by Megan Bryson, Associate Professor of Religious Studies, University of Tennessee

In Japan, children look forward to a visit from Hotei, a jolly Japanese god with a rotund frame.Ganref

As Christmas approaches, children in many parts of the world look forward to a visit from the potbellied Santa Claus, who comes down chimneys carrying a sackful of gifts over his shoulder. In Japan, some children also wait for Hotei, a jolly...

Who were the 3 wise men who visited Jesus?

Written by Eric Vanden Eykel, Associate Professor of Religious Studies, Ferrum College

Scholars have provided different interpretations of who the 'wise men' were who visited Jesus soon after his birth.Christophe Lehenaff/Collection Moment via Getty images

Christmas Nativity scenes around the world feature a familiar cast of characters: Jesus, Mary, Joseph, an angel or two, some barnyard animals, shepherds and, of course, the three...

Local nonprofits play a key role in recovery from disasters – while also having to get back on their own feet

Written by Joy Semien, Research Assistant at the Hazard Reduction and Recovery Center, Texas A&M University

In mid-2018, nearly a year after Hurricane Harvey, this church's gym in Texas was still serving as a warehouse for donated goods.Carolyn Van Houten/The Washington Post via Getty Images

When hurricanes, floods and other kinds of disasters throttle a community, people from all over often rush to give those in need money, bottled water, diapers and...

China's loosened COVID-19 policies – following years of aggressive lockdowns and quarantines – have left the country vulnerable

Written by Elanah Uretsky, Associate Professor of International and Global Studies, Brandeis University

The Chinese government has loosened restrictions designed to limit the spread of COVID-19.Kevin Frayer/Stringer via Getty Images

After nearly three years of aiming to eliminate COVID-19 through mass lockdowns, robust contact tracing programs and international travel bans, the Chinese government has announced it is rolling back the...

Do accents disappear?

Written by Chris C. Palmer, Professor of English, Kennesaw State University

Speech patterns.Bobboz via Getty Images

In Boston, there are reports of people pronouncing the letter “r.” Down in Tennessee, people are noticing a lack of a Southern drawl. And Texans have long worried about losing their distinctive twang.

Indeed, around the United States, communities are voicing a common anxiety: Are Americans losing...

How are books made?

Written by Lara Farina, Professor of English, West Virginia University

Making a book takes lots of brainstorming and writing, but there are many steps to printing it, too.sykono/iStock via Getty Images Plus

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.

How are books made? Julia, age 10, Petoskey, Michigan

Books...

About one-third of the food Americans buy is wasted, hurting the climate and consumers' wallets

Written by Brian E. Roe, Professor of Agricultural, Environmental, and Development Economics, The Ohio State University

Wasted food – and land, labor, chemicals, water and energy.ATU Images via Getty Images

You saw it at Thanksgiving, and you’ll likely see it at your next holiday feast: piles of unwanted food – unfinished second helpings, underwhelming kitchen experiments and the like – all dressed up with no place to go, except the back of...

Christmas trees can stay fresh for weeks – a well-timed cut and consistent watering are key

Written by Curtis VanderSchaaf, Assistant Professor of Forestry, Mississippi State University

Some tips can help your tree look as good as it did on the lot for longer.The Good Brigade/DigitalVision via Getty Images

Every year somewhere between 25 million and 30 million Christmas trees are sold in the United States. If you’re one of the people who decorate for the holiday with a freshly cut Christmas tree, you might be wondering how...

Sinema out, Warnock in – Democrats narrowly control the Senate and Republicans the House, but gridlock won't be the biggest problem for the new Congress

Written by Matt Harris, Assistant Professor, Political Science, Park University

Will gridlock mean the new Congress won't get anything done?mathisworks/Getty Images

In the wake of the 2022 U.S. midterm elections, a general sense of the political landscape in the upcoming 118th Congress has taken shape. With Sen. Kyrsten Sinema’s announcement that she is leaving the Democratic Party and Sen. Raphael Warnock’s...

What is voluntary sterilization? A health communication expert unpacks how a legacy of forced sterilization shapes doctor-patient conversations today

Written by Elizabeth Hintz, Assistant Professor of Health Communication, University of Connecticut

Conversations between patients and their doctors about permanent birth control procedures can at times be fraught and influenced by long-standing stigmas.Courtney Hale/E+ via Getty Images

Sterilization is a safe and effective form of permanent birth control used by more than 220 million couples around the world. Despite its prevalence, however,...