The Conversation

The US Civil War drastically reshaped how Americans deal with death – will the pandemic?

Written by Gary Laderman, Goodrich C White Professor of Religion, Emory University

An art installation by Suzanne Brennan Firstenberg in remembrance of Americans who have died of COVID-19, near the Washington Monument in Washington, D.C.AP Photo/Brynn Anderson

More than 1 million people living in the United States have died of COVID-19 during the past two years.

The numbers paint a clear picture of devastation, though they...

What makes us subconsciously mimic the accents of others in conversation

Written by Lacey Wade, Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Pennsylvania

When you imitate the speech of others, there's a thin line between whether it's a social asset or faux pas.Franklin McMahon/Corbis via Getty Images

Have you ever caught yourself talking a little bit differently after listening to someone with a distinctive way of speaking?

Perhaps you’ll pepper in a couple of y’all’s after...

What you need to know about the Defense Production Act – the 1950s law Biden invoked to try to end the baby formula shortage

Written by Erik Gordon, Professor of Business, University of Michigan

Biden invoked the Defense Production Act to help end the shortage of baby formula. AP Photo/David J. Phillip

U.S. President Joe Biden on May 18, 2022, announced he is invoking the Defense Production Act to help end the shortage of baby formula stressing out parents nationwide.

He said he will direct suppliers of baby formula ingredients to...

Grim 2022 drought outlook for Western US offers warnings for the future as climate change brings a hotter, thirstier atmosphere

Written by Imtiaz Rangwala, Research Scientist in Climate, Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder

Farmers in some regions are being encouraged to preserve and establish grasslands that can survive drought and protect the soil.AP Photo/Mark Rogers

Much of the western U.S. has been in the grip of an unrelenting drought since early 2020. The dryness has coincided with record-breaking wildfires, intense and long-lasting heat waves, low stream flows...

Restoring the Great Lakes: After 50 years of US-Canada joint efforts, some success and lots of unfinished business

Written by Daniel Macfarlane, Associate Professor of Environment and Sustainability, Western Michigan University

Children participate in a water fight in Lake Ontario in Mississauga, Ontario, during a heat wave on June 5, 2021. Zou Zheng/Xinhua via Getty Images

The Great Lakes cover nearly 95,000 square miles (250,000 square kilometers) and hold over 20% of Earth’s surface fresh water. More than 30 million people in the U.S. and Canada rely on them for...

Is intermittent fasting the diet for you? Here's what the science says

Written by McKale Montgomery, Assistant Professor of Nutritional Sciences, Oklahoma State University

Intermittent fasting could have an array of health benefits, but as of yet there are no long-term studies into its effects.neirfy/iStock via Getty Images Plus

What if I told you all you need to do to lose weight is read a calendar and tell time? These are the basics for successfully following an intermittent fasting diet.

Can it be that simple,...

CBT? DBT? Psychodynamic? What type of therapy is right for me?

Written by Sourav Sengupta, Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Pediatrics, University at Buffalo

Working with a therapist can help you manage or improve your mental health.elenabs/iStock via Getty Images Plus

Since ancient times, cultures across the world have understood that human suffering can have psychological causes. At its core, psychotherapy is working with another person to help identify and address emotional challenges that matter to...

Baby formula industry was primed for disaster long before key factory closed down

Written by Kevin Ketels, Assistant Professor, Teaching, Global Supply Chain Management, Wayne State University

Cities are trying to address the baby formula shortage with community drives.AP Photo/David J. Phillip

The conditions that led to a shortage of baby formula were set in motion long before the February 2022 closure of the Similac factory tipped the U.S. into a crisis.

Retailers nationwide reported supplies of baby formula were out of stock at a rate...

Pandemic babies with developmental delays can be helped to make up for lost social interaction – 5 tips for parents

Written by Abigail A. Allen, Associate Professor of Special Education, Clemson University

Children born during the pandemic are at nearly twice the risk for developmental delays.Ariel Skelley / Getty Images

Typically, about 1 in 6 children experience a developmental delay. But children born during the pandemic, a 2022 study has found, have nearly twice the risk of developmental delays in communication and social development compared to...

Putin could be charged with the crime of aggression for the Ukraine war – but it's an expensive process with high stakes

Written by Shelley Inglis, Executive Director, University of Dayton Human Rights Center, University of Dayton

There have been calls to charge and prosecute Russian President Vladimir Putin for war crimes in Ukraine. Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto via Getty Images

A 21-year-old Russian soldier pleaded guilty in a trial in Kyiv on May 18, 2022, for shooting a Ukrainian man in the head after Russia invaded Ukraine in late February 2022.

It marked the first trial of a...