The Conversation

Yes, calling someone ‘mentally disabled’ causes real harm

Written by Kathleen Béres Rogers, Professor of English and Director, Program in Medical Humanities, College of Charleston

Donald Trump at an Erie, Pa., rally on Sept. 29, 2024, at which he said Democratic rival Kamala Harris was 'mentally impaired.'Dustin Franz/AFP/Getty Images

In a recent speech, Donald Trump used the language of intelligence, or intellectual impairment, as a weapon against Kamala Harris. And he used similar language about vice presidential candidate...

Kamala Harris’ and Donald Trump’s records on abortion policy couldn’t be more different – here’s what actions they both have taken while in office

Written by Rachel Rebouché, Professor of Law, Temple University

Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris shakes hands with Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump during their debate on Sept. 10, 2024. Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images

Abortion is a critical, if not the most important, issue for many voters – especially women, according to polls – ahead of the U.S. presidential election in...

Want to solve a complex problem? Applied math can help

Written by Alan Veliz-Cuba, Associate Professor of Mathematics, University of Dayton

Applied mathematicians use math to model real-world situations.Ariel Skelley/DigitalVision via Getty Images

You can probably think of a time when you’ve used math to solve an everyday problem, such as calculating a tip at a restaurant or determining the square footage of a room. But what role does math play in solving complex problems such as...

You can count female physics Nobel laureates on one hand – recent winners have wisdom for young women in the field

Written by Filomena Nunes, Professor of Physics, Michigan State University

The Nobel Prize is regarded as one of the most prestigious medals in science.Angela Weiss/Pool Photo via AP, File

Out of 225 people awarded the Nobel Prize in physics, only five have been women. This is a very small number, and certainly smaller than 50% – the percent of women in the human population.

Despite several studies exposing the...

Being bullied in high school can make teens less optimistic about the future

Written by Hannah L. Schacter, Assistant Professor of Psychology, Wayne State University

Bullying that leads to exclusion and damaged relationships can be particularly harmful.HRAUN/E+ via Getty Images

The effects of bullying on teens’ mental health are well-documented. But could bullying also shape their future aspirations?

Our latest research reveals that teens who are bullied in ninth grade become more pessimistic about their...

Congress is trying to force carmakers to keep AM radio − it should also use this opportunity to correct the mistakes of the past

Written by Matthew Jordan, Professor of Media Studies, Penn State

In the 1950s, transistor technology allowed smaller radios to be installed in the dashboard.H. Armstrong Roberts/ClassicStock via Getty Images

A lament about the demise of AM radio has been rising in the halls of Congress.

Several automakers, most notably Tesla and Ford, have decided to stop putting AM radios in their electric vehicles. They claim...

Toxic chemicals from Ohio train derailment lingered in buildings for months – here’s what our investigation found in East Palestine

Written by Andrew J. Whelton, Professor of Civil, Environmental and Ecological Engineering, Purdue University

A black plume of smoke spreads out from burning railcars. AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar

On Feb. 3, 2023, a train carrying chemicals jumped the tracks in East Palestine, Ohio, rupturing railcars filled with hazardous materials and fueling chemical fires at the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains.

The disaster drew global attention as the governors of Oh...

NYC’s ‘Eric Adams Show’ heads for a final curtain, with echoes of another New Yorker more focused on style than policy

Written by Lincoln Mitchell, Adjunct Associate Professor of Political Science, Columbia University

New York City Mayor Eric Adams leaves after appearing at the Daniel Patrick Moynihan Court House in New York on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. AP Photo/Andres Kudacki

As the Democratic primary for mayor in New York approached in the spring of 2021, most of my friends and colleagues were supporting one of three candidates.

My lefty friends were all...

Voters without kids are in the political spotlight – but they’re not all the same

Written by Jennifer Watling Neal, Professor of Psychology, Michigan State University

As many as 50 million to 60 million Americans may have decided that they don't want to have kids.Ian Grant/Design Pics via Getty Images

In the 2024 election cycle, voters without children are under the microscope.

Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance has said that “childless cat ladies” and older adults without kids are...

Trump and Harris have clashing records on clean energy, but the clean power shift is too broad for any president to control

Written by Daniel Cohan, Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Rice University

Intersect Power’s Oberon Solar + Storage Facility in Riverside, Calif. Michael Slider, U.S. Department of Energy/Flickr, CC BY-ND

Although Vice President Kamala Harris touts clean energy and Donald Trump makes misleading assertions and false claims about it, neither candidate has set forth a comprehensive energy plan. Even if they do, a...