The Conversation

Teens say they can access firearms at home, even when parents lock them up, new research shows

Written by Katherine G. Hastings, PhD Candidate in Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia

Most households that own firearms have more than one − and owners often don't secure all of them.StockPlanets/E+ via Getty Images

More than half of U.S. teens living in households with firearms believe they can access and load a firearm at home. Even when their parents report storing all firearms locked and unloaded, more than one-third of...

LGBTQ+ patients stay up-to-date on preventive care when their doctors are supportive, saving money and lives throughout society

Written by Nathaniel M. Tran, Assistant Professor of Health Policy and Administration, University of Illinois Chicago

Getting cancer screenings, vaccinations and HIV tests is easier when you can trust your doctor.Hit Stop Media/iStock via Getty Images Plus

When LGBTQ+ patients are unsure if they can be open about their identity and related health needs, it becomes more difficult for them to access high-quality health care.

In our recently published research, my...

Where is the center of the universe?

Written by Rob Coyne, Teaching Professor of Physics, University of Rhode Island

In space, there are four dimensions: length, width, height and time.scaliger/iStock/NASA via Getty Images Plus

About a century ago, scientists were struggling to reconcile what seemed a contradiction in Albert Einstein’s theory of general relativity.

Published in 1915, and already widely accepted worldwide by physicists and mathematicians,...

Do you know how to prepare for your digital life after death? CU Boulder’s student-run clinic has some advice

Written by Dylan Thomas Doyle, Information Science Researcher, University of Colorado Boulder

Older adults have large digital archives that can be hard to access after their deaths.picture alliance/Getty Images

From family photos in the cloud to email archives and social media accounts, the digital lives of Americans are extensive and growing.

According to recent studies by the password management companies NordPass and Dashlane, the...

How the ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ positions US energy to be more costly for consumers and the climate

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

Proposed revisions to U.S. energy policy would likely raise consumer prices and climate-warming emissions.zpagistock/Moment via Getty Images

When it comes to energy policy, the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” – the official name of a massive federal tax-cut and spending bill that House Republicans passed in May 2025 – risks...

For Trump’s ‘no taxes on tips,’ the devil is in the details

Written by Jay L. Zagorsky, Associate Professor Questrom School of Business, Boston University

President Donald Trump’s promise to eliminate taxes on tips may sound like a windfall for service workers — but the fine print in Congress’ latest tax bill tells a more complex story.

Right now, Republican lawmakers are advancing the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” — a sprawling, 1,100-page proposal that aims to chan...

100 years ago, the Social Gospel movement pushed to improve workers’ lives – but also to promote its vision of Christian America

Written by Christina Littlefield, Associate Professor of Communication and Religion, Pepperdine University

Immigrant children from Central Europe at a settlement house in St. Louis.Thomasa.nagel/Wikimedia Commons

President Donald Trump has praised the Gilded Age, which he believes was a time of immense national prosperity thanks to tariffs, no income tax, and few regulations on business.

Similar to today, the late 19th century was a time where a small...

Trump–Xi call boosts Chinese president’s tough man image — and may have handed him the upper hand in future talks

Written by Linggong Kong, Ph.D. Candidate in Political Science, Auburn University

Presidents Xi Jinping and Donald Trump at the G20 Summit on July 7, 2017, in Hamburg, Germany. Mikhail Svetlov/Getty Images

On June 5, U.S. President Donald Trump held a phone call with Chinese President Xi Jinping. It marked the first direct conversation between the two leaders since Trump began his second term — and the first since tensions...

Binge drinking brake found in mouse brains, offering future path to treating alcohol abuse – new research

Written by Gilles Martin, Associate Professor of Neurobiology, UMass Chan Medical School

Millions of people abuse alcohol.South_agency/E+ via Getty Images

Despite the profound human, social and economic costs of alcohol abuse, existing treatments have failed to provide meaningful relief. Excessive alcohol consumption remains a leading cause of death and disability worldwide. In the U.S. alone, 16.4 million people age 12 and older...

Dismal ticket sales, grumblings from fans and clubs – is FIFA’s latest attempt to establish a global club game doomed before it starts?

Written by Stefan Szymanski, Professor of Sport Management, University of Michigan

FIFA is hoping that Lionel Messi can draw the crowds.Megan Briggs/Getty Images

The FIFA World Club Cup, which kicks off in the U.S. on June 14, 2025, may seem like a new competition.

Certainly, soccer’s governing body, FIFA, is promoting it as is it were, marketing the monthlong competition between 32 of the world’s biggest soccer teams...