The Conversation

America's always had black inventors – even when the patent system explicitly excluded them

Written by Shontavia Johnson, Professor of Intellectual Property Law, Drake University

Thomas L. Jennings became the first black American patent holder in 1821.

America has long been the land of innovation. More than 13,000 years ago, the Clovis people created what many call the “first American invention” – a stone tool used primarily to hunt large game. This spirit of American creativity has persisted through the...

Will blazing a low-carbon path pay off for California?

Written by Matthew Kahn, Professor of Economics, University of Southern California – Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences

California Gov. Jerry Brown signs SB350 on Oct. 7, 2015. The bill calls for increasing the state's renewable electricity use to 50 percent and doubling energy efficiency in existing buildings by 2030.AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes

President Trump has made it clear he intends to dismantle the Obama administration’s policies for reducing U.S....

Why America needs Marvel superhero Kamala Khan now more than ever

Written by Katie M. Logan, Assistant Professor of Focused Inquiry, Virginia Commonwealth University

During the first few weeks of the Trump administration, we’ve seen increased pressure on Muslim and immigrant communities in the United States.

In the face of these threats, which Marvel superhero might be best equipped to defend the people, ideals and institutions under attack? Some comic fans and critics are pointing to Kamala Khan, the...

Recovering from disasters: Social networks matter more than bottled water and batteries

Written by Daniel P. Aldrich, Professor of Political Science, Public Policy and Urban Affairs and Director, Security and Resilience Program, Northeastern University

Survivors leave Tohoku a day after the March 11, 2011 earthquake and tsunami.Warren Antiola/Flickr, CC BY-NC-ND

Standard advice about preparing for disasters focuses on building shelters and stockpiling things like food, water and batteries. But resilience - the ability to recover from shocks, including natural disasters - comes from our...

Why you should donate your data (as well as your organs) when you die

Written by David Martin Shaw, Bioethicist, Department of Health Ethics and Society, Maastricht University and Institute for Biomedical Ethics, University of Basel

There's more you could donate besides blood, organs and tissue.Cropped from pulmonary_pathology/flickr, CC BY-SA

Most people are aware they can donate their organs when they die. Doing so is very important: Each deceased donor can save several lives if he donates his organs and tissue and they are used for transplantation. Support for organ donation...

Refugees: Is there room for a middle ground?

Written by Juliette Tolay, Assistant Professor of Political Science and Public Policy, Pennsylvania State University

The debate over whether or not to bring in more refugees in the U.S. continues. There seems to be a sharp division within civil society, the media and public opinion as to the best course of action toward refugees.

But my research shows that there is room for building a middle ground, where both American aspirations to welcome refugees and...

Should cybersecurity be a human right?

Written by Scott Shackelford, Associate Professor of Business Law and Ethics, Indiana University

Digital information should be private and secure.Digital communications via shutterstock.com

Having access to the internet is increasingly considered to be an emerging human right. International organizations and national governments have begun to formally recognize its importance to freedom of speech, expression and information exchange. The next...

Think you're not having enough sex? Try being a senior in assisted living

Written by Elisabeth O. Burgess, Associate Professor of Gerontology, Georgia State University

from www.shutterstock.com

Love is in the air for millions today, but probably not so much for seniors in assisted living facilities. And it may not be for lack of desire.

Over two million American adults are in this position, living in assisted living or in skilled nursing facilities. Need for long-term care services increases with age, and recent...

Four ways to stay mentally fit if you're struggling with the political climate

Written by Roxanne Donovan, Professor of Psychology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Kennesaw State University

A protest in New York's Washington Square Park days after Donald Trump's election.Muhammed Muheisen/AP

“This can’t be happening.” “I feel like throwing up.” “I don’t want to get out of bed in the morning.” “Life is going to get a lot worse for people like me.” “I’m so sad I...

When Trump's tweets are angry, the mood of his followers darkens

Written by Michael Berkman, Professor Political Science and Director of McCourtney Institute for Democracy, Pennsylvania State University

President Donald Trump has shown a unique ability to use Twitter as a way to connect directly with his followers.

His tweets show his supporters what he is thinking, directly and unvarnished. Less well appreciated, but apparent in our research based on new polling, is how Trump’s anger and its targets are quickly adopted and internalized by...