The Conversation

How safe is your baby food? Company reports show arsenic, lead and other heavy metals – here's what you need to know

Written by C. Michael White, Distinguished Professor and Head of the Department of Pharmacy Practice, University of Connecticut

One study found that 95% of baby foods tested contained at least one heavy metal.Plume Creative via Getty Images

Heavy metals including lead, arsenic and mercury can be found in commercial baby foods at levels well above what the federal government considers safe for children, a new congressional report warns.

Members of Congress asked seven major...

An ancient Greek approach to risk and the lessons it can offer the modern world

Written by Joshua P. Nudell, Visiting Assistant Professor of Classics, Westminster College

A vase from ancient Greek civilization depicts Apollo consulting the oracle of Delphi.G. Dagli Orti/DeAgostini Collection via Getty Images

Most of us take big and small risks in our lives every day. But COVID-19 has made us more aware of how we think about taking risks.

Since the start of the pandemic, people have been forced to weigh their options...

How safe is your baby food?

Written by C. Michael White, Distinguished Professor and Head of the Department of Pharmacy Practice, University of Connecticut

One study found that 95% of baby foods tested contained at least one heavy metal.Plume Creative via Getty Images

Heavy metals including lead, arsenic and mercury can be found in commercial baby foods at levels well above what the federal government considers safe for children, a new congressional report warns.

Members of Congress asked seven major...

What are the origins of Lent?

Written by Joanne M. Pierce, Professor of Religious Studies, College of the Holy Cross

Lent is a period of fasting and reflection for many Chistians.Pascal Deloche/Godong/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

In late winter, many Christian denominations observe a 40-day period of fasting and prayer called Lent. This is in preparation for the spring celebration of Easter, a religious holiday commemorating the resurrection of Jesus...

John Keats' concept of 'negative capability' – or sitting in uncertainty – is needed now more than ever

Written by Richard Gunderman, Chancellor's Professor of Medicine, Liberal Arts, and Philanthropy, Indiana University

The gravestone of John Keats in Rome's 'non-Catholic' cemetery.Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

When John Keats died 200 years ago, on Feb. 23, 1821, he was just 25 years old. Despite his short life, he’s still considered one of the finest poets in the English language.

Yet in addition to masterpieces such as “Ode to a Nightingale” and...

What I learned when I recreated the famous 'doll test' that looked at how Black kids see race

Written by Toni Sturdivant, Assistant Professor of Curriculum and Instruction, Texas A&M University-Commerce

What it means when Black children prefer white dolls.commerceandculturestock/Moment via Getty Images

Back in the 1940s, Kenneth and Mamie Clark – a husband-and-wife team of psychology researchers – used dolls to investigate how young Black children viewed their racial identities.

They found that given a choice between Black dolls and...

How do arctic foxes hunt in the snow?

Written by Jacob Job, Research Associate in Department of Fish, Wildlfe, and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University

A leap and a plunge into the snow could earn this arctic fox its supper.Jupiterimages/PHOTOS.com via Getty Images

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 do arctic foxes hunt in the snow? – Benjamin P., age 4, South Orange,...

If Big Tech has the will, here are ways research shows self-regulation can work

Written by Anjana Susarla, Omura-Saxena Professor of Responsible AI, Michigan State University

To better police misinformation, social media companies can curb their appetites for constant engagement.Jaap Arriens/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Governments and observers across the world have repeatedly raised concerns about the monopoly power of Big Tech companies and the role the companies play in disseminating misinformation. In response, Big...

Keeping trees in the ground where they are already growing is an effective low-tech way to slow climate change

Written by Beverly Law, Professor Emeritus of Global Change Biology and Terrestrial Systems Science, Oregon State University

A mix of public and private forests in Oregon's Coast Range.Beverly Law, CC BY-ND

Protecting forests is an essential strategy in the fight against climate change that has not received the attention it deserves. Trees capture and store massive amounts of carbon. And unlike some strategies for cooling the climate, they don’t require costly and...

Space Force sounds like a joke thanks to pop culture – that could be a problem for an important military branch

Written by Wendy Whitman Cobb, Professor of Strategy and Security Studies, US Air Force School of Advanced Air and Space Studies

With little else to draw from, people turn to science fiction when thinking about the Space Force. CSA Images via Getty Images

The U.S. Space Force has a serious role to play in the modern world. Its stated mission is to train and equip personnel to defend U.S. interests in space. Given the increasing military and economic importance of space, the...