The Conversation

We discovered a 115,000-year-old iguana nest fossil in the Bahamas

Written by Anthony J. Martin, Professor of Practice, Emory University

Many species of iguanas dig shelters for protection against predators, fires and extreme weather. Most also make underground nests.Anthony J. Martin, CC BY-SA

A pregnant iguana dug into a vegetated sand dune about 115,000 years ago on a small island in a chain of islands that one day would be called the Bahamas. Once she buried herself and was...

Kids want to learn more about mental illness and how to cope with parents who live with it

Written by Joanne Riebschleger, Director of Doctoral Program and Associate Professor of Social Work, Michigan State University

Studies show that young people aren't getting sufficient information – at home, school or online – about mental health and illness. Gareth Fuller/PA Images via Getty Images

One in five teens has a parent with a mental illness such as anxiety or depression. These teens are at greater risk of developing a mental illness themselves.

And...

Foreign policy is Biden's best bet for bipartisan action, experts say – but GOP is unlikely to join him on climate change

Written by Jordan Tama, Associate Professor of International Relations, American University School of International Service

As vice president, Joe Biden – seen here on left, in 2016 – had a working relationship with the Republican Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell. Is that possible now?Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call)

Republicans and Democrats may have more common ground than it seems, a new survey finds.

Our survey – conducted in August and September...

Workers are looking for direction from management – and any map is better than no map

Written by Scott F. Latham, Associate Professor of Strategic Management, University of Massachusetts Lowell

Workers need a map to lead them through the crisis. PeopleImages/E+ via Getty Images

Over eight months ago, with haste and necessity, workers and organizations across the globe were thrown into “the great remote work experiment.”

What was arguably an adequate short-term solution is now showing signs of wear and tear: Remote workers are...

Bitter battles between stinkbugs and carnivorous mice could hold clues for controlling human pain

Written by Lauren Koenig, PhD Candidate in Integrative Biology, Michigan State University

Small but fierce: Grasshopper mice can eat prey that are toxic to other mice. Lauren Koenig, CC BY-ND

It’s hard to appreciate the value of pain when we feel it, but most living things would not survive without it. Pain is a signal that something is causing harm to your body and that you need to take action.

One way to learn about pain...

Fragments of energy – not waves or particles – may be the fundamental building blocks of the universe

Written by Larry M. Silverberg, Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, North Carolina State University

New mathematics have shown that lines of energy can be used to describe the universe. zf L/Moment via Getty Images

Matter is what makes up the universe, but what makes up matter? This question has long been tricky for those who think about it – especially for the physicists. Reflecting recent trends in physics, my colleague Jeffrey Eischen and...

The Electoral College system isn't 'one person, one vote'

Written by John A. Tures, Professor of Political Science, LaGrange College

Florida voters, like these on Nov. 3, have less influence over the Electoral College than their fellow voters in any other state.AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell

When it became clear that President Donald Trump would lose the popular vote in November’s election, questions again arose about the Electoral College, and whether it is fair.

A...

Daily DIY sniff checks could catch many cases of COVID-19

Written by John E. Hayes, Professor of Food Science, Penn State

Suddenly unable to smell your morning coffee? You likely have COVID-19. Kseniya Ovchinnikova/Moment via Getty Images

Smell loss – called anosmia – is a common symptom of COVID-19. For the past nine months, the two of us – a sensory scientist and an infectious disease epidemiologist – have applied our respective expertise to...

4 ways to close the COVID-19 racial health gap

Written by Tamra Burns Loeb, Adjunct Associate Professor - Interim, UCLA School of Medicine

New strategies are needed to help people of color battle the COVID-19 virus.dmbaker via Getty Images

The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the reality that health in the U.S. has glaring racial inequities. Since March, people of color have been more likely to get sick and more likely to die from COVID-19 infection because they have been living and...

Computer science jobs pay well and are growing fast. Why are they out of reach for so many of America's students?

Written by Tamara Pearson, Director, Center of Excellence for Minority Women in STEM, Spelman College

Black and Hispanic students are underrepresented in Advanced Placement courses in computer science.Maskot/Getty Images

When it comes to the digital divide, often the focus is on how lack of internet service and basic technology will hurt students’ academic performance. This is particularly true during the pandemic, when most schools are...