The Conversation

No joke: Using humor in class is harder when learning is remote

Written by Scott Henderson, William R. Kenan Jr. Professor of Education, Furman University

Jokes often fall flat when class takes place online.Nes/Getty Images

Most discussions about the drawbacks of online education focus on the negative effects it has on learning. Less obvious – but also quite important – is how remote instruction can affect the teacher’s use of humor.

Scholars have formulated various explanations for...

How the National Prayer Breakfast became an opportunity for presidents and faith leaders alike to push their political agendas

Written by Deborah Whitehead, Associate Professor of Religious Studies, University of Colorado Boulder

President Joe Biden called for faith in these 'dark, dark times' at the National Prayer BreakfastAP Photo/Alex Brandon

Addressing his first National Prayer Breakfast as president on Feb. 4, Joe Biden spoke of the need to “turn to faith” in a “dark, dark time.”

In the wake of the Jan. 6 assault on the Capitol, he called for...

Amanda Gorman's poetry shows why spoken word belongs in school

Written by Kathleen M. Alley, Associate Professor of Literacy, Mississippi State University

American poet Amanda Gorman reads a poem during the 59th presidential inauguration at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 20, 2021. Patrick Semansky/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

Editor’s note: Not long after Amanda Gorman recited one of her poems at the inauguration of President Joe Biden on Jan. 20, three of her forthcoming books skyrocketed to three of...

Why disputes between Congress and the White House so often end up in court

Written by Sarah Burns, Associate Professor of Political Science, Rochester Institute of Technology

The three branches of U.S. government often find themselves in tension.White House, Eric Kiser; Capitol, John Xavier; Supreme Court, Architect of the Capitol, CC BY-SA

When the executive and legislative branches of the U.S. government don’t agree, especially on thorny, politically charged issues such as reproductive rights and immigration...

Bringing Mars rocks back to Earth – Perseverance Rover lands on Feb. 18, a lead scientist explains the tech and goals

Written by Jim Bell, Professor of Earth and Space Exploration, Arizona State University

Getting Martian rocks and samples back to Earth is the primary goal of the Mars 2020 mission.NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS

Editor’s note: Jim Bell is a professor in the School of Earth and Space Exploration at Arizona State University and has worked on a number of Mars missions. On Feb. 18, NASA’s Mars 2020 mission will be arriving at the red...

North Korea targeted cybersecurity researchers using a blend of hacking and espionage

Written by Paulo Shakarian, Associate Professor of Computer Science, Arizona State University

North Korea has a long history of hacking targets in the U.S.Chris Price/Flickr, CC BY-ND

North Korean hackers have staged an audacious attack targeting cybersecurity researchers, many of whom work to counter hackers from places like North Korea, Russia, China and Iran. The attack involved sophisticated efforts to deceive specific people, which...

How some drugs can turn into a cancer-causing chemical in the body

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

Pharmaceutical companies recalled metformin, a type II diabetes drug, after high levels of impurities of NDMA, a known carcinogen, were found in the tablets.Scott Olson via Getty Images

When consumers get a prescription drug from the pharmacy, they assume that it’s been tested and is safe to use. But what if a drug changes in harmful ways as...

These are the students free community college programs help the most

Written by Amy Li, Assistant Professor of Educational Policy Studies, Florida International University

'College promise' programs increase Black and Hispanic female college student enrollment the most. FG Trade/E+ via Getty Images

The Research Brief is a short take about interesting academic work.

The big idea

College programs that help cover tuition and fees significantly increase how many Black, Latino and white students enter college, according to...

What a squeezed rubber ducky suggests about the lingering effects of vaccine misinformation

Written by Xingru Chen, Ph.D. Candidate in Applied Mathematics, Dartmouth College

Believe it or not, this little guy has inspired new scientific thought about the COVID-19 vaccine.Peter Dazeley via Getty Images

The mutations in the coronavirus indicate that the virus is working hard to survive, with transmissible COVID-19 variants being detected around the world. These mutations have increased the urgency of vaccinating hundreds...

Citizen scientists are filling research gaps created by the pandemic

Written by Theresa Crimmins, Director, USA National Phenology Network, University of Arizona

A volunteer looks for waterbirds at Point Reyes National Seashore in California during the National Audubon Society's annual Christmas Bird Count.Kerry W/Flickr, CC BY

The rapid spread of COVID-19 in 2020 disrupted field research and environmental monitoring efforts worldwide. Travel restrictions and social distancing forced scientists to cancel...