The Conversation

In dandelions and fireflies, artists try to make sense of climate change

Written by Kate Flint, Provost Professor of Art History and English, University of Southern California – Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences

Visitors walk through Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama's installation 'Fireflies on the Water.'maurizio mucciola/flickr, CC BY-NC-ND

Climate change is real, it’s accelerating and it’s terrifying. We are adding carbon to the atmosphere at a rate 100 times faster than any previous natural increases, such as those that occurred at the end of...

How do brains tune in to one neural signal out of billions?

Written by Salvatore Domenic Morgera, Professor of Electrical Engineering and Bioengineering, University of South Florida

Your brain is conducting multiple orchestras of information at the same time.Enlighted Audio, CC BY

The human brain sends hundreds of billions of neural signals each second. It’s an extraordinarily complex feat.

A healthy brain must establish an enormous number of correct connections and ensure that they remain accurate for the entire period...

The problem of living inside echo chambers

Written by C. Thi Nguyen, Associate Professor of Philosophy, Utah Valley University

Echo chambers are resistant to voices from outside.Beth Kuchera/Shutterstock

Pick any of the big topics of the day – Brexit, climate change or Trump’s immigration policies – and wander online.

What one is likely to find is radical polarization – different groups of people living in different worlds, populated with utterly...

Could a toilet seat help prevent hospital readmissions?

Written by Nicholas Conn, Research Scientist, Microsystems Engineering, Rochester Institute of Technology

An engraving of a heart.www.shutterstock.com

America is aging rapidly. In the next 40 years, the number of people age 65 and older is expected to nearly double. Of these older Americans, more than 80% will have some form of heart disease.

As medical advances prolong life and help people survive heart attacks, more people end up living with congestive...

Don't ignore serious nonmilitary threats to US national security

Written by Richard Forno, Senior Lecturer, Cybersecurity & Internet Researcher, University of Maryland, Baltimore County

Storm clouds are gathering.Olaf Speier/Shutterstock.com

Almost two decades after thousands died in the attacks of 9/11, there remain many active efforts underway to protect America from international terrorism.

Since 9/11, American domestic and international security policy has been focused on individual terrorists, terrorist groups and rogue countr...

5 charts show how your household drives up global greenhouse gas emissions

Written by Morteza Taiebat, Ph.D. Candidate in Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan

Transportation and food are two major contributors to household emissions.Halfpoint/Shutterstock.com

As the public conversation about climate change gets increasingly serious, many Americans may be wondering: How do my individual choices affect climate change?

Household consumption – food, housing, transportation, apparel and other personal...

Why a plan to lower prescription drug prices should not be piecemeal

Written by Minal R. Patel, Associate Professor of Health Behavior & Health Education, University of Michigan

A man looks at a prescription drug bottle. Many Americans will chronic conditions report rationing their drugs because of cost.Burlingham/Shutterstock.com

Demand for prescription medications in the U.S. is at an all time high, given that 50% of adults have at least one chronic condition, and 25% have two or more. Sixty percent of the population,...

The strange connection between Bobby Kennedy's death and Scooby-Doo

Written by Kevin Sandler, Associate Professor of English, Arizona State University

'Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!' was a funky, lighthearted alternative to the action cartoons that, for years, had dominated Saturday morning lineups.GeekDad

Scooby-Doo, one of the most enduring animated characters ever to emerge from U.S. television, celebrates his 50th birthday this month.

Created by Hanna-Barbera Productions in 1969 for CBS Saturday...

Africa's Catholic churches face competition and a troubled legacy as they grow

Written by Joseph Hellweg, Associate Professor of Religion, Affiliated Associate Professor of Anthropology, Florida State University

Pope Francis at the Monument Mary Queen of Peace, in Port Louis, Mauritius on Sept. 9, 2019.AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino

Pope Francis has completed his seven-day tour of three East African countries: Mozambique, Madagascar and Mauritius. It was a significant trip for a number of reasons.

During his visit, the pope spoke on issues of peace and...

Indian Moon probe's failure won't stop an Asian space race that threatens regional security

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

India's launch vehicle carrying Chandrayaan-2 lifted off from Sriharikota, India, in late July 2019.Indian Space Research Organization via AP

On Sept. 7, India’s Chandrayaan-2 lunar mission deployed its Vikram lander for an attempted landing at the Moon’s south pole. Communications with the lander were lost just minutes prior to the...