The Conversation

5 years after Islamic State massacre, an Iraqi minority is transformed by trauma

Written by Tutku Ayhan, Ph.D. Candidate, University of Central Florida

Dilbar Ali Ravu, 10, is kissed by his aunt, Dalal Ravu, as Yazidi children are reunited with their families in Iraq after five years of captivity with the Islamic State group, March 2, 2019.AP Photo/Philip Issa, File

It’s been five years since the Islamic State killed 3,100 Yazidi people in Iraq – mostly men and the elderly –...

Syria military presence risks US credibility with world community

Written by David Banks, Professorial Lecturer of International Politics, American University School of International Service

President Donald Trump has rapidly, and without warning to allies or even his own officials, shifted U.S. foreign policy in Syria.AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta

President Donald Trump’s decisions to withdraw U.S. troops from northern Syria – and then to send them back into action – has raised new concerns around the world about the...

Contrary to recent reports, Jupiter's Great Red Spot is not in danger of disappearing

Written by Philip Marcus, Professor of Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Berkeley

Measuring in at 10,159 miles (16,350 kilometers) in width (as of April 3, 2017) Jupiter’s Great Red Spot is 1.3 times as wide as Earth. NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS/Christopher Go

In the last 10 years, but in the last five months in particular, the press has reported dire warnings that the Great Red Spot of Jupiter is dying. However, some...

Thank fungi for cheese, wine and beer this holiday season

Written by Antonis Rokas, Cornelius Vanderbilt Chair in Biological Sciences and Professor of Biological Sciences and Biomedical Informatics, Vanderbilt University

These foods are all dependent on microorganisms for their distinctive flavor.margouillat photo/Shutterstock.com

It’s hard to imagine a holiday table without bread, meat, vegetables, wine, beer or a board of French cheeses for those with more adventurous palates. Savoring these delicacies with family and friends is part of what makes the...

Calling donors to thank them doesn't make them more likely to give again

Written by Anya Samek, Associate Professor (Research) of Economics, University of Southern California – Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences

Even if the thought counts, the effort might not be worth it.karen roach/Shutterstock.com

Donors gave US$380 million to nonprofits during 2018’s Giving Tuesday donation drive.

Many of the groups getting donations like those follow up by calling donors to thank them, leaving a voicemail if nobody picks up the phone.

I’m a behavioral...

Donors need to stop pressuring nonprofits to pinch pennies

Written by Joseph Stinn, Visiting Assistant Professor of Economics, Miami University

Rewarding charities that scrimp is less strategic than it sounds.Allison Herreid/Shutterstock.com

The end of the year is a popular time to give to charity.

Historically, Americans have made 30% of their annual donations in December. Many of them get a head start on the first Tuesday after Thanksgiving during the global online fundraising campaign...

How does a piece of bread cause a migraine?

Written by Lauren Green, Clinical Assistant Professor of Neurology, University of Southern California

Tens of millions of people worldwide suffer from migraines, according to the World Health Organization.Maridav/Shutterstock.com

Migraine is the third most prevalent illness in the world and causes suffering for tens of millions of people. In fact, nearly 1 in 4 U.S. household includes someone with migraines.

Migraine is not just a headache but also...

New College Scorecard could help students choose better colleges, but there's still room to improve it

Written by Gregory N. Price, Professor, Economics, University of New Orleans

The College Scorecard now has more detailed data on programs and majors.AP Photo/Seth Wenig

The U.S. Department of Education is out with a new version of its College Scorecard – an online tool meant to help students and families make more informed decisions about where to attend college.

As an economist who examines how college choice can...

Kids may need more help finding answers to their questions in the information age

Written by Hailey Gibbs, Doctoral Research Fellow of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland

Finding accurate answers can be harder than it used to be.Odua Images/Shutterstock.com

Children ask lots of questions. Even before children can put together words, they point at things that they want to learn about.

Some are easy enough to answer – “What’s that animal?” or “Can I drink your beer?” Others like...

What can you learn from studying an animal's scat?

Written by Verity Mathis, Mammal Collections Manager, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida

A bear leaving its calling card.Dean Harvey/Flickr, CC BY

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.

What can you learn from studying an animal’s scat? – Cora, age 9, Brookline, Massachusetts

Everybody poops. There are even wh...