The Conversation

How can we prepare for the coronavirus? 3 questions answered

Written by Aubree Gordon, Professor of Public Health, University of Michigan

Alex Azar, secretary for US Health and Human Services, spoke with senators about the coronavirus on Feb. 25.AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite

Editor’s note: Public health officials in the U.S. warned that the coronavirus, which has in large part spared the U.S., is coming and that the country needs to be prepared. But just what does this mean for...

7 lessons from 'Hidden Figures' NASA mathematician Katherine Johnson's life and career

Written by Della Dumbaugh, Professor of Mathematics, University of Richmond

Katherine Johnson spoke at the Oscars about her work depicted in the 2016 film 'Hidden Figures.'AP Photo/Chris Pizzello

Katherine Johnson, an African-American mathematician who made critical contributions to the space program at NASA, died Feb. 24 at the age of 101.

Johnson became a household name thanks to the celebrated book “Hidden Figures:...

People prefer robots to explain themselves – and a brief summary doesn't cut it

Written by Mark Edmonds, Ph.D. Candidate in Computer Science, University of California, Los Angeles

A robot and human interactingTommy Ton, tontommy.com, CC BY-ND

Artificial intelligence is entering our lives in many ways – on our smartphones, in our homes, in our cars. These systems can help people make appointments, drive and even diagnose illnesses. But as AI systems continue to serve important and collaborative roles in people’s...

A guerrilla-to-entrepreneur plan in Colombia leaves some new businesswomen isolated and at risk

Written by Maria Paulina Arango, PhD candidate in International and Comparative Education at Florida State University and 2019-2020 USIP Peace Scholar, Florida State University

More than 2,000 women were processed through demobilization camps in Colombia as the government transitions disarmed FARC guerrillas back into civilian life, Jan. 18, 2017. Kaveh Kazemi/Getty Images

Women made up nearly a quarter of the 13,000 guerrilla fighters disarmed by Colombia’s 2016 peace accord with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of...

4 ways to protect yourself from disinformation

Written by Elizabeth Stoycheff, Associate Professor of Communication, Wayne State University

How can you tell the news from the noise?pathdoc/Shutterstock.com

You might have fallen for someone’s attempt to disinform you about current events. But it’s not your fault.

Even the most well-intentioned news consumers can find today’s avalanche of political information difficult to navigate. With so much news available, many...

Your chances of getting an internship are better if you've already had one

Written by David A. Jaeger, Professor of Economics, University of St Andrews

Race, region and grades all play a role.fizkes/Getty Images

When summer approaches, many college students (and their parents) wonder how they can land the perfect internship. But what kind of résumé really impresses firms looking for interns? And how are the internships connected to the broader job market?

We are researchers who...

Airplanes spread diseases quickly – so maybe unvaccinated people shouldn't be allowed to fly

Written by Christopher Robertson, Professor of Law, University of Arizona

Bill Chen at San Francisco International Airport after arriving on a flight from Shanghai. Chen said his temperature was screened at the Shanghai airport before he departed. AP Photo / Terry Chea

As the coronavirus spreads, the nation’s leading health official told a Senate committee on Feb. 25 that “we cannot hermetically seal off the...

A company's good deeds can make consumers think its products are safer

Written by Valerie Good, Published Researcher and Marketing Faculty, Michigan State University

Consumers may think Boeing's planes are safer because the company donated 250,000 masks to China.AP Photo/Vincent Yu

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

The big idea

Companies like to highlight when they do good things for society, such as making charitable donations, becoming more environmentally friendly or improving...

Supporting worker sleep is good for business

Written by Leslie Hammer, Professor, Oregon Health & Science University

Don't sleep on the job.Matthew Jacques/Shutterstock.com

A long-haul truck driver fell asleep during his shift in Sunbury, Pennsylvania, on Jan. 13. Heading north on Route 147, he drifted into the eastbound shoulder for almost 375 feet, struck the side of the road and flipped his rig. Thankfully, the driver only suffered a minor injury and nobody...

Nuclear war could be devastating for the US, even if no one shoots back

Written by Joshua M. Pearce, Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, and Electrical and Computer Engineering, Michigan Technological University

The U.S. has more than 5000 nuclear weapons.3d generator/Shutterstock.com

The White House’s 2021 budget calls for US$28.9 billion for the Pentagon for nuclear weapons and a 20% increase to $19.8 billion for the National Nuclear Security Administration.

Yet the U.S. already has over 3,000 nuclear weapons. And my research shows that the U.S....