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Why ending the secrecy of 'confession' is so controversial for the Catholic Church

  • Written by Mathew Schmalz, Professor of Religious Studies, College of the Holy Cross
In Catholic understanding, Jesus gave his disciples the power to forgive sins.Hernán Piñera, CC BY-SA

Following sexual abuse scandals in the Catholic Church, there is a worldwide push to end the guarantee of secrecy of confession – called “the seal of the confessional.”

On Sept. 11, 2019, two Australian states,...

Read more: Why ending the secrecy of 'confession' is so controversial for the Catholic Church

Panama celebrates its black Christ, part of protest against colonialism and slavery

  • Written by S. Kyle Johnson, Doctoral Student in Systematic Theology, Boston College
The life-sized wooden statue of the Black Christ in St. Philip Church in Panama.Dan Lundberg/Flickr, CC BY-SA

Panama’s “Festival del Cristo Negro,” the festival of the “Black Christ,” is an important religious holiday for local Catholics. It honors a dark, life-sized wooden statue of Jesus, “Cristo Negro”...

Read more: Panama celebrates its black Christ, part of protest against colonialism and slavery

Conservation policies threaten indigenous reindeer herders in Mongolia

  • Written by Nancy Langston, Distinguished Professor of Environmental History, Michigan Technological University
Rules put into place to protect endangered species have harmed people who depend on nature.Nancy Langston, CC BY-SA

Deep in the sub-Arctic boreal forest of far northern Mongolia lives an indigenous tribe who are among the world’s smallest ethnic minorities and last reindeer herding nomads. The Tsaatan, as they’re known, have been...

Read more: Conservation policies threaten indigenous reindeer herders in Mongolia

Computer science now counts as math credit in most states – is this a good idea?

  • Written by Chris Orban, Assistant Professor of Physics, The Ohio State University
Forty-seven states let computer science count in place of math or science classes required for high school graduation.Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock.com

In 2013, a who’s who of the tech world came together to launch a newnonprofit called Code.org. The purpose of the organization was to get more computer science into schools.

Billionaires...

Read more: Computer science now counts as math credit in most states – is this a good idea?

The Latin American left isn't dead yet

  • Written by Santiago Anria, Assistant Professor of Political Science and Latin American Studies, Dickinson College

Argentina, Bolivia and Uruguay will all hold presidential elections in October. And, for now, leftists are strong contenders in all three countries.

This is a somewhat unexpected development. Beginning in 2015, conservatives toppled major leftist strongholds, including in Brazil, Argentina and Chile. The socially progressive Latin American left...

Read more: The Latin American left isn't dead yet

For Russia, talk of Trump impeachment is the gift that keeps on giving

  • Written by Cynthia Hooper, Associate Professor of History, College of the Holy Cross

The Russians are calling it “Ukrainegate.”

“I never thought I’d say it, but CNN is right,” remarked one pundit on Russia 1, the county’s most-watched television station. “The person who wins in this situation is Putin.”

Commentary in Russian media about the impeachment investigation of U.S. President...

Read more: For Russia, talk of Trump impeachment is the gift that keeps on giving

Hurricane Michael recovery efforts point to the power of local generosity after overlooked disasters

  • Written by David Berlan, Assistant Professor of Public Administration, Askew School of Public Administration and Policy, Florida State University
The former site of a Panama City plumbing business remained a pile of debris months after Hurricane Michael.AP Photo/David Goldman

When Hurricane Michael made landfall on Florida’s Panhandle on Oct. 10, 2018, as a Category 5 storm it was only the fourth on record to have ever hit the U.S. mainland. The storm surge it brought about, along with...

Read more: Hurricane Michael recovery efforts point to the power of local generosity after overlooked disasters

6 ways to establish a productive homework routine

  • Written by Janine L. Nieroda-Madden, Assistant Professor of College Learning Strategies and Instruction, Syracuse University
Breaking homework assignments down into smaller parts makes it easier to complete.Pressmaster/Shutterstock.com

Homework. Whether you’re a fifth-grader or a freshman in college, the mere thought of homework can be overwhelming. And actually doing homework can be quite difficult. But homework doesn’t have to be something a student dreads.

A...

Read more: 6 ways to establish a productive homework routine

Games blamed for moral decline and addiction throughout history

  • Written by Lindsay Grace, Knight Chair of Interactive Media; Associate Professor of Communication, University of Miami
Did ancient Egyptian parents worry their kids might get addicted to this game, called senet?Keith Schengili-Roberts/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA

Video games are often blamed for unemployment, violence in society and addiction – including by partisan politicians raising moral concerns.

Blaming video games for social or moral decline might feel...

Read more: Games blamed for moral decline and addiction throughout history

Fast evolution explains the tiny stature of extinct 'Hobbit' from Flores Island

  • Written by José Alexandre Felizola Diniz-Filho, Professor of Ecology and Evolution, Universidade Federal de Goias
An Indonesian island was home to _H. Floresiensis_ – but how did the dwarfed human species evolve?areza taqwim/Shutterstock.com

It’s not every day that scientists discover a new human species.

But that’s just what happened back in 2004, when archaeologists uncovered some very well-preserved fossil remains in the Liang Bua cave on...

Read more: Fast evolution explains the tiny stature of extinct 'Hobbit' from Flores Island

More Articles ...

  1. Nobel Prize in Physics for two breakthroughs: Evidence for the Big Bang and a way to find exoplanets
  2. Workplace sex discrimination claims are common – but they're not making it into court
  3. Cómo los huracanes fuertes benefician a los peces caribeños
  4. Investigations usually hurt a president's public reputation – but Trump isn't usual
  5. Fundamentalism turns 100, a landmark for the Christian Right
  6. Discovery of how cells sense oxygen levels earns Nobel Prize
  7. Colt ends public sales of the AR-15, but gun-control advocates shouldn't celebrate
  8. Government restrictions on labeling products as 'meat' aren't likely to help anyone
  9. More mental health care won't stop the gun epidemic, new study suggests
  10. Strong family ties during teen years can help ward off depression in later life
  11. Growing the big one – 6 tips for your own prize-winning tomatoes
  12. Curious Kids: How deep is the ocean?
  13. Latin America shuts out desperate Venezuelans but Colombia's border remains open – for now
  14. The Supreme Court and refugees at the southern border: 5 questions answered
  15. How birth control pill prescriptions by a pharmacist could broaden access and keep costs down
  16. Trump’s America shines bright for Europe's radical New Right
  17. What's so wrong about lying in a job interview
  18. How the US could afford 'Medicare for all'
  19. Mining powers modern life, but can leave scarred lands and polluted waters behind
  20. People are increasingly interrupted at work, but it's not all bad
  21. New England power line corridors harbor rare bees and other wild things
  22. America now solves problems with troops, not diplomats
  23. 3 questions about vodka, answered
  24. Curious Kids: How do my eyes adjust to the dark and how long does it take?
  25. This year at the Supreme Court: Gay rights, gun rights and Native rights
  26. Trump's bad Nixon imitation may cost him the presidency
  27. What moons in other solar systems reveal about planets like Neptune and Jupiter
  28. Gandhi's 150th birthday: A little-remembered philosopher translated the Mahatma's ideas of nonviolence for Americans
  29. 3 reasons Forever 21’s bankruptcy doesn’t spell the end of brick-and-mortar retailing
  30. Untangling tattoos' influence on immune response
  31. South America's second-largest forest is also burning – and 'environmentally friendly' charcoal is subsidizing its destruction
  32. How a 1905 debate about 'tainted' Rockefeller money is a reminder of ethical dilemmas today
  33. Cultural studies key to national security
  34. Harvard can use race as an admissions factor, at least for now
  35. The Beatles' revolutionary use of recording technology in 'Abbey Road'
  36. Misinformation, evasion and the informational problem of live TV interviews
  37. A brief history of television interviews -- and why live TV helps those who lie and want to hide
  38. Ukraine's President Zelenskiy may come to regret his discussion with President Trump
  39. More frequent and intense tropical storms mean less recovery time for the world's coastlines
  40. Low blood pressure could be a culprit in dementia, studies suggest
  41. A father-physician tests if a little peanut a day keeps allergy away
  42. Could President Trump be impeached and convicted – but also reelected?
  43. The Electoral College will never make everyone happy
  44. What Gandhi believed is the purpose of a corporation
  45. Leave 'em laughing instead of crying: Climate humor can break down barriers and find common ground
  46. For male students, technical education in high school boosts earnings after graduation
  47. Posting on Facebook is helping nonprofits of all sizes raise money
  48. Rural hospital closings reach crisis stage, leaving millions without nearby health care
  49. Gut microbes can get you drunk and damage your liver
  50. Why I'm teaching kids science through the sport of rowing