The Conversation

Cosmic alchemy: Colliding neutron stars show us how the universe creates gold

Written by Duncan Brown, Professor of Physics, Syracuse University

Illustration of hot, dense, expanding cloud of debris stripped from the neutron stars just before they collided.NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center/CI Lab, CC BY

For thousands of years, humans have searched for a way to turn matter into gold. Ancient alchemists considered this precious metal to be the highest form of matter. As human knowledge...

How companies can learn to root out sexual harassment

Written by Katina Sawyer, Assistant Professor of Psychology, Villanova University

Sexual harassment scandals have altered and cut short many careers, including those of former Fox News host Bill O'Reilly (left), former Uber CEO Travis Kalanick (center) and late former Fox News CEO Roger Ailes.AP Photo

Fox News renewed its contract with former host Bill O'Reilly earlier this year despite knowing that he had just settled an...

California needs to rethink urban fire risk after wine country tragedy

Written by Max Moritz, Cooperative Extension Specialist, Wildland Fire, University of California, Berkeley

Picking up the pieces after fire devastated the city of Santa Rose, California. AP Photo/Jae C. Hong

We recently witnessed the wind-driven Tubbs fire blast its way through densely urbanized neighborhoods in Northern California, causing dozens of fatalities and thousands of home losses. This tragic event easily ranks as the most catastrophic fire in...

A new clue into treatments for triple negative breast cancer, a mean disease

Written by Nikita Wright, Ph.D. Candidate, Biology, Georgia State University

African-American women are about three times more likely to be diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer, an aggressive form of the disease. mangostock/Shutterstock.com

When a woman finds a lump in her breast, her doctor’s first move is usually to recommend a biopsy – that is, to remove a small portion of the lump for analysis. If...

Rebooting the mathematics behind gerrymandering

Written by Moon Duchin, Associate Professor of Mathematics and Senior Fellow of Tisch College of Civic Life, Tufts University

How can geometry track with our political values?Pixabay, CC BY

On Oct. 3, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a major case about the Wisconsin State Assembly districts.

In the U.S., we elect members to the House of Representatives and to state legislatures in a way that depends heavily on how states are divided into geographical districts....

Is @realDonaldTrump addicted to Twitter?

Written by James A. Roberts, Professor of Marketing, Baylor University

Examining the president's Twitter activity.Screenshot, CC BY-ND

Is President Trump a Twitter addict? He may not know – but he could find out, as could members of the general public concerned about their own use of social media.

Addiction, whether it’s to drugs, alcohol, exercise, sex or social media, is best understood as continuing a...

Are religious people more moral?

Written by Dimitris Xygalatas, Assistant Professor in Anthropology, University of Connecticut

Dimitris Xygalatas, CC BY

Why do people distrust atheists?

A recent study we conducted, led by psychologist Will Gervais, found widespread and extreme moral prejudice against atheists around the world. Across all continents, people assumed that those who committed immoral acts, even extreme ones such as serial murder, were more likely to be atheists....

The psychology of the clutch athlete

Written by Mark Otten, Associate Professor of Psychology, California State University, Northridge

Who will emerge as this year's David Freese?Eric Gay/AP Photo

“I don’t know. It’s unbelievable. It’s amazing,” said Dodgers outfielder Enrique “Kiké” Hernandez after game 5 of the National League Championship Series, when he became the first Dodger in the team’s 134-year history to hit three...

Japan's vote for Abe could worsen prospects for peace with North Korea, China

Written by Nicole L Freiner, Associate Professor, Political Science, Bryant University

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe gambled by calling a snap election – and he has won big.

Voters handed Abe’s Liberal Democratic Party a sweeping victory in the Oct. 22 balloting for Japan’s House of Representatives.

The call for the election came in late September after North Korea had just fired another test missile, with its lo...

India outlawed commercial surrogacy – clinics are finding loopholes

Written by Sharmila Rudrappa, Professor of Sociology, University of Texas at Austin

Would you pay someone US$150,000 to have your baby?

The high cost of surrogacy in the U.S. has pushed many potential parents to seek cheaper options elsewhere. Countries like India and Thailand have attracted surrogacy clients from countries like the U.S., Britain, Australia and Israel. The global surrogacy trade, however, has been fraught with scan...