The Conversation

Why politicians think they know better than scientists – and why that's so dangerous

Written by Elizabeth Suhay, Assistant Professor of Government, American University

Making a point at a Washington, D.C. protest in January.stephenmelkisethian/flickr, CC BY-NC-ND

One of the most unexpected political developments in recent months has been the political awakening of scientists in the United States.

A normally reticent group (at least when it comes to politics), scientists are speaking out, organizing a major march...

Trump's vow to 'destroy' Johnson Amendment could wreak havoc on charitable world

Written by Philip Hackney, James E. & Betty M. Phillips Associate Professor of Law, Louisiana State University

President Donald Trump recently pledged to “destroy” the Johnson Amendment, a 63-year-old law that bans charities from engaging in political activities.

As Trump said this at the National Prayer Breakfast, his focus was on permitting religious groups to play a more vocal role in political campaigns. Our experience in researching...

Scientist at work: Tracking muskoxen in a warming Arctic

Written by Joel Berger, Barbara Cox Anthony Chair in Wildlife Conservation, Colorado State University

Our Earth has unimaginable diversity, from seascapes 8,000 meters below the ocean’s surface to landscapes 8,000 meters above it. Its physical beauty comes in inconceivable living varieties. Some mammals lay eggs; some lizards are legless. Bats catch fish. Birds catch bats. Wood frogs in Alaska survive through winter even as two-thirds of...

Why you should date your best friend

Written by Gary W. Lewandowski Jr., Chair and Professor of Psychology, Monmouth University

Bestie + Lover = Relationship Nirvana?Aspa, CC BY

One person fills two roles.

Being someone’s BFF is a big deal – you don’t hand over the other half of your “Best Friends” necklace to just anyone. Having a romantic partner who is also your best friend potentially sounds perfect. With your BFF as your romantic partner,...

Does it matter if Trump doesn't like economists?

Written by Jay L. Zagorsky, Economist and Research Scientist, The Ohio State University

When President Donald Trump formally announced his Cabinet, one of the surprises was that the list of 24 Cabinet-level officials did not include the chair of the Council of Economic Advisers (CEA).

There is no formal requirement that an economic adviser be part of the Cabinet. However, Barack Obama started a new trend by appointing the last four...

Why Tinder is so 'evilly satisfying'

Written by Jeanette Purvis, Ph.D. Student in Psychology, University of Hawaii

In America, 60 percent of digital media consumption now occurs on mobile or tablet devices instead of desktop computers.

As people and technology have become increasingly mobile, so have their efforts to find love and sex. According to app analytics website AppAnnie, the dating application Tinder is one of the most popular tools to pursue modern...

Trump loses appeal, but travel ban fight isn't over yet

Written by Steven Mulroy, Law Professor in Constitutional Law, Criminal Law, Election Law, University of Memphis

Thursday’s appellate court opinion, which denied President Donald Trump’s appeal concerning his immigrant ban executive order, was unsurprising. It cautiously declined to upset the status quo, temporarily continuing to prevent the executive order’s enforcement nationwide. But it also allowed for further briefing and argument.

As...

What do gorilla suits and blowfish fallacies have to do with climate change?

Written by John Cook, Research Assistant Professor, Center for Climate Change Communication, George Mason University

Pardon me while I blow this out of proportion.Blowfish image via www.shutterstock.com.

A famous psychology experiment instructed participants to watch a short video, counting the number of times players in white shirts passed the ball. If you haven’t seen it before, I encourage you to give the following short video your full attention and...

Why Trump needs the civil servants he wants to fire: Lessons from abroad

Written by Adnan Rasool, Ph.D. Candidate, Georgia State University

Like most Republicans, President Donald Trump has made it clear he intends to “fix” the federal government by “draining the swamp.” Traditionally, the GOP has aimed to cut the size of the federal government. The president’s freeze on hiring federal employees is a first step in that direction. And he might go a step...

Songs of worship: Why we sing to the Lord

Written by David W. Stowe, Professor of English and Religious Studies, Michigan State University

This Saturday, Feb. 11, many Jews will celebrate Shabbat Shirah, the Sabbath of Singing, which commemorates one of the most vivid musical performances in the Hebrew Bible: the songs sung by Moses and his sister Miriam to celebrate the Israelite crossing of the Sea of Reeds (Red Sea) in their dramatic escape from bondage in Egypt.

This Song of Miriam...