The Conversation

Vitamin deficiency may be why you’re so tired – a nutritional neuroscientist explains how to kickstart your energy by getting essential nutrients in a well-rounded diet, along with more sleep and exercise

Written by Lina Begdache, Associate Professor of Health and Wellness Studies, Binghamton University, State University of New York

It's not necessarily overwork that is exhausting you.Daniel de la Hoz/Moment via Getty Images

Feeling drained and lethargic is common: A 2022 national survey found that 13.5% of U.S. adults said they felt “very tired” or “exhausted” most days or every day over a three-month period.

Women ages 18 to 44 had the highest rate of...

Unlikely bedfellows: How platform companies shortchange porn performers and ride-hailing drivers alike

Written by Hannah Wohl, Associate Professor of Sociology, University of California, Santa Barbara

Flexibility is a big draw for workers in the gig economy.d3sign via Getty Images

On a porn set in California’s San Fernando Valley, a performer we’ll call Jake explains why he joined the industry after dabbling in escorting. He says he was drawn to porn work because of the freedom he finds as an independent contractor.

He works 10 to 15...

Providing driver’s licenses to undocumented immigrants improves birth outcomes, research shows

Written by Margot Moinester, Assistant Professor of Sociology, Washington University in St. Louis

When states give driver’s licenses to undocumented immigrants, it affects nondrivers, too — even the littlest ones. Babies born to immigrants from Mexico and Central America are bigger and healthier in states that make that change, our research shows. The longer a law is in effect before a baby is conceived, the stronger the effect.

We...

Technology is supposed to decrease teacher burnout – but we found it can sometimes make it worse

Written by David T. Marshall, Associate Professor of Educational Research, Auburn University

Asking teachers to adopt new tools without removing old requirements is a recipe for burnout.Drazen Zigic via Getty Images

When we set out to study pandemic-related changes in schools, we thought we’d find that learning management systems that rely on technology to improve teaching would make educators’ jobs easier. Instead, we found...

Brain monitoring may be the future of work – how it’s used could improve employee performance or worsen discrimination

Written by Paul Brandt-Rauf, Professor and Dean of Biomedical Engineering, Drexel University

Neuroergonomics brings neuroscience into the workplace.David Crockett/Moment via Getty Images

Despite all the attention on technologies that reduce the hands-on role of humans at work – such as self-driving vehicles, robot workers, artificial intelligence and so on – researchers in the field of neuroergonomics are using technology to...

Planning for spring’s garden? Bees like variety and don’t care about your neighbors’ yards

Written by Laura Russo, Assistant Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee

If you plant it, they will come.Zbych/iStock via Getty Images Plus

In order to reproduce, most flowering plants rely on animals to move their pollen. In turn, pollinators rely on flowers for food, including both nectar and pollen. If you’re a gardener, you might want to support this partnership by planting flowers. But if you live in an area...

Trudeau taps out: How Trump’s taunts and tariff threats added to domestic woes confronting Canada’s long-standing PM

Written by Patrick James, Dornsife Dean’s Professor of International Relations, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences

Walking away. Justin Trudeau announced his resignation on Jan. 6, 2025.Dave Chan/AFP via Getty Images

After weeks of speculation over his future, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his intention to resign on Jan. 6, 2025.

His departure will bring an end to a decade of power for the progressive politician and once-darling of the liberal...

Americans’ rage at insurers goes beyond health coverage – the author of ‘Delay, Deny, Defend’ points to 3 reforms that could help

Written by Jay Feinman, Distinguished Professor of Law Emeritus, Rutgers University

My book “Delay, Deny, Defend: Why Insurance Companies Don’t Pay Claims and What You Can Do About It” was thrust into the spotlight recently, after UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was shot and killed in what authorities say was a targeted attack outside the company’s annual investors conference. Investigators at the...

How Christian nationalism played a role in incorporating the phrase ‘so help me God’ in the presidential oath of office

Written by David B. Parker, Professor of History, Kennesaw State University

An oil painting of George Washington taking the oath of office as the first president of the United States on April 30, 1789, in New York City.Ramon de Elorriaga/Encyclopedia Britannica via Wikimedia Commons

On Jan. 20, 2025, Donald Trump will take the presidential oath of office: “I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the Office...

That Arctic blast can feel brutally cold, but how much colder than ‘normal’ is it really?

Written by Richard B. (Ricky) Rood, Professor Emeritus of Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering, University of Michigan

Philadelphia Eagles fans braved temperatures in the 20s to watch their team play the New York Giants on Jan. 5, 2025. AP Photo/Chris Szagola

An Arctic blast hitting the central and eastern U.S. in early January 2025 is creating fiercely cold conditions in many places. Parts of North Dakota dipped to more than 20 degrees below zero, and people as...