The Conversation

A century after the EEG was discovered, it remains a crucial tool for understanding the brain

Written by Giridhar Kalamangalam, Professor of Neurology, University of Florida

Brain waves emblematic of generalized epilepsy.Kateryna Kon/Science Photo Library via Getty Images

Jena, Germany, 1924: Working in near-isolation and with painstaking tediousness, the psychiatrist Hans Berger observes rhythmic electrical activity from the scalp of human subjects. He is convinced the activity arises from within the brain and coins...

Military personnel swear allegiance to the Constitution and serve the American people – not one leader or party

Written by Joseph G. Amoroso, Assistant Professor of American Politics, United States Military Academy West Point

Graduating cadets at West Point take their oaths to the Constitution and are commissioned as officers in the U.S. Army.Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

In general, Americans don’t trust their government institutions as much as they used to – and that includes the military.

In part, that’s because the military can be used as a tool...

For the Maya, solar eclipses were a sign of heavenly clashes − and their astronomers kept sophisticated records to predict them

Written by Kimberly H. Breuer, Associate Professor of Instruction, University of Texas at Arlington

El Castillo pyramid illuminated at night under a starry sky in Chichen Itza, Mexico, one of the largest Maya cities.Matteo Colombo/DigitalVision via Getty Images

We live in a light-polluted world, where streetlamps, electronic ads and even backyard lighting block out all but the brightest celestial objects in the night sky. But travel to an...

Beyoncé’s ‘Blackbiird’ breathes new life into a symbol that has inspired centuries of Black artists, musicians and storytellers

Written by Katie Kapurch, Associate Professor of English, Texas State University

Tanner Adell is one of the four Black, female country singers featured on 'Blackbiird.'Michael Hickey/Getty Images

Prior to the release of “Cowboy Carter,” Beyoncé explained that her album’s links to country were motivated by industry gatekeeping. She was likely referencing the hostile reception she experienced after her...

Who are today’s climate activists? Dispelling 3 big myths for Earth Month

Written by Dana R. Fisher, Director of the Center for Environment, Community & Equity and Professor in the School of International Service, American University

Climate rallies, like this one in New York City in 2022, draw activists of all ages.AP Photo/Gemunu Amarasinghe

As Earth Month 2024 gets underway, climate activists around the world are planning rallies and other events over the coming weeks to draw attention to the growing threats posed by climate change.

Many of these demonstrations will focus on...

March Madness brings unique gambling risks for college students

Written by M. Dolores Cimini, Director for Behavioral Health Promotion and Applied Research, University at Albany, State University of New York

Some college students have gambled away their financial aid. PRUDENCIOALVAREZ via Getty Images

Whenever March Madness takes place, it’s a sure bet that people will be wagering on the college basketball games leading up to the championship known as the Final Four.

From office pools to online betting platforms to taking a crack at picking the...

Hope is not the same as optimism, a psychologist explains − just look at MLK’s example

Written by Kendra Thomas, Associate Professor of Psychology, Hope College

The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. speaks after being released from prison for leading a boycott.Donald Uhrbrock/The Chronicle Collection via Getty Images

On April 3, 1968, standing before a crowded church, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. painted his vision for justice. “I’ve seen the Promised Land,” he said. “I may not get...

How Trump’s lawyers would fail my constitutional law class with their Supreme Court brief on criminal immunity

Written by Wayne Unger, Assistant Professor of Law, Quinnipiac University

Donald Trump's Supreme Court brief characterizes historic cases and documents as saying one thing when they say the complete opposite.erhui1979/Digital Vision Vectors/Getty Images

Former President Donald Trump claims that the president of the United States is absolutely immune from criminal prosecution.

On March 19, 2024, Trump filed his brief with...

The most important voice on Beyoncé’s new album

Written by William Nash, Professor of American Studies and English, Middlebury

Country musician Linda Martell at her home in South Carolina in 2021.Sean Rayford/Getty Images

One of the most impressive parts of Beyoncé’s new album, “Cowboy Carter,” is her roster of collaborators, which includes rising country artist Shaboozey alongside country superstars Dolly Parton and Willie Nelson.

But to me, the...

America’s green manufacturing boom, from EV batteries to solar panel production, isn’t powered by renewable energy − yet

Written by James Morton Turner, Professor of Environmental Studies, Wellesley College

Renewable energy provides about 20% of U.S. electricity.AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez

Panasonic’s new US$4 billion battery factory in De Soto, Kansas, is designed to be a model of sustainability – it’s an all-electric factory with no need for a smokestack. When finished, it will cover the size of 48 football fields, employ...