The Conversation

Pope Francis' approval of blessings for LGBTQ+ couples is a historic gesture, according to a Catholic theologian

Written by Steven P. Millies, Professor of Public Theology and Director of The Bernardin Center, Catholic Theological Union

Pope Francis speaks during his weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican on Oct. 18, 2023.AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino

Pope Francis’ Dec. 18, 2023, announcement that Catholic priests may bless LGBTQ+ couples and others in “irregular” situations marks a definitive shift in the Roman Catholic Church’s...

More city hall news coverage isn’t enough to revive local news outlets

Written by Erik Peterson, Assistant Professor of American Politics, Rice University

Will local election coverage help news organizations win back readers and viewers?Allkindza/E+/Getty Images

Whether it’s a new round of journalist layoffs or further consolidation into the hands of a few owners, the problems confronting local media in the U.S. are easy to see.

We are political scientists who study how the decline of local news...

2023's extreme storms, heat and wildfires broke records – a scientist explains how global warming fuels climate disasters

Written by Shuang-Ye Wu, Professor of Geology and Environmental Geosciences, University of Dayton

Extreme downpours filled downtown Montpelier, Vt., with water in July 2023.John Tully for The Washington Post via Getty Images

The year 2023 was marked by extraordinary heat, wildfires and weather disasters.

In the U.S., an unprecedented heat wave gripped much of Texas and the Southwest with highs well over 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37.8 Celsius) for...

Wild 'super pigs' from Canada could become a new front in the war on feral hogs

Written by Marcus Lashley, Associate Professor of Wildlife Ecology, University of Florida

Feral hogs' long snouts and tusks allow them to rip and root their way across the landscape in search of food. USDA/Flickr, CC BY

They go by many names – pigs, hogs, swine, razorbacks – but whatever you call them, wild pigs (Sus scrofa) are one of the most damaging invasive species in North America. They cause millions of dollars in...

Finding objective ways to talk about religion in the classroom is tough − but the cost of not doing so is clear

Written by Charles J. Russo, Joseph Panzer Chair in Education and Research Professor of Law, University of Dayton

Concerns about what is or isn't legal can hinder objective lessons about religious studies in class.SDI Productions/E+ via Getty Images

Despite the holiday season’s calls for joy and peace, religious strife continues in many places. While the United States has a great deal of litigation and controversy over religion’s place in public...

Digital inaccessibility: Blind and low-vision people have powerful technology but still face barriers to the digital world

Written by Michele McDonnall, Research Professor of Rehabilitation Education and Research, Mississippi State University

Screen reader software converts text to audio for people who are blind. Access Matters/Flickr, CC BY-NC-SA

Imagine that you have low vision and you’re completing an online job application using screen reader software.

You get through half the form and then come to a question with drop-down options the screen reader cannot access because the...

How active are the microorganisms in your yogurt? We created a new tool to study probiotic activity — and made it out of cardboard

Written by Carlos D. Garcia, Professor of Chemistry, Clemson University

Fermented foods can be a good source of probiotics. Yulia Naumenko/Moment via Getty Images

Humans have been fermenting food and drinks — everything from kimchi and yogurt to beer and kombucha — for more than 13,000 years.

Fermentation – a natural process that uses microorganisms to create alcohols and acids from carbohydrates...

Teaching positive psychology skills at school may be one way to help student mental health and happiness

Written by Kai Zhuang Shum, Assistant Professor of School Psychology, University of Tennessee

Gratitude, kindness and optimistic thinking can help kids feel a bit better.Wipada Wipawin/iStock via Getty Images Plus

Youth mental health has worsened significantly over the past decade, but new interventions that teach positive psychology concepts in school may help.

American young people are reporting historically high levels of hopelessness,...

Why are some black holes bigger than others? An astronomer explains how these celestial vacuums grow

Written by Jaclyn Champagne, JASPER Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Arizona

Black holes use gravity to pull matter into them. NASA/Chandra X-ray Observatory/M.Weiss via AP

Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to curiouskidsus@theconversation.com.

Why are there small and big black holes? Also, why are some black holes invisible and others have...

Do you hear what I see? How blindness changes how you process the sound of movement

Written by Ione Fine, Professor of Psychology, University of Washington

Sighted people would have a hard time crossing the street by sound alone.Maskot/DigitalVision via Getty Images

Almost nothing in the world is still. Toddlers dash across the living room. Cars zip across the street. Motion is one of the most important features in the environment; the ability to predict the movement of objects in the world is often...