The Conversation

Do 'sputnik moments' spur educational reform? A rhetoric scholar weighs in

Written by Mark Hlavacik, Associate Professor of Communication Studies, University of North Texas

The quest for space dominance has long sparked discussions about the quality of American education.Adastra/The Image Bank via Getty Images

Ever since the USSR surprised the United States with the Oct. 4, 1957, launch of the world’s first artificial satellite – Sputnik 1 – U.S. politicians and other public figures have used the...

Death of the Armenian dream in Nagorno-Karabakh was predictable but not inevitable

Written by Ronald Suny, Professor of History and Political Science, University of Michigan

Refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh.Middle East Images /AFP via Getty Images)

Thirty-five years ago, more than 100,000 Armenian protesters took to the streets to convince Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev that Nagorno-Karabakh – an ethnically Armenian enclave stuck geographically in the neighboring republic of Soviet Azerbaijan – ought to be...

Birds, worms, rabbits: Francis of Assisi was said to have loved them all – but today's pet blessings on his feast day might have seemed strange to the 13th century saint

Written by Mary Dzon, Associate Professor of English, University of Tennessee

Each year, services on St. Francis' feast day draw humans and animals alike to the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York.Lokman Vural Elibol/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Each year, if you happen to be in New York around Oct. 4, you may catch sight of something unusual: a whole menagerie of animals being welcomed into the Cathedral of St....

Tenacious curiosity in the lab can lead to a Nobel Prize – mRNA research exemplifies the unpredictable value of basic scientific research

Written by André O. Hudson, Dean of the College of Science, Professor of Biochemistry, Rochester Institute of Technology

Basic research often involves lab work that won't be appreciated until decades down the line.Sebastian Condrea/Moment via Getty Images

The 2023 Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine will go to Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman for their discovery that modifying mRNA – a form of genetic material your body uses to produce proteins –...

Being told where their blood ends up encourages donors to give again – new research

Written by Edlira Shehu, Professor of Digital Marketing, University of Groningen

What's a good way to get people to participate in blood drives?Jon Cherry/Getty Images

Telling people who have donated blood when and where the blood was used makes them more likely to do it again, according to our new study. Donors who got details like the date and the hospital were 10% more likely to donate again than people who were just thanked....

Where the Supreme Court stands on banning books

Written by Suzanne Eckes, Susan S. Engeleiter Professor of Education Law, Policy and Practice, University of Wisconsin-Madison

A display of books that have been banned in various places is on view at a community gathering space in Washington, D.C.Craig Hudson for The Washington Post via Getty Images

Efforts to ban books in public schools and public libraries reached an all-time high in 2022 and show few signs of abating for 2023, according to the American Library...

Navigating the risks and benefits of AI: Lessons from nanotechnology on ensuring emerging technologies are safe as well as successful

Written by Andrew Maynard, Professor of Advanced Technology Transitions, Arizona State University

The course of nanotechnology, like the carbon nanotubes in this laboratory, has been guided by many stakeholders.VCG/VCG via Getty Images

Twenty years ago, nanotechnology was the artificial intelligence of its time. The specific details of these technologies are, of course, a world apart. But the challenges of ensuring each technology’s...

How do astronomers know the age of the planets and stars?

Written by Adam Burgasser, Professor of Astronomy & Astrophysics, University of California, San Diego

Astronomers can estimate ages for stars outside the Solar System, but not planets.Corbis Historical via Getty Images

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.

How do we know the age of the planets and stars? – Swara D., age 13,...

Pope Francis has appointed 21 new cardinals – an expert on medieval Christianity explains what it means for the future of the Catholic Church

Written by Joanne M. Pierce, Professor Emerita of Religious Studies, College of the Holy Cross

New cardinals at St. Peter's Square at the Vatican on Sept. 30, 2023.AP Photo/Riccardo De Luca

On Sept. 30, 2023, Pope Francis swore in 21 clergymen as new members of the College of Cardinals. The College is an important part of the church’s governance structure – each new member takes a formal oath during a ritual ceremony in the...

There's a thriving global market in turtles, and much of that trade is illegal

Written by Jennifer Sevin, Director of Biological Instruction, University of Richmond

Smuggled rare Mexican box turtles intercepted by U.S. officials at the Port of Memphis.USFWS

Hatchling turtles are cute, small and inexpensive. Handled improperly, they also can make you sick.

Turtles are well-known carriers of salmonella, a common bacterial disease that causes fever, stomach cramps and dehydration and can lead to severe illness,...