The Conversation

Male birth control options are in development, but a number of barriers still stand in the way

Written by Christina Chung-Lun Wang, Physician/Investigator at Lundquist Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center and Professor of Medicine at David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles

Lack of pharmaceutical industry interest has stymied the development of new male contraception options.filo/DigitalVision Vectors via Getty Images

In the wake of the reversal of Roe v. Wade, developing more contraception options for everyone becomes even more important.

Women and people who can become pregnant have a number of effective birth...

Challenges to voters are growing before the midterms -- and have a long history as a way of keeping down the Black vote

Written by Austin Sarat, William Nelson Cromwell Professor of Jurisprudence and Political Science, Amherst College

A GOP plan means that voters may be challenged on their right to vote.Matthew Hatcher/Getty Images

Voters who want to cast their ballot on Election Day this November may be in for an unpleasant surprise – the very real possibility that they will be unable to vote.

That’s because any registered voter can challenge the right of another...

Black women endure legacy of racism in homeownership and making costly repairs

Written by Robin Bartram, Assistant Professor of Sociology, Tulane University

The removal of drywall during mold remediation is seen after a basement flood. Catherine McQueen/Getty Images

Yolanda, 61, owns a home in the predominantly Black 7th Ward neighborhood in New Orleans.

To fix her leaking roof in 2020, she had to borrow money.

“It’s one of them credit card loans,” she said. “Like interest of...

'Silent Spring' 60 years on: 4 essential reads on pesticides and the environment

Written by Jennifer Weeks, Senior Environment + Energy Editor, The Conversation

Spraying from either a ground-based vehicle or an airplane is a common method for applying pesticides.Edwin Remsburg/VW Pics via Getty Images

In 1962 environmental scientist Rachel Carson published “Silent Spring,” a bestselling book that asserted that overuse of pesticides was harming the environment and threatening human health....

Quiet quitting and the great resignation have a common cause – dissatisfied workers feel they can't speak up in the workplace

Written by James Detert, Professor of Business Administration, University of Virginia

It's not always easy to raise one's hand in the workplace. AnVr/E+ via Getty Images

U.S. workers have been at the forefront of three big trends in recent months.

First there was the “great resignation,” in which record numbers of workers were quitting their jobs. That coincided with a flurry of unionizing efforts at major U.S....

Body piercings may be artistic, but they bring risks of infection, allergic reactions, scarring and urine leakage

Written by Vijaya Daniel, Dermatology Resident, UMass Chan Medical School

Infections, scarring and hepatitis B and C are just some of the health problems caused by body piercing.Laurence Monneret/The Image Bank via Getty Images

Throughout history, body piercing has been a symbol of beauty, sexuality, ritual initiation and rites of passage.

Mayan royalty had their tongues and genitals pierced; during the Victorian era,...

Young immigrants are looking to social media to engage in politics and elections – even if they are not eligible to vote

Written by Sara Wilf, PhD student in social welfare, University of California, Los Angeles

Immigrant advocates protest near the U.S. Capitol on June 15, 2022 Drew Angerer/Getty Images

Immigrants’ political power is on the rise in the United States.

The number of eligible immigrant voters nearly doubled from about 12 million in 2000 to more than 23 million in 2020.

Immigrant voters tend to be older than U.S.-born voters, but...

Good faith and the honor of partisan election officials used to be enough to ensure trust in voting results – but not anymore

Written by Thom Reilly, Professor & Co-Director, Center for an Independent and Sustainable Democracy, School of Public Affairs, Arizona State University

Candidate signs during the first day of early primary voting on July 7, 2022, in Silver Spring, Md. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

As the U.S. moves closer to the 2022 midterm elections, a sizable number of Americans express a lack of confidence in the accuracy of the vote count.

That distrust is built largely on the widespread – and false...

Genetically engineered bacteria make living materials for self-repairing walls and cleaning up pollution

Written by Sara Molinari, Postdoctoral Research Associate in Synthetic Biology, Rice University

As a material, bacteria's ability to rapidly multiply and adapt to different conditions is an asset.Gschmeissner/Science Photo Library via Getty Images

With just an incubator and some broth, researchers can grow reusable filters made of bacteria to clean up polluted water, detect chemicals in the environment and protect surfaces from rust and mold.

I...

Who invented music? The search for stone flutes, clay whistles and the dawn of song

Written by Laura Dallman, Lecturer in Music History, University of Florida

Something people today have in common with civilizations past: a love of music.peepo/E+ 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.

Who invented music? – Rom, age 7, Las Vegas, Nevada

The short answer is: No one...