The Conversation

Proving war crimes isn't simple – a forensics expert explains what's involved with documenting human rights violations during conflicts, from Afghanistan to Ukraine

Written by Stefan Schmitt, Project Lead - International Technical Forensic Services , Florida International University

A Ukrainian war crimes investigator photographs the aftermath of a Russian missile attack in Zatoka, Ukraine, on July 26, 2022.Nina Liashonok/Ukrinform/Future Publishing via Getty Images

The United Nations reports that at least 5,237 Ukrainian civilians have been killed in the Ukraine war – but other estimates place this figure at more than...

Social media provides flood of images of death and carnage from Ukraine war – and contributes to weaker journalism standards

Written by Beena Sarwar, Visiting Professor of Journalism, Emerson College

A soldier's body lies next to a destroyed Russian truck on the outskirts of Kharkiv, Ukraine, on Feb. 25, 2022.AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda

Photos of civilians killed or injured in the Russia-Ukraine war are widespread, particularly online, both on social media and in professional news media.

Editors have always published images of dead or suffering...

Monkeypox vaccines: A virologist answers 6 questions about how they work, who can get them and how well they prevent infection

Written by Maureen Ferran, Associate Professor of Biology, Rochester Institute of Technology

The Jynneos monkeypox vaccine provides strong protection against infection but is in short supply.Mario Tama/Getty Images

Monkeypox isn’t going to be the next COVID-19. But with the outbreak having bloomed to thousands of infections, with cases in nearly every state, on Aug. 4, 2022, the U.S. declared monkeypox a national public health...

Crossing the US-Mexico border is deadlier than ever for migrants – here's why

Written by Joseph Nevins, Professor of Geography, Vassar College

A makeshift memorial where a tractor-trailer was discovered with 53 dead migrants inside, near San Antonio, Texas, June 29, 2022. Chandan Khanna/AFP via Getty Images

The June 2022 deaths of 53 people, victims of heat stroke, in the back of a tractor-trailer in San Antonio, Texas, show the dangers of crossing the U.S. southern border without...

Long COVID-19 and other chronic respiratory conditions after viral infections may stem from an overactive immune response in the lungs

Written by Harish Narasimhan, PhD Candidate in Immunology, University of Virginia

The immune system usually stays dormant in the lungs in times of health.wildpixel/iStock via Getty Images

Viruses that cause respiratory diseases like the flu and COVID-19 can lead to mild to severe symptoms within the first few weeks of infection. These symptoms typically resolve within a few more weeks, sometimes with the help of treatment if...

Inflation rates are rising in the US – an economist explains why

Written by Martha Olney, Teaching Professor Emerita of Economics, University of California, Berkeley

A variety of factors have caused the U.S. inflation rate to increase over the past few years, from the pandemic to the war in Ukraine.Javier Ghersi/Moment via Getty Images

Consumer prices in the U.S. are rising due to inflation at the fastest rate they have in decades. Earlier this summer, SciLine interviewed Martha Olney, a teaching professor...

Illuminating the brain one neuron and synapse at a time – 5 essential reads about how researchers are using new tools to map its structure and function

Written by Vivian Lam, Assistant Health and Biomedicine Editor

The U.S. BRAIN Initiative seeks to elucidate the connection between brain structure and function.Science Photo Library - PASIEKA/Brand X Pictures via Getty Images

Scientists know both a lot and very little about the brain. With billions of neurons and trillions of connections among them, and the experimental limitations of examining the seat of...

China has a new global development initiative, but who will actually benefit from it?

Written by Amitrajeet A. Batabyal, Distinguished Professor and Arthur J. Gosnell Professor of Economics, Rochester Institute of Technology

Chinese global initiatives reflect the nation's indisputable economic power. Photo by Christian Lue on Unsplash, CC BY-SA

China’s well-publicized Belt and Road Initiative to invest in infrastructure projects in other countries has helped it expand its political influence around the world. But a newer, lesser-known development program has...

Who benefits from renewable energy subsidies? In Texas, it's often fossil fuel companies that are fighting clean energy elsewhere

Written by Nathan Jensen, Professor of Government, The University of Texas at Austin College of Liberal Arts

Texas is the No. 1 wind power producer in the U.S.Greg Smith/Corbis SABA via Getty Images

Texas is known for fiercely promoting its oil and gas industries, but it’s also the No. 2 renewable energy producer in the country after California. In fact, more than a quarter of all the wind power produced in the United States in 2021 was generated in...

Handwritten diaries may feel old fashioned, but they offer insights that digital diaries just can’t match

Written by Paula Vene Smith, Professor of English, Grinnell College

Handwritten diaries and digital diaries both help preserve experiences and memories, but in different ways.luza studios/E+ via Getty Images

The first time I taught a college course called “The London Diary” for young Americans studying abroad back in 2002, each student ended up with a tangible book of memories, a handwritten record of...