The Conversation

Giving people money with no strings attached is good for their health, dozens of studies indicate

Written by Sze Yan Liu, Assistant Professor of Public Health, Montclair State University

A growing number of assistance programs give recipients money.himarkley/E+ via Getty Images

The Research Brief is a short take about interesting academic work.

The big idea

When people living in poverty in countries like Malawi, Indonesia and Ecuador receive cash payments without having to do anything in return, they have better health, according to...

You've likely heard of the brain's gray matter – here's why the white matter is important too

Written by Christopher Filley, Professor of Neurology and Psychiatry, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus

The brain's neural network, which includes both gray and white matter.Pasieka/Science Photo Library via Getty Images

Who has not contemplated how a memory is formed, a sentence generated, a sunset appreciated, a creative act performed or a heinous crime committed?

The human brain is a three-pound organ that remains largely an enigma. But most people...

What would it mean to codify Roe into law – and is there any chance of that happening?

Written by Linda C. McClain, Professor of Law, Boston University

Sen. Elizabeth Warren is among those calling for Roe v. Wade to be codified.Alex Wong/Getty Images

Abortion rights advocates are looking for alternative ways to protect a woman’s right to the procedure following the publication of a leaked draft opinion from Justice Samuel Alito indicating that the Supreme Court intends to overturn Roe v....

Allowing E15 fuel year-round won't increase sales very much, but it's a symbolic victory for corn ethanol advocates

Written by Aaron Smith, Professor of Agricultural and Resource Economics, University of California, Davis

An ethanol refinery in Chancellor, South Dakota.AP Photo/Stephen Groves

As part of efforts to dampen high gasoline prices, the Biden administration is temporarily allowing gas stations to sell a special fuel blend called E15, containing 15% ethanol, year-round. Under the Clean Air Act, E15 cannot be sold in summer because it evaporates more readily...

The Southwest is on fire, with iconic deserts and towns at risk – 3 reasons the 2022 fire season is so early and intense

Written by Molly Hunter, Associate Research Professor in Environment and Natural Resources, University of Arizona

Wind quickly spread a blaze that burned homes near Flagstaff, Ariz., in April 2022.Coconino National Forest via AP

New Mexico and Arizona are facing a dangerously early fire season. It has left neighborhoods in ashes and is having such devastating effects that President Joe Biden issued a disaster declaration for New Mexico. Over 600 fires had...

Fed hopes biggest rate hike in 22 years tames inflation without recession or stagflation: 3 essential reads on what it all means

Written by Bryan Keogh, Senior Editor, Economy + Business

Fed Chair Jerome Powell has a tough job in bringing down inflation without killing the economy. AP Photo/Alex Brandon

The Federal Reserve on May 4, 2022, lifted its benchmark interest rate by half a percentage point to a range of 0.75% to 1%, its biggest increase in 22 years. The aggressive move, which has been expected for many months, is part of...

Nanoparticles are the future of medicine – researchers are experimenting with new ways to design tiny particle treatments for cancer

Written by Duxin Sun, Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Michigan

Nanoparticles can help cancer drugs home in on tumors and avoid damaging healthy cells. Kateryna Kon/Science Photo Library via Getty Images

When you hear the word “nanomedicine,” it might call to mind scenarios like those in the 1966 movie “Fantastic Voyage.” The film portrays a medical team shrunken down to ride a...

Western river compacts were innovative in the 1920s but couldn't foresee today's water challenges

Written by Patricia J. Rettig, Head Archivist, Water Resources Archive, Colorado State University

Colorado River water flows through a canal that feeds farms in Casa Grande, Ariz., on July 22, 2021. AP Photo/Darryl Webb

The Western U.S. is in a water crisis, from California to Nebraska. An ongoing drought is predicted to last at least through July 2022. Recent research suggests that these conditions may be better labeled aridification –...

Some funders are embracing 'trust-based philanthropy' by giving money without lots of obligations

Written by Emily Finchum-Mason, Doctoral candidate in Public Policy and Management, University of Washington

Taking grantees' word that they will spend money responsibly frees up time and can strengthen relationships.Klaus Vedfelt/DigitalVision via Getty Images

With most foundations, the board of directors and top executives set all funding priorities. Nonprofits seeking money from those funders, in turn, must demonstrate an intention to do work that...

Rural superintendents lament: 'We went from being heroes to villains'

Written by Gerald K. LeTendre, Professor of Educational Administration, Penn State

Teachers in Pennsylvania and around the world adapted to handle the pandemic.AP Photo/Matt Rourke

When the pandemic first closed schools in March 2020, it was an emergency response that upended the typical priorities of public education. Schools suddenly needed to distribute laptops and tablets, set up Wi-Fi hot spots, check on families and...