The Conversation

How the presence of pets builds trust among people

Written by Megan K Mueller, Associate Professor of Human-Animal Interaction, Tufts University

Pet ownership can often enhance feelings of trust among strangers. FOTOGRAFIA INC./Collections E+ via Getty Images

Companion animals are a core part of family life in the United States, with 90 million American households having at least one pet. Many of us view pets as beloved family members who provide nonjudgmental emotional support and...

Plastic pollution is a global problem – here's how to design an effective treaty to curb it

Written by Sarah J. Morath, Associate Professor of Legal Writing, Wake Forest University

Plastic trash floating on the Buriganga river in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Jan. 21, 2020Munir Uz Zaman/AFP via Getty Images

Plastic pollution is accumulating worldwide, on land and in the oceans. According to one widely cited estimate, by 2025, 100 million to 250 million metric tons of plastic waste could enter the ocean each year. Another study...

Wealthy countries still haven’t met their $100 billion pledge to help poor countries face climate change, and the risks are rising

Written by Rishikesh Ram Bhandary, Assistant Director, Global Economic Governance Initiative, Global Development Policy Center, Boston University

Several countries, including Bangladesh, are facing increasing flooding as sea levels rise.AP Photo/Mahmud Hossain Opu

After another year of record-breaking temperatures and extreme weather disasters, wealthy countries are under pressure to make good on their commitment to mobilize US$100 billion a year to help poorer countries deal with climate...

If I am vaccinated and get COVID-19, what are my chances of dying? The answer is surprisingly hard to find

Written by Lisa Miller, Professor of Epidemiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus

Vaccination has allowed people to be more social again with much less risk of serious illness, but less cautious behaviors put people at an increased risk of catching the virus. Sabrina Bracher / iStock via Getty Images Plus

Thankfully, most people who get COVID–19 don’t become seriously ill – especially those who are vaccinated....

When parents get Medicaid, it can benefit the health of their kids too

Written by Maithreyi Gopalan, Assistant Professor of Education and Public Policy, Penn State

Millions of low-income Americans have gained health insurance through the Affordable Care Act.Ariel Skelley/DigitalVision via Getty Images

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

The big idea

Low-income parents who live in states that expanded their Medicaid programs under the Affordable Care Act are 4.7% more likely to...

Russia invades Ukraine – 5 essential reads from experts

Written by Naomi Schalit, Senior Editor, Politics + Society, The Conversation US

Damaged radar arrays and other equipment is seen at a Ukrainian military facility outside Mariupol, Ukraine, Feb. 24, 2022.AP Photo/Sergei Grits

This is a frightening moment. Russia has invaded Ukraine, and certainly those most frightened right now are the people of Ukraine. But violent aggression – a war mounted by a country with vast...

90% of drugs fail clinical trials – here's one way researchers can select better drug candidates

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

The majority of drug failures are attributed to lack of clinical efficacy and high toxicity.Andrew Brookes/Image Source via Getty Images

It takes 10 to 15 years and around US$1 billion to develop one successful drug. Despite these significant investments in time and money, 90% of drug candidates in clinical trials fail. Whether because they...

Ancient DNA helps reveal social changes in Africa 50,000 years ago that shaped the human story

Written by Elizabeth Sawchuk, Banting Postdoctoral Fellow and Adjunct Professor of Anthropology, University of Alberta

Together with artifacts from the past, ancient DNA can fill in details about our ancient ancestors.Nina R/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY

Every person alive on the planet today is descended from people who lived as hunter-gatherers in Africa.

The continent is the cradle of human origins and ingenuity, and with each new fossil and archaeological discovery,...

Why Muslim women choose to wear headscarves while participating in sports

Written by Umer Hussain, Postdoctoral research associate, ADVANCE, Texas A&M University

Muslim women's sports participation is growing.Thomas Barwick/DigitalVision via Getty Images

The French Senate recently voted in favor of a bill to ban headscarves in sports competitions. The advocates of the legislation claim that headscarves, or hijab, symbolize Islamic radicalism, patriarchy and lack of women’s empowerment.

Muslim women...

US counties with more civic engagement tend to have more women on local company boards of directors

Written by Siri Terjesen, Associate Dean, Research and External Relations; Executive Director, Madden Center for Value Creation; Phil Smith Professor of Entrepreneurship, Florida Atlantic University

Women still have a long way to go to reach parity in the boardroom. Wanlee Prachyapanaprai/iStock via Getty Images

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

The big idea

U.S. counties where people are more likely to vote and engage in professional and social associations tend to have more women on the boards of local...