The Conversation

Wealth of nations: Why some are rich, others are poor – and what it means for future prosperity

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

What makes a nation wealthy?Getty Images

Why are some nations rich and others poor? Can the governments of poor nations do something to ensure that their nations become rich? These sorts of questions have long fascinated public officials and economists, at least since Adam Smith, the prominent Scottish economist whose famous 1776 book was titled...

Helping Afghanistan after earthquake will be hard: 3 questions answered

Written by Mohammad Qadam Shah, Assistant Professor of Global Development, Seattle Pacific University

Afghan children stand near a house that was destroyed in an earthquake on June 22, 2022.AP Photo

Afghanistan’s deadliest earthquake in more than two decades took place on June 22, 2022, killing more than 1,000 people and injuring at least 1,600. The disaster struck a remote mountainous region and came at a time when millions of Afghans are...

Federal gas tax holiday: Biden says it will provide ‘a little bit of relief’ – but experts say even that may be a stretch

Written by Jay L. Zagorsky, Senior Lecturer in Markets, Public Policy and Law, Questrom School of Business, Boston University

Gas prices are at record highs. AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar

President Joe Biden called on Congress to suspend the federal gas tax to “bring families just a little bit of relief” as average gasoline prices exceed US$5 a gallon. The tax is 18.4 cents on regular gasoline and 24.4 cents on diesel. Biden’s proposal would rescind both taxes...

Yes, fireworks prices are skyrocketing, but there should be plenty of bottle rockets and sparklers for you and your family this Fourth of July

Written by Jay L. Zagorsky, Senior Lecturer in Markets, Public Policy and Law, Questrom School of Business, Boston University

Many cities, such as New York, returned to hosting big public displays in 2021 after skipping 2020 due to the pandemic. AP Photo/John Minchillo

If you’re looking forward to shooting off bottle rockets and Roman candles this Fourth of July, I’ve got good news and bad news.

The bad is that fireworks prices are soaring this year along with...

Demolishing schools after a mass shooting reflects humans' deep-rooted desire for purification rituals

Written by Dimitris Xygalatas, Associate Professor of Anthropology and Psychological Sciences, University of Connecticut

A playground bench is colorfully decorated at the new Sandy Hook Elementary School, which replaced the one torn down after a gunman killed 20 first graders and six educators in 2012.AP Photo/Mark Lennihan

After the recent shooting in Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, which claimed the lives of 19 children and two teachers, some local...

What is BPA and why is it in so many plastic products?

Written by Benjamin Elling, Assistant Professor of Chemistry, Wesleyan University

Most plastic products that are clear and strong are made using bisphenol A, or BPA.Beton Studio/iStock via Getty Images

Bisphenol A, or BPA, is a chemical widely used to make hard, clear plastics. It is an endocrine disruptor that has been linked to many negative health effects, including cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. In 2013, the U.S....

Look at 3 enduring stories Americans tell about guns to understand the debate over them

Written by Greg Dickinson, Professor of Rhetoric and Memory, Colorado State University

A family poses in front of their sod house in Custer County, Neb., in 1887.Bettmann/Bettmann via Getty Images

The United States has struggled with a spate of horrific mass shootings – and will now need to grapple with the implications of the Supreme Court striking down New York’s restrictions on carrying concealed firearms, with...

Abortion and bioethics: Principles to guide U.S. abortion debates

Written by Nancy S. Jecker, Professor of Bioethics and Humanities, School of Medicine, University of Washington

Four basic principles guide the field of medical ethics.goc/E+ via Getty Images

On June 24, 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court overruled Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 decision that established the nationwide right to choose an abortion.

For decades, rancorous debate about the ruling has often been dominated by politics. Ethics garners less attention,...

Was there anything real about Elvis Presley?

Written by Michael T. Bertrand, Professor of History, Tennessee State University

Pinpointing Elvis Presley's true persona can depend on when and whom you ask.Don Cravens/Getty Images

In Baz Luhrmann’s “Elvis,” there’s a scene based on actual conversations that took place between Elvis Presley and Steve Binder, the director of a 1968 NBC television special that signaled the singer’s return to live...

Citizen science volunteers are almost entirely white

Written by Bradley Allf, PhD Candidate in Conservation Biology, North Carolina State University

Many citizen science projects rely on volunteers to collect data in the field.Marko Geber/DigitalVision via Getty Images

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Every day, volunteers around the world contribute to scientific studies through “citizen science.” Citizen science can be anything from counting migrating birds to measuring precipitation or even tracking...