The Conversation

Blaming 'evil' for mass violence isn’t as simple as it seems – a philosopher unpacks the paradox in using the word

Written by Elise Springer, Associate Professor of Philosophy, Wesleyan University

A visitor pays respects at a memorial created outside Robb Elementary School to honor the victims killed in the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas.AP Photo/Eric Gay

The word “evil” circulates widely in the wake of terrible public violence. The May 24, 2022, massacre at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, is a case in point.

Texas state...

Newly discovered fast radio burst challenges what astronomers know about these powerful astronomical phenomena

Written by Kshitij Aggarwal, Affiliate Researcher in Astronomy and Astrophysics, West Virginia University

Researchers used a radio telescope in New Mexico to study a particularly interesting fast radio burst.Diana Robinson/Flickr, CC BY-NC-ND

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

The big idea

A newly discovered fast radio burst has some unique properties that are simultaneously giving astronomers important clues into what...

Regardless of seditious conspiracy charges' outcome, right-wing groups like Proud Boys seek to build a white nation

Written by Matthew Valasik, Associate Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice, University of Alabama

Members of the Oath Keepers stand at the east front of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta

As the House Select Committee held its first public hearing on the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection, far-right groups including the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers were a prominent topic of discussion.

At the same time, both of those...

What is 'committed warming'? A climate scientist explains why global warming can continue after emissions end

Written by Julien Emile-Geay, Associate Professor of Earth Sciences, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences

Greenhouse gases emitted today linger in the atmosphere for years to centuries.David McNew/Getty Images

By now, few people question the reality that humans are altering Earth’s climate. The real question is: How quickly can we halt, even reverse, the damage?

Part of the answer to this question lies in the concept of “committed warming,&rd...

Imposing penalties can deter rule breakers – but the timing needs to be right

Written by Amandine Ody-Brasier, Associate Professor of Organizational Behavior, Yale University

Members of book clubs can impose rules through penalties.Hill Street Studios/Stone via Getty Images

Many people participate in small groups like book clubs, community service associations or runners groups. These groups can be wonderful outlets for making friends. To ensure their smooth functioning, however, even informal and fun groups need to set...

Migration to the US is on the rise again – but it's unlikely to be fully addressed during the Summit of the Americas, or anytime soon

Written by Jack Maguire, Ph. D Candidate, Florida International University

Migrants from Latin America are traveling through Mexico as part of a caravan heading to the U.S. Isaac Guzman/AFP via Getty Images

An estimated 6,000 Latin American migrants are traveling together through Mexico to reach the U.S. by foot and car, marking the largest caravan yet in 2022 of migrants traveling to the U.S. border.

Their journey...

Nations are pledging to create ocean preserves – how do those promises add up?

Written by Kirsten Grorud-Colvert, Associate Professor, Oregon State University

Corals and fish in the Hol Chan Marine Reserve, San Pedro, Belize.Andre Seale/VW PICS/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Billions of people around the world rely on the ocean for food, income and cultural identity. But climate change, overfishing and habitat destruction are unraveling ocean ecosystems.

As a marine ecologist, I study ways to...

ADHD: Medication alone doesn't improve classroom learning for children – new research

Written by William E. Pelham, Jr., Distinguished University Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry, Florida International University

Children with ADHD struggle academically.Upyanose / Getty Images

For decades, many physicians, parents and teachers have believed that stimulant medications help children with ADHD learn because they are able to focus and behave better when medicated.

After all, an estimated 6.1 million children in the U.S. are diagnosed with...

'Jurassic World' scientists still haven't learned that just because you can doesn't mean you should – real-world genetic engineers can learn from the cautionary tale

Written by Andrew Maynard, Professor of Responsible Innovation, Arizona State University

While resurrecting dinosaurs may not be on the docket just yet, gene drives have the power to alter entire species. Hiroshi Watanabe/DigitalVision via Getty Images

“Jurassic World: Dominion” is hyperbolic Hollywood entertainment at its best, with an action-packed storyline that refuses to let reality get in the way of a good story. Yet...

People overestimate groups they find threatening – when 'sizing up' others, bias sneaks in

Written by Jacqueline Rifkin, Assistant Professor of Marketing, University of Missouri-Kansas City

You might make a quick and exaggerated judgment about what kind of neighborhood you’re in based on the people or flags you see.David Levingstone/DigitalVision via Getty Images

Places are not just physical, but also social.

For instance, around the North Carolina campus where we met, we knew certain bars based on the students who frequented...