The Conversation

Tallying the dead is one thing, giving them names would take an 'inexhaustible voice,' as the ancient Greeks knew

Written by Joel Christensen, Professor of Classical Studies, Brandeis University

'Antigone leads Oedipus out of Thebes' painting by Charles Francois Jalabert.Collection Musée des Beaux-Arts de Marseille via Wikimedia Commons

The official count of Americans lost to COVID-19 has surpassed 1 million. It is the latest grim milestone that has marked the progression of deaths and infections since the virus took hold in the...

Russian artists grapple with the same dilemma as their Soviet forebears – to stay or to go?

Written by Clementine Fujimura, Professor of Anthropology, Area Studies and Russian, United States Naval Academy

Yuri Shevchuk of the band DDT performs in 1987. In May 2022 Shevchuk was charged with a misdemeanor for insulting Russian President Vladimir Putin during a concert. Joanna Stingray/Getty Images

With few exceptions, most Russian artists who oppose the war have been relegated to releasing songs, posting artwork or publishing articles on social media.

B...

Therapy on the go: Mildly depressed or simply stressed, people are tapping apps for mental health care

Written by Lauri Goldkind, Associate Professor of Social Work, Fordham University

More and more people are experimenting with mental health apps and discovering their benefits and limits.d3sign/Moment via Getty Images

It might be surprising to think about browsing for therapists and ordering up mental health care the way you can peruse a menu on Grubhub or summon a car on Lyft.

But over the last decade, digital access to therapy...

The US is importing baby formula to help end supply shortage – what parents need to know

Written by Steven A. Abrams, Professorof Pediatrics, University of Texas at Austin

Hopefully not staying empty for much longer.Samuel Corum/AFP via Getty Images)

Industry and federal efforts to alleviate a baby formula shortage in the U.S. are ramping up, with the import of foreign brands supplementing increased domestic production.

It follows a crisis in which mothers, fathers and caregivers across the U.S. have had to scramble...

Why are so many big tech whistleblowers women? Here is what the research shows

Written by Francine Berman, Director of Public Interest Technology and Stuart Rice Research Professor, UMass Amherst

The vast majority of high-profile big tech whistleblowers in recent years have been women.Elke Meitzel/Image Source via Getty Images

A number of high-profile whistleblowers in the technology industry have stepped into the spotlight in the past few years. For the most part, they have been revealing corporate practices that thwart the public...

There are historical and psychological reasons why the legal age for purchasing assault weapons does not make sense

Written by Ashwini Tambe, Professor and Director, Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies; Editorial Director, Feminist Studies, George Washington University

A boy examines a gun at the National Rifle Association annual convention on May 28, 2022, in Houston. Brandon Bell/Getty Images

The Uvalde and Buffalo mass shootings in May 2022 had at least two things in common: The shooters were 18 years old, and they had both legally purchased their own assault rifles.

The shooters’ young age was not an...

How Indian American spelling bee dominance may fuel educational inequities

Written by Pawan Dhingra, Professor of Sociology and American Studies; Faculty Equity and Inclusion Officer, Amherst College

Harini Logan is embraced by her parents after winning the Scripps National Spelling Bee.Drew Angerer/Getty Images

Harini Logan, a cheerful 14-year-old from San Antonio, Texas, made history on June 2, 2022. She became the first Scripps National Spelling Bee champion to win after being eliminated and later reinstated. She was also the first to...

Genetic paparazzi are right around the corner, and courts aren't ready to confront the legal quagmire of DNA theft

Written by Liza Vertinsky, Professor of Law, University of Maryland

DNA is a trove of personal information that can be hard to keep track of and protect. Boris Zhitkov/Moment via Getty Images

Every so often stories of genetic theft, or extreme precautions taken to avoid it, make headline news. So it was with a picture of French President Emmanuel Macron and Russian President Vladimir Putin sitting at opposite ends...

Change won't appear overnight in many states if the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade

Written by Katherine Drabiak, Associate professor of health law, public health law and medical ethics, University of South Florida

Workers at a family planning clinic watch an abortion rights march in Chicago on May 14, 2022. Scott Olson/Getty Images

Individual states and some cities are taking legal steps to either limit or allow abortions, gearing up for what will likely be a fierce national battle if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns the constitutional right to abortion.

The...

What makes smoky, charred barbecue taste so good? The chemistry of cooking over an open flame

Written by Kristine Nolin, Associate Professor of Chemistry, University of Richmond

Cooking food over an open flame produces unique flavors thanks to some interesting chemistry. Lars Szatmari / EyeEm via Getty Images

The mere thought of barbecue’s smokey scents and intoxicating flavors is enough to get most mouths watering. Summer is here, and that means it is barbecue season for many people in the U.S.

I am a chemist who...