The Conversation

Blasting out Earth’s location with the hope of reaching aliens is a controversial idea – two teams of scientists are doing it anyway

Written by Chris Impey, University Distinguished Professor of Astronomy, University of Arizona

Scientists think there are 300 million habitable planets in the Milky Way, and some may be home to intelligent life.Bruno Gilli/ESO, CC BY

If a person is lost in the wilderness, they have two options. They can search for civilization, or they could make themselves easy to spot by building a fire or writing HELP in big letters. For scientists...

Russia's weaponization of natural gas could backfire by destroying demand for it

Written by Michael E. Webber, Josey Centennial Professor of Energy Resources, University of Texas at Austin

Russian President Vladimir Putin (left) with Gazprom CEO Alexey Miller at a launch ceremony for the Nord Stream gas pipeline, Sept. 6, 2011, in Vyborg, Russia.Sasha Mordovets/Getty Images

In December 2006, The Economist magazine published a cover drawing of Russian president Vladimir Putin, dressed like a 1930s gangster in a dark suit and fedora...

Gilbert Gottfried and the mechanics of crafting one of the most memorable voices of all time

Written by Erica Tobolski, Professor of Theatre and Dance, University of South Carolina

Marlee Matlin covers her ears as Gottfried performs during the Comedy Central Roast of Donald Trump in 2011.AP Photo/Charles Sykes

Though Gilbert Gottfried’s voice has alternatively been described as “shrill,” “annoying” and “grating,” you can’t say it isn’t memorable.

Gottfried, who died on...

What's at stake for Trump, Twitter and politics if the tweeter-in-chief returns from banishment

Written by Michael Humphrey, Assistant Professor of Journalism and Media Communication, Colorado State University

Could the former tweeter-in-chief make a Twitter comeback? Alex Wong/Getty Images

Any speculation about whether Donald Trump will return to Twitter after his permanent suspension in 2021 must begin with two caveats. First, we do not know for sure if, or when, the presumed new owner of the social media platform, Elon Musk, will lift the ban. Second,...

I'm a Black sociologist, and a mom – by listening to other Black mothers, I've learned about their pandemic struggles and strengths

Written by Loren Henderson, Associate Professor of Sociology, University of Maryland, Baltimore County

When schools shut down to prevent the spread of COVID-19, moms took on the burden of supporting students at home.AP Photo/Shafkat Anowar

I spent the 2020 spring break week setting up to teach my college courses online while helping to care for my 14-month-old grandchild, whose daycare had closed. At the same time, I couldn’t help thinking, bei...

What is a Latter-day Saint temple?

Written by Taylor Petrey, Associate Professor of Religion, Kalamazoo College

The temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints along the Capital Beltway in Kensington, Md.Carol M. Highsmith/Buyenlarge/Getty Images

Temples in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, often referred to as the Mormon church, have long been a site of curiosity, suspicion and admiration. Grand, sometimes even imposing...

Psychologists are starting to talk publicly about their own mental illnesses – and patients can benefit

Written by Andrew Devendorf, Doctoral Candidate, Clinical Psychology, University of South Florida

Mental health professionals who have experienced mental illness have much to offer to their patients.Bulat Silvia/iStock/Getty Images Plus via Getty Images

From sports and entertainment celebrities like Simone Biles, Ariana Grande and Ryan Reynolds to everyday social media users on Facebook, Twitter and TikTok, more people are talking publicly...

Yes, US economy may be slowing, but don't forget it's coming off the hottest year since 1984 – here's who benefited in 4 charts

Written by D. Brian Blank, Assistant Professor of Finance, Mississippi State University

Tracking changes in net wealth is one of the best ways to see who benefited from economic growth. Chris Rogers/Photodisc via Getty Images

The U.S. economy unexpectedly shrank in the first quarter, according to gross domestic product data released on April 28, 2022. While the reasons were technical and weren’t seen as signs of weakness, they a...

Why do teens engage in self-harm? Clinical psychologists explain how to help teens reduce their emotional distress

Written by Kevin Kuehn, PhD Student in Clinical Psychology, University of Washington

Nearly 1 in 5 young people worldwide intentionally injure themselves every year.xijian/E! via Getty Images

Emotions are tricky things. They allow for humans to fall in love, wage war and, as it turns out, engage in self-harm.

It is hard to imagine an era in which young adults were more distressed than today. Recent Centers for Disease Control and...

How race and religion have always played a role in who gets refuge in the US

Written by Laura E. Alexander, Assistant Professor of Religious Studies, Goldstein Family Community Chair in Human Rights, University of Nebraska Omaha

Ukrainian refugees wait near the U.S. border in Tijuana, Mexico.AP Photo/Gregory Bull

In the weeks since Russia invaded Ukraine, millions of Ukrainians have fled the country as refugees. Hundreds of those refugees have now arrived at the southern border of the United States seeking asylum, after flying to Mexico on tourist visas.

At the border,...