The Conversation

Kids with obesity need acceptance from family and friends, not just better diet tips, to succeed at managing their weight

Written by Amanda Harrist, Professor in Human Development and Family Science, Oklahoma State University

Obesity intervention programs tend to focus on healthy food and physical activity. But is that enough? kali9/E+ Collection via Getty Images

Hundreds of programs over the past four decades – from the removal of junk food from school vending machines to Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move” campaign – have tried to get...

A new way to organize cancer mutations could lead to better treatment matches for patients

Written by Jacqulyne Robichaux, Assistant Professor of Thoracic & Head and Neck Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

Lung cancer is the No. 1 cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide.vladwel/iStock via Getty Images Plus

There are many types of cancer treatments. But which ones work best varies from patient to patient. Currently, doctors determine which treatment to try for a patient based on where in their DNA, or genetic code, the error that caused the cancer is...

What causes ADHD and can it be cured?

Written by Gregory Fabiano, Professor of Psychology, Florida International University

On average, two students in every U.S. classroom have ADHD. damircudic/E+ via Getty Images

Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to curiouskidsus@theconversation.com.

What causes ADHD and can it be cured? – Geneva B., age 17, Philippines

Attention-deficit...

How ethnic and religious divides in Afghanistan are contributing to violence against minorities

Written by Abdulkader Sinno, Associate Professor of Political Science and Middle Eastern Studies, Indiana University

A powerful explosion Oct. 8, 2021, in a mosque in northern Afghanistan left several deadAP Photo/Abdullah Sahil

Close to a hundred Afghan Shiite Muslims were killed in attacks on mosques in October 2021. One such attack took place on Oct. 15, when a group of suicide bombers detonated explosives at a mosque in Kandahar. Just over a week before that,...

Why do colleges use legacy admissions? 5 questions answered

Written by Nadirah Farah Foley, Postdoctoral Associate, New York University

More than half of the top 250 U.S. colleges and universities offer legacy admissions. Paul Marotta / Getty Images

Legacy admissions – a practice in which colleges give special consideration to children of alumni when deciding who to admit – have been making headlines. Colleges are increasingly being called on to rethink the merits of...

Studying political science motivates college students to register and vote – new research shows

Written by Frank Fernandez, Assistant Professor of Higher Education Administration & Policy, University of Florida

Students who take political science classes in college are more likely to be civically engaged. Al Seib/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

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

The big idea

Community college students who take political science classes are more likely to register to vote, turn out to vote and understand...

Girls learn early that they don't have much of a place in politics

Written by Mirya Holman, Associate Professor, Tulane University

As they grow older, girls increasingly see political leadership as a “man’s world.”Bos, Angie et al

In the United States, women express less interest in politics and run for political office at lower rates than men. These gaps threaten democracy because they distort representation: Women make up 26.7% of members of Congress and...

An infectious disease expert explains new federal rules on 'mix-and-match' vaccine booster shots

Written by Glenn J. Rapsinski, Pediatric Infectious Diseases Fellow, University of Pittsburgh Health Sciences

Discuss with your doctor whether or not you need a booster – and if so, which vaccine will work best for you.Justin Sullivan/Getty Images News via Getty Images

Many Americans now have the green light to get a COVID-19 vaccine booster – and the flexibility to receive a different brand than the original vaccine they received.

On the heels...

Hollywood's love of guns increases the risk of shootings – both on and off the set

Written by Brad Bushman, Professor of Communication and Rinehart Chair of Mass Communication, The Ohio State University

Actor Alec Baldwin was involved in a tragic on-set accident.Mark Sagliocco/Getty Images for National Geographic

In what appears to be a tragic accident, actor Alec Baldwin shot dead a cinematographer on Oct 21, 2021, while discharging a prop gun on set in New Mexico.

It is too early to speculate what went wrong during the filming of the Western...

Parents were fine with sweeping school vaccination mandates five decades ago – but COVID-19 may be a different story

Written by James Colgrove, Professor of Sociomedical Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health; Dean of the Postbaccalaureate Premedical Program, Columbia School of General Studies, Columbia University

Children and parents lined up for polio vaccines outside a Syracuse, New York school in 1961.AP Photo

The ongoing battles over COVID-19 vaccination in the U.S. are likely to get more heated when the Food and Drug Administration authorizes emergency use of a vaccine for children ages 5 to 11, expected later this fall.

California has announced it will...