The Conversation

Plastic trash in the ocean is a global problem, and the US is the top source – a new report urges action

Written by Matthew Savoca, Postdoctoral researcher, Stanford University

Plastic debris on a beach on Lanai, a sparsely populated Hawaiian island.Matthew Koller, CC BY-ND

Plastic waste of all shapes and sizes permeates the world’s oceans. It shows up on beaches, in fish and even in Arctic sea ice. And a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine makes clear that the U.S. is a big...

Hacer listas de mercado y poner la mesa puede mejorar el vocabulario y las ganas de aprender en los niños latinos

Written by Diana Leyva, Associate Professor of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh

Los niños pueden ayudar a hacer listas de mercado y confirmar que los padres han comprado todo lo que está en la lista.Antonio Diaz/iStock/Getty Images Plus

Generalmente pensamos que la lectura, la escritura y las matemáticas son habilidades que se aprenden en la escuela. Pero como psicóloga que investiga cómo las...

Political rage: America survived a decade of anger in the 18th century – but can it now?

Written by Maurizio Valsania, Professor of American History, Università di Torino

Protesters used violence and intimidation to prevent federal officials from collecting a whiskey tax during George Washington's presidency.Archive Photos/Getty Images

Americans have an anger problem.

People rage at each other. They are angry at public officials for shutting down parts of society. Or for the opposite reason because they aren’t...

'The Beatles: Get Back' glosses over the band's acrimonious end

Written by Tim Riley, Associate Professor and Graduate Program Director for Journalism, Emerson College

Did Paul McCartney, right, and Ringo Starr hire Peter Jackson for a rescue operation? Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

In the new film “The Beatles: Get Back,” “Lord of the Rings” director Peter Jackson tries to dispel the myth of the the Beatles’ breakup.

In 1970, Michael Lindsay-Hogg released “Let It Be,” a...

Pregnancy apps and online spaces fail to support individuals grieving a pregnancy loss – here's what to do about it

Written by Nazanin Andalibi, Assistant Professor of Information, University of Michigan

Social technologies perpetuate a single idea of what constitutes a pregnancy.martin-dm/E+ via Getty Images

Approximately 1 in 4 pregnancies in the United States ends in loss. Pregnancy loss, also referred to as miscarriage, is a common reproductive health complication.

Many experience this loss as a significant life event, with a...

Why do couples use baby talk with one another?

Written by Ramesh Kaipa, Associate Professor of Communication Sciences & Disorders, Oklahoma State University

Baby talk is cute when used with babies. But when adults converse with each other? Not so much.Justin Case/Getty Images

Imagine you’re strolling through a park and you overhear a middle-aged couple cooing over each other, doting over their “wittle sugar pwum” and “baby doll.”

“Ewwww,” you might reflexively...

How can scientists update coronavirus vaccines for omicron? A microbiologist answers 5 questions about how Moderna and Pfizer could rapidly adjust mRNA vaccines

Written by Deborah Fuller, Professor of Microbiology, School of Medicine, University of Washington

Some vaccines use mRNA to make copies of the triangular red spike proteins to induce immunity.Juan Gaertner/Science Photo Library via Getty Images

If the omicron variant of the coronavirus is different enough from the original variant, it’s possible that existing vaccines won’t be as effective as they have been. If so, it’s likely...

Is your state ready to handle the influx of federal funds for expanding broadband?

Written by Brian Whitacre, Professor and Neustadt Chair, Department of Agricultural Economics, Oklahoma State University

Expanding access to broadband internet in rural communities has long been a challenge.AP Photo/Charles Krupa

The federal government is pouring billions of dollars into expanding broadband internet access. But it’s at the state level where the financial rubber meets the fiber-optic road. History suggests some states are ahead of the game while...

How a Supreme Court decision limiting access to abortion could harm the economy and women's well-being

Written by Michele Gilman, Venable Professor of Law, University of Baltimore

The Supreme Court appears poised to uphold a Mississippi law severely restricting abortion.AP Photo/Andrew Harnik

The Supreme Court on Dec. 1, 2021, heard oral arguments in a case that may result in a ruling that overturns Roe v. Wade.

But reproductive health isn’t just about abortions, despite all the attention the procedures get. It’s...

Why COVID-19 must be included in safer sex messaging on college campuses

Written by Tamra Burns Loeb, Adjunct Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles

Little information is available to college students on stopping the spread of COVID-19 within an intimate relationship.DisobeyArt/iStock via Getty Images Plus

With college students back on campus, and COVID-19 with us for the foreseeable future, it has become increasingly clear that educators need to develop a new definition of safer sex.

Although...