The Conversation

Shipping is tough on the climate and hard to clean up – these innovations can help cut emissions

Written by Jing Sun, Professor and Department Chair, Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering, University of Michigan

Shipping is responsible for a large portion of global emissions.William William/Unsplash, CC BY

Ships carry more than 80% of world trade, and they rely heavily on some of the least environmentally friendly transportation fuels available.

There are no cheap, widely available solutions that can lower the shipping industry’s planet-warming...

Middle-aged Americans in US are stressed and struggle with physical and mental health – other nations do better

Written by Frank J. Infurna, Associate Professor of Psychology, Arizona State University

Middle age was often a time to enjoy life. Now, it brings stress and bad health to many Americans, especially those with lower education levels.Mike Harrington/Getty Images

Midlife was once considered a time to enjoy the fruits of one’s years of work and parenting. That is no longer true in the U.S.

Deaths of despair and chronic pain among...

Over half of adults unvaccinated for COVID-19 fear needles – here's what's proven to help

Written by Amy Baxter, Clinical Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine, Augusta University

Though many adults report a fear of needles, most research on needle fear has focused on children.FG Trade/E+ via Getty Images

If you’re among the 25% of Americans averse to needles, you’re probably not surprised by the COVID-19 immunization stall. Even for those who want immunity, bribes with beer or lottery tickets may not be enough...

From abortion and porn to women and race: How Southern Baptist Convention resolutions have evolved

Written by Ryan Burge, Assistant Professor of Political Science, Eastern Illinois University

Raise your hands if you think this year's Southern Baptist Convention meeting could be feisty.AP Photo/Matt York

The Southern Baptist Convention will convene its annual meeting in Nashville, Tennessee, on June 15, 2021, in what could be the most consequential such get-together in recent memory.

Just 15 years ago, the SBC boasted some 16.3 million...

Why the legacy of Billy Graham continues to endure: 3 essential reads

Written by Kalpana Jain, Senior Religion + Ethics Editor

Evangelist Billy Graham came to have an enormous influence on American politics and culture.Keystone/ Collections Hulton Archive/Getty Images

A new two-hour documentary on PBS examines the life and rise of Billy Graham, the famed preacher, who died on Feb. 21, 2018, at 99. Graham’s enduring legacy is that he helped shape the modern-day...

'In the Heights' celebrates the resilience Washington Heights has used to fight the COVID-19 pandemic

Written by Robert W. Snyder, Professor Emeritus of Journalism and American Studies, Rutgers University - Newark

For decades, Manhattan's Washington Heights neighborhood has been home to a mosaic of ethnic groups.Andrew Burton/Getty Images

With camera work that swoops from rooftops to street corners, the film “In the Heights” brings to life the dynamism of northern Manhattan’s Washington Heights neighborhood.

Directed by Jon M. Chu,...

Sports writers could ditch the 'clown questions' and do better when it comes to press conferences

Written by Nicole Kraft, Associate Professor of Clinical Communication, The Ohio State University

'I'm here so I don't get fined,' Seattle Seahawks' star running back Marshawn Lynch repeatedly told a Jan. 27, 2015, press conference on media day for NFL Super Bowl XLIX. And then he left.AP Photo/Charlie Riedel

LeBron James had enough.

During the press conference after Game 1 of the 2018 NBA finals, James was questioned repeatedly by ESPN’s M...

Historic change: Arab political parties are now legitimate partners in Israel's politics and government

Written by Morad Elsana, Adjunct Professorial Lecturer Critical Race, Gender, and Culture Studies (CRGC)., American University

Mansour Abbas, Israeli Arab politician and leader of the Ra'am Party, in a meeting at the Israeli president's residence in Jerusalem on April 5, 2021. Abir Sultan/Pool/ AFP/Getty Images

The next government is not going to be a typical one for the citizens of the state of Israel, and especially for members of the Palestinian Arab minority, who are...

Tribal colleges empower Native students with an affordable, culturally relevant education – but need more funding

Written by Susan C. Faircloth, Professor & Director, Colorado State University

Diné College, founded as Navajo Community College in 1968, was the first tribal college in the U.S.Courtesy Diné College, CC BY-NC-ND

As an American Indian and first-generation college graduate, I know how difficult it can be to successfully navigate higher education.

For me, going to college meant leaving my family, my community, my...

What are 'ghost guns,' a target of Biden's anti-crime effort?

Written by Garen Wintemute, Professor of Emergency Medicine; Director, Violence Prevention Research Program, University of California, Davis

A San Franciso police officer displays several 'ghost guns' – untraceable firearms with no serial numbers or manufacturing marks.AP Photo/Haven Daley

It’s not expensive or difficult to produce large numbers of untraceable firearms in the United States. Whether for private use, sale on the criminal market or arming violent extremists,...