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Dinosaur bones became griffins, volcanic eruptions were gods fighting – geomythology looks to ancient stories for hints of scientific truth

  • Written by Timothy John Burbery, Professor of English, Marshall University
imageA mythical creature born of a misinterpreted fossil?Akkharat Jarusilawong/iStock via Getty Images Plus

Everyone loves a good story, especially if it’s based on something true.

Consider the Greek legend of the Titanomachy, in which the Olympian gods, led by Zeus, vanquish the previous generation of immortals, the Titans. As recounted by the...

Read more: Dinosaur bones became griffins, volcanic eruptions were gods fighting – geomythology looks to...

Space travel for billionaires is the surprise topic with bipartisan American support – but not from Gen Z

  • Written by Joseph Cabosky, Associate Professor of Public Relations, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
imageBoth Jeff Bezos and Richard Branson successfully rode to space on rockets made by their private companies Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic, respectively.AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez

With Jeff Bezos and Richard Branson both flying to space in craft made by their own private companies, July 2021 was perhaps the highest-profile month for space in years. But...

Read more: Space travel for billionaires is the surprise topic with bipartisan American support – but not...

There's a religious revival going on in China -- under the constant watch of the Communist Party

  • Written by Mario Poceski, Professor of Buddhist Studies and Chinese Religions, University of Florida
imageThe Chinese government has promoted a revival of Confucianism, along with traditional religious practices, as part of its nationalist agenda.AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein

The Chinese Communist Party is celebrating the 100th anniversary of its founding in 1921. For most of those decades, the party sought to restrict or obliterate traditional religious...

Read more: There's a religious revival going on in China -- under the constant watch of the Communist Party

Making peace between Israelis and Palestinians – is now the time for a different approach?

  • Written by David Mednicoff, Chair, Department of Judaic and Near Eastern Studies, and Associate Professor of Middle Eastern Studies and Public Policy, University of Massachusetts Amherst
imagePalestinian and Israeli members of the Women Wage Peace movement march in Jerusalem in October 2017 to demand a peace deal.Menahem Kahana/AFP via Getty Images

The violence in May 2021 between Israelis and Palestinians was the latest deadly eruption of a decadeslong conflict that has proved immune to attempts at forging a comprehensive peace. We...

Read more: Making peace between Israelis and Palestinians – is now the time for a different approach?

Why condos caught on in America

  • Written by Matthew Gordon Lasner, Associate Professor of Urban Studies and Planning, Hunter College
imageAbout 1 in 3 homeowners across the Miami region live in condos, many with waterfront views.Kelly Kagan, CC BY-ND

The tragic collapse of Champlain Towers South in Surfside, Florida, on June 24, 2021, made millions of Americans focus for the first time on the risks of high-rise construction and oceanfront living. Many also became more aware of the...

Read more: Why condos caught on in America

We used peanuts and a climbing wall to learn how squirrels judge their leaps so successfully – and how their skills could inspire more nimble robots

  • Written by Lucia F. Jacobs, Professor of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley
imageHow do they stick their landings?Alex Turton via Getty Images

Tree squirrels are the Olympic divers of the rodent world, leaping gracefully among branches and structures high above the ground. And as with human divers, a squirrel’s success in this competition requires both physical strength and mental adaptability.

The Jacobs lab studies...

Read more: We used peanuts and a climbing wall to learn how squirrels judge their leaps so successfully – and...

Tracking anniversaries of Black deaths isn't memorializing victims – it's objectifying them

  • Written by Lee M. Pierce, Assistant Professor Rhetoric and Communication, State University of New York, College at Geneseo
imageA mural depicting Breonna Taylor is seen being painted at Chambers Park on July 5, 2020 in Annapolis, Maryland. Patrick Smith/Getty Images

National Good Samaritan Day fell on March 13 and commemorates those who have helped a person in need. This year, March 13 also marked one year since Louisville police officers killed Breonna Taylor during a...

Read more: Tracking anniversaries of Black deaths isn't memorializing victims – it's objectifying them

From CRISPR to glowing proteins to optogenetics – scientists' most powerful technologies have been borrowed from nature

  • Written by Marc Zimmer, Professor of Chemistry, Connecticut College
imageCrystal jellyfish contain glowing proteins that scientists repurpose for an endless array of studies.Weili Li/Moment via Getty Images

Watson and Crick, Schrödinger and Einstein all made theoretical breakthroughs that have changed the world’s understanding of science.

Today big, game-changing ideas are less common. New and improved...

Read more: From CRISPR to glowing proteins to optogenetics – scientists' most powerful technologies have been...

What is decentralized finance? An expert on bitcoins and blockchains explains the risks and rewards of DeFi

  • Written by Kevin Werbach, Professor of Legal Studies and Business Ethics, University of Pennsylvania
imageBitcoins may finally be good for more than just speculation and making buttons. AP Photo/Frank Jordans

Fervent proponents of cryptocurrencies and the blockchains they run on have promised a lot.

To them, these technologies represent salvation from corporate power over the internet, government intrusions on liberty, poverty and virtually everything...

Read more: What is decentralized finance? An expert on bitcoins and blockchains explains the risks and...

3 takeaways from Melinda French Gates and MacKenzie Scott teaming up to fund women's and girls' causes

  • Written by Tessa Skidmore, Research Associate of Philanthropy, Women's Philanthropy Institute; Doctoral student of Philanthropy, IUPUI
imageFrench Gates (left), shown here with Oprah Winfrey, makes gender equity a top priority in her giving.Bryan Bedder/Getty Images

Melinda French Gates and MacKenzie Scott, two of the biggest U.S. donors, have joined forces by funding the Equality Can’t Wait Challenge.

The contest, intended to expand the power and influence of women in the United...

Read more: 3 takeaways from Melinda French Gates and MacKenzie Scott teaming up to fund women's and girls'...

More Articles ...

  1. 234 scientists read 14,000+ research papers to write the upcoming IPCC climate report – here's what you need to know and why it's a big deal
  2. Olympic athletes excel at their sports but are susceptible to unproven alternative therapies
  3. 234 scientists read 14,000+ research papers to write the IPCC climate report – here's what you need to know and why it's a big deal
  4. What is a cult?
  5. Change to college application represents a step forward in how colleges can better support trans students
  6. Por qué los CDC de Estados Unidos recomiendan a los vacunados usar mascarilla
  7. Moon lacked a magnetic field for nearly all its history – new research resolves mystery sparked by rocks brought back on Apollo
  8. Giant sea bass are thriving in Mexican waters – scientific research that found them to be critically endangered stopped at the US-Mexico border
  9. Formerly incarcerated teens share their research and ideas on how to improve the juvenile justice system
  10. 4 low-cost ways to create safe public spaces where all kids can play
  11. Lyme disease protection: No vaccine yet, but an antibody shot could soon provide a season of immunity
  12. Biden moves to protect the Tongass, North America's largest rainforest, from logging and road building
  13. Earth's energy budget is out of balance – here's how it's warming the climate
  14. Earth's energy budget is out of balance – here's how that's warming the climate
  15. 5 ways Americans often misunderstand Cuba, from Fidel Castro's rise to the Cuban American vote
  16. With abortion heading back to the Supreme Court, is it time to retire the 'my body, my choice' slogan?
  17. Understanding evangelicalism in America today
  18. Does a Trump endorsement make a difference? Yes, but not the way a candidate hopes it will
  19. Emperor penguins may be headed for 'threatened' status under Endangered Species Act – they're at risk from climate change
  20. 98% of emperor penguin colonies could be extinct by 2100 as ice melts -- can Endangered Species Act protection help them?
  21. 98% of emperor penguin colonies could be extinct by 2100 as ice melts – can Endangered Species Act protection save them?
  22. Expansion of Second Chance Pell Grants will let more people in prison pursue degrees
  23. Declined invitations go over more graciously when lack of money is cited instead of lack of time – new research
  24. House committee investigating Capitol insurrection has a lot of power, but it's unclear it can force Trump to testify
  25. Sunny with a chance of sneezing – I'm building a tool to forecast pollen levels that will help allergy sufferers know when it's safe to go outside
  26. What are dark patterns? An online media expert explains
  27. Climate change is already disrupting US forests and coasts – here's what we're seeing at 5 long-term research sites
  28. 5 simple tips for parents who will still be co-teachers when kids go back to school
  29. How years of fighting every wildfire helped fuel the Western megafires of today
  30. 4 ways extreme heat hurts the economy
  31. New endorsement laws could create pitfalls for college athletes
  32. 70 years ago Walter Plywaski fought for atheists' right to become citizens – here's why his story is worth remembering
  33. Pandemic pushed defendants to plead guilty more often, including innocent people pleading to crimes they didn’t commit
  34. What is Section 230? An expert on internet law and regulation explains the legislation that paved the way for Facebook, Google and Twitter
  35. What's driving the huge blooms of brown seaweed piling up on Florida and Caribbean beaches?
  36. What will the Earth be like in 500 years?
  37. MacKenzie Scott's HBCU giving starkly contrasts with the approach of early white funders of historically Black colleges and universities
  38. Freeing Britney requires reconsidering how society thinks about decision-making capacity
  39. Male fertility is declining – studies show that environmental toxins could be a reason
  40. Farmers markets are growing their role as essential sources of healthy food for rich and poor
  41. Fasting may have become a health fad, but religious communities have been doing it for millennia
  42. 'Outing' of priest shines light on power -- and partisanship -- of Catholic media
  43. Condo board leaders can help prevent the next Surfside-style disaster by setting aside more money
  44. The Activision Blizzard lawsuit shows gamer culture still has a long way to go: 5 essential reads about sexual harassment and discrimination in gaming and tech
  45. Tu cerebro necesitará tiempo para adaptarse al final del distanciamiento social
  46. Sex trafficking isn't what you think: 4 myths debunked – and 1 real-world way to prevent sexual exploitation
  47. Congress moves to reclaim its war powers
  48. Kids set free to roam on their own feel more confident navigating in adulthood
  49. Bob Moses played critical role in civil rights organizing and math literacy for Black students
  50. What are stablecoins? A blockchain expert explains