The Conversation

What Homer's 'Odyssey' can teach us about reentering the world after a year of isolation

Written by Joel Christensen, Professor of Classical Studies, Brandeis University

Greek hero Odysseus reunites with his wife, Penelope, upon his return to Ithaca, in an illustration from Homer's epic.Culture Club/Getty Images

In the ancient Greek epic “The Odyssey,” Homer’s hero, Odysseus, describes the wild land of the Cyclops as a place where people don’t gather together in public, where each person...

Shakespeare's musings on religion are like curious whispers – they require deep listening to be heard

Written by Anthony D. Baker, Professor of Systematic Theology, Seminary of the Southwest

Caliban implores his fellow island dwellers to listen to the noises in "The Tempest."The Print Collector/Getty Images

William Shakespeare’s role as a religious guide is not an obvious one.

While the work of the bard, whose birthday is celebrated on April 23, has been scoured at various times over the past four centuries for coded messages...

Do you really need to drink 8 glasses of water a day? An exercise scientist explains why your kidneys say 'no'

Written by Tamara Hew-Butler, Associate Professor of Exercise and Sports Science, Wayne State University

Exercising can increase your need to drink water, but there's no need to overdo it. The Great Brigade/Getty Images

The warmer weather and longer days have inspired reminders to “stay hydrated” and drink eight glasses of water – or about two liters – a day.

Not to burst anyone’s water bottle, but healthy people can...

Chauvin conviction: 2 things to know about jury bias and 2 ways to reduce it

Written by Angela M. Jones, Assistant Professor, Criminal Justice and Criminology, Texas State University

In Atlanta, Ga., one person's sign reflects the actual verdicts that had just been delivered in the Derek Chauvin trial. Megan Varner/Getty Images

Shortly after the guilty verdicts were revealed in former police officer Derek Chauvin’s trial for murdering George Floyd, legal experts suggested Chauvin will appeal, arguing that his right to a...

Environmental DNA – how a tool used to detect endangered wildlife ended up helping fight the COVID-19 pandemic

Written by Jessica Alice Farrell, PhD Candidate in Biology, University of Florida

Looking for bits of DNA at the University of Florida.David Duffy, CC BY-ND

Imagine discovering an animal species you thought had gone extinct was still living – without laying eyes on it. Such was the case with the Brazilian frog species Megaelosia bocainensis, whose complete disappearance in 1968 led scientists to believe it had become...

Vaccine mandates aren't the only – or easiest – way for employers to compel workers to get their shots

Written by Elizabeth C. Tippett, Associate Professor, School of Law, University of Oregon

Universities and other employers are encouraging workers to get vaccinated by doing it on site. AP Photo/Danny Karnik

A workplace showdown may be brewing over mandating vaccinations.

Employers would love the sense of certainty that comes with a vaccinated workforce. Workers can be brought back sooner than later, there’s no need for physical...

Yes, online communities pose risks for young people, but they are also important sources of support

Written by Benjamin Kaveladze, Graduate Student Researcher, University of California, Irvine

Sometimes an anonymous online forum is just what a teenager needs.Capuski/E+ via Getty Images

Aristotle called humans “the social animal,” and people have recognized for centuries that young people need to be in communities to develop into healthy adults. The ongoing pandemic has caused concern about the effects of isolation on children...

Why our dislikes should be celebrated as much as our likes

Written by Jonathan Gray, Professor of Media and Cultural Studies, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Reveling in dislike can give us a modicum of control in a world that inundates us with content.Bettmann via Getty Images

Millions might tune into the Oscars every year, but I’m always interested in the Razzies, which recognize spectacular cinematic underachievement.

I’m not the only one who thinks dislikes can be every bit as...

Famine in the Bible is more than a curse: It is a signal of change and a chance for a new beginning

Written by Joel Baden, Professor of Hebrew Bible, Yale Divinity School

The famine in Samaria was one of many depicted in the Bible.PHAS/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

As the coronavirus spread rapidly around the world last year, the United Nations warned that the economic disruption of the pandemic could result in famines of “biblical proportions.”

The choice of words conveys more than just scale....

Misinformation, disinformation and hoaxes: What’s the difference?

Written by Michael J. O'Brien, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost, Texas A&M-San Antonio

The flood of information can be overwhelming.Rudzhan Nagiev/iStock/Getty Images Plus

Sorting through the vast amount of information created and shared online is challenging, even for the experts.

Just talking about this ever-shifting landscape is confusing, with terms like “misinformation,” “disinformation” and...