The Conversation

Why it's such a big deal that the NFL's Carl Nassib came out as gay

Written by John Affleck, Knight Chair in Sports Journalism and Society, Penn State

After Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Carl Nassib came out as gay, his jersey became a top-seller on Fanatics, an online retailer of sportswear.Ethan Miller/Getty Images

The video was short and simple, but for America’s gay community it was a blockbuster event.

In an Instagram post, Las Vegas Raiders defensive lineman Carl Nassib announced...

Conversion therapy is discredited and increases risk of suicide -- yet fewer than half of US states have bans in place

Written by Donna Sheperis, Professor of Counseling, Palo Alto University

Gov. Andy Beshear is in favor of making Kentucky the 21st state to ban conversion therapy.AP Photo/Bryan Woolston

Pride Month is being marked by some lawmakers in Kentucky with a renewed push to ban “conversion therapy – the discredited practice of trying to change someone’s sexual orientation or gender identity.

If successful, th...

The behind-the-scenes people and organizations connecting science and decision-making

Written by Stephen Posner, Director of Policy, University of Vermont

Listening to science is a lot easier for politicians when behind-the-scenes intermediaries are there to help.Morsa Images/DigitalVision via Getty Images

The role of science in society has never been more important. Scientific perspectives are critical for understanding complex issues such as the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, access to higher...

Ransomware, data breach, cyberattack: What do they have to do with your personal information, and how worried should you be?

Written by Merrill Warkentin, James J. Rouse Endowed Professor of Information Systems, Mississippi State University

Credit bureau Equifax announced in 2017 that the personal information of 143 million Americans – about three-quarters of all adults – had been exposed in a major data breach.AP Photo/Mike Stewart

The headlines are filled with news about ransomware attacks tying up organizations large and small, data breaches at major brand-name...

How palm oil became the world's most hated, most used fat source

Written by Jonathan E. Robins, Associate Professor of Global History, Michigan Technological University

Oil palm fruit in North Aceh, Indonesia.Fachrul Reza / Barcroft Media via Getty Images

Palm oil is everywhere today: in food, soap, lipstick, even newspaper ink. It’s been called the world’s most hated crop because of its association with deforestation in Southeast Asia. But despite boycott campaigns, the world uses more palm oil than...

Why choosing the next dalai lama will be a religious – as well as a political – issue

Written by Brooke Schedneck, Assistant Professor of Religious Studies, Rhodes College

The current dalai lama was enthroned when he was about 4 years old.AP Photo/Antonio Calanni

The 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, the spiritual leader of Tibet, is turning 86 on July 6, 2021. With his advancing age, the question of who will succeed him has become more pressing.

One of the most recognizable faces of Buddhism, the dalai lama is an...

How the billions MacKenzie Scott is giving to colleges attended by students of color will help everyone in America

Written by Ivory A. Toldson, Professor of Counseling Psychology, Howard University

Scott is giving dozens of predominantly nonwhite schools their biggest donations ever, including Chaffey College in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

When billionaire philanthropist MacKenzie Scott announced her third round of charitable gifts in June 2021, she said she was giving US$2.7 billion to 286...

Gifted education programs don't benefit Black students like they do white students

Written by Christopher Redding, Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership, University of Florida

Affluent students also benefited more from gifted programs compared to students from low-income backgrounds.SDI Productions/E+ via Getty Images

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

The big idea

Participating in a gifted and talented program improved high-ability students’ reading and math achievement, on average,...

'Wrong number? Let's chat' Maasai herders in East Africa use misdials to make connections

Written by Timothy D. Baird, Associate Professor of Geography, Virginia Tech

A Maasai man receives a call on his mobile phone.Timothy D. Baird/Virginia Tech, CC BY-ND

Sometimes wrong numbers work. On the East African savanna, Maasai herders can form important new social connections when they misdial their mobile phones, our new study of these communities found. Maasai have traditionally lived in relatively independent,...

Yellowstone is losing its snow as the climate warms, and that means widespread problems for water and wildlife

Written by Bryan Shuman, Professor of Paleoclimatology and Paleoecology, University of Wyoming

Snow melts near the Continental Divide in the Bridger Wilderness Area in Wyoming, part of the Greater Yellowstone Area.Bryan Shuman/University of Wyoming, CC BY-ND

When you picture Yellowstone National Park and its neighbor, Grand Teton, the snowcapped peaks and Old Faithful Geyser almost certainly come to mind. Climate change threatens all of...