By Matthew Valasik, University of Alabama; and Shannon Reid, University of North Carolina – Charlotte | – As the House Select Committee prepares to begin public hearings on the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection, far-right groups including the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers are were a prominent topic of discussion. At the same time, both […]
Ice world: Antarctica’s riskiest glacier is under assault from below and losing its grip
By Ted Scambos, University of Colorado Boulder | – Flying over Antarctica, it’s hard to see what all the fuss is about. Like a gigantic wedding cake, the frosting of snow on top of the world’s largest ice sheet looks smooth and unblemished, beautiful and perfectly white. Little swirls of snow dunes cover the surface. […]
Guns in the US: Why the NRA is so Successful at preventing Reform
By Thomas Gift, UCL | – In the wake of the recent school shooting in Uvalde, Texas that killed 19 children and two teachers, Democrats in the US – led by the president, Joe Biden – have once again called for stricter national gun laws. Yet many experts believe prospects for reform remain bleak, a […]
Stinky seaweed is clogging Caribbean beaches – but a New Zealand solution could turn it into green power and fertiliser
By Saeid Baroutian, University of Auckland; and Terrell Thompson, University of Auckland | – Rotting seaweed has plagued the Caribbean for more than 10 years – but our research shows how we could clean up beaches and emissions at the same time, by turning what’s now rubbish into renewable electricity and fertiliser. Pelagic sargassum is […]
The ‘carbon footprint’ was co-opted by fossil fuel companies to shift climate blame – here’s how it can serve us again
By Marcelle McManus, University of Bath | – “You can’t manage what you can’t measure”, according to a famous business mantra often attributed to management guru Peter Drucker. This can help explain why carbon emissions are under more scrutiny than ever as we ramp up our efforts to avoid the catastrophic effects of climate change. […]
Electricity from the cold Ocean Depths could One day Power Island States
By Rosalind Archer, Griffith University | – In the tropics, the deep sea is cold and the sea surface is very warm. That temperature difference can be harnessed and turned into electricity. If we can improve the technology, this method of producing power could be a godsend for island nations reliant on expensive and polluting […]
Elections: a Global Ranking rates US Weakest among Liberal Democracies
By Toby James, University of East Anglia; and Holly Ann Garnett, Royal Military College of Canada | – Defending democracy has suddenly become one of the central challenges of our age. The land war in Ukraine is widely considered a front line between autocratic rule and democratic freedom. The United States continues to absorb the […]
The lasting Consequences of School Shootings on the Students who Survive Them
By Maya Rossin-Slater, Stanford University; Bokyung Kim, The University of Texas at Austin College of Liberal Arts; Hannes Schwandt, Northwestern University; Marika Cabral, The University of Texas at Austin College of Liberal Arts; and Molly Schnell, Northwestern University As the U.S. reels from another school shooting, much of the public discussion has centered on the […]
Shavuot: A Jewish holiday of renewing commitment to God
By Alan Avery-Peck, College of the Holy Cross | – The festival of Shavuot, marked this year on June 5 and 6, celebrates the biblical story of God revealing Torah – Jewish scriptures and teachings – to the Israelites at Mount Sinai. This gift, and the observance of Torah’s principles, is at the core of […]