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whale swimming in ocean

Marine protection falls short of the 2020 target to safeguard 10% of the world’s oceans

Dec. 14, 2020

Global leaders pledged to protect 10% of the oceans by 2020. We’re nowhere close, but a U.N. treaty and lessons from Antarctica could help. Assistant Professor Cassandra Brooks and a colleague share on The Conversation.

open window in an apartment

Keeping indoor air clean can reduce chance of spreading coronavirus

Nov. 20, 2020

Being indoors with other people is a recipe for spreading COVID-19, but removing airborne particles through proper ventilation and air filtration can reduce risk. Professor Shelly Miller shares on The Conversation.

silhouette of child playing in the woods

Connecting to nature is good for kids—but they may need help coping with a planet in peril

Nov. 16, 2020

Here are four ways adults can help kids work through their worries about the environment, shared by Professor Emerita of Environmental Design Louise Chawla on The Conversation.

Map of the Arctic

Where’s the sea ice? 3 reasons the Arctic freeze is unseasonably late and why it matters

Oct. 28, 2020

The pattern of autumn sea ice growth has been completely disrupted. The Director of the National Snow and Ice Data Center Mark Serreze explains what's happening on The Conversation.

A pastor conducts online services from the basement of her home

COVID-19 shines a light on the millennia-old balance between public, private worship

Oct. 23, 2020

During the pandemic, the practice of faith has moved to being a more personal one for many. Assistant Professor Sam Boyd, scholar of the Judeo-Christian tradition, discusses on The Conversation.

Houses, allegedly destroyed by shelling, in Ganja, Nagorno Karabakh

Nagorno-Karabakh: What do residents of the contested territory want for their future?

Oct. 12, 2020

Armenia and Azerbaijan are fighting over the contested territory of Nagorno-Karabakh. But what do the people who live there want? Professor John O’Loughlin and colleagues share on The Conversation.

image of tattooed medical professional

Dynamic tattoos promise to warn wearers of health threats

Sept. 24, 2020

Researchers are developing tattoo inks that sense chemicals, temperature and UV radiation, setting the stage for tattoos that diagnose health problems. Assistant Professor Carson Bruns shares on The Conversation.

An airtanker drops retardant to help stop the spread of the 2015 Eyrie Fire in the foothills of Boise, Idaho, which was ignited by sparks from construction equipment.

Humans ignite almost every wildfire that threatens homes

Sept. 24, 2020

Wildfires aren't always wild. Many of the most expensive and damaging fires happen in suburban areas, and nearly all blazes in these zones are started by humans. Associate Professor Jennifer Balch shares on The Conversation.

ultraviolet light on a bus

Ultraviolet light can make indoor spaces safer during the pandemic—if it’s used the right way

Sept. 9, 2020

Ultraviolet light has a long history as a disinfectant, but it's not risk-free. How do we harness UV light to fight the spread of the virus and protect human health as people work, study and shop indoors? Professor Karl Linden shares on The Conversation.

Kamala Harris

With Kamala Harris, Americans yet again have trouble understanding what multiracial means

Sept. 3, 2020

While the debates about Kamala Harris’ multiraciality may seem new, they are similar to the commentary other high-profile mixed-race people in the U.S. have received about their racial identities. Professor Jennifer Ho shares on The Conversation.

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