Explore news for you
Video: What we can learn from a book documenting the first vaccine, for smallpox
Caricature of vaccination scene at the Smallpox and Inoculation Hospital at St. Pancras Hospital in London, by James Giray, 1802. Library of Congress As the world waits anxiously for a COVID-19 vaccine, Sam Lemley, curator of special collections at Carnegie Mellon University, says that the story of the first vaccineContinue Reading
Do dogs really see in just black and white?
Don't worry that your dog's world is visually drab. Kevin Short/EyeEm via Getty Images Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to curiouskidsus@theconversation.com. Do dogs really see in just black and white? – OscarContinue Reading
Saturday is crucial for Anthony Albanese but July 23 is more important for Scott Morrison
Just under two years ago, Anthony Albanese was expectantly awaiting the “Super Saturday” byelections. Of the five contests, the outcomes in two, Longman in Queensland and Braddon in Tasmania, would be critical for Bill Shorten’s future as opposition leader. Albanese had been circling Shorten, whose unpopularity was seen as aContinue Reading
Group testing for coronavirus – called pooled testing – could be the fastest and cheapest way to increase screening nationwide
Pooling samples means one test can screen multiple people. Tetra Images via Getty Images Hopes for a summertime reprieve from COVID-19 have been dashed as cases surged in June. As infections rise, so does the need for testing. Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and InfectiousContinue Reading
The invention of satanic witchcraft by medieval authorities was initially met with skepticism
Woodcut, circa 1400. A witch, a demon and a warlock fly toward a peasant woman. Hulton Archive /Handout via Getty Images On a midsummer day in 1438, a young man from the north shore of Lake Geneva presented himself to the local church inquisitor. He had a confession to make.Continue Reading
Black churches have lagged in moving online during the pandemic – reaching across generational lines could help
A multimedia technician wipes down audio equipment at a church in Brooklyn. AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews From online campaigns for justice to popular TikTok challenges, Black young adults are at the forefront of social media trends. But when it comes to the Black Church, the same cannot be said – itContinue Reading
Why ‘I was just being sarcastic’ can be such a convenient excuse
Oh come on, you could tell it was sarcasm … right? AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki After President Donald Trump said during his June 20 rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, that increased testing was responsible for the surging number of infections, the condemnation of the inaccurate claim was swift. Six days later, duringContinue Reading
Police with lots of military gear kill civilians more often than less-militarized officers
A police tactical team in Ferguson, Mo., responds to 2014 protests against a white officer's killing of Michael Brown, a young Black man. AP Photo/Jeff Roberson Police departments that get more equipment from the military kill more civilians than departments that get less military gear. That’s the finding from researchContinue Reading
Presidents’ panel: How COVID-19 will change higher education
COVID-19 has altered nearly every aspect of higher education. Gerald Herbert/AP _Editor’s note: From time to time, we ask the leaders of our country’s colleges and universities to address some of the most pressing issues in higher education. Here, the presidents of three universities answer six critical questions about theContinue Reading
Blindsight: a strange neurological condition that could help us explain consciousness
Brain scan of a boy with fever and alteration of consciousness. Suttha Burawonk Imagine being completely blind but still being able to see. Does that sound impossible? Well, it happens. A few years ago, a man (let’s call him Barry) suffered two strokes in quick succession. As a result, BarryContinue Reading