The Conversation - Journalism's market failure

Why is free time still so elusive?

Gary Cross, Penn State

In 1930, economist John Maynard Keynes famously predicted that within a century, the normal workweek would decrease to 15 hours. Why was he wrong?

Why having human remains land on the Moon poses difficult questions for members of several religions

Joanne M. Pierce, College of the Holy Cross; Mathew Schmalz, College of the Holy Cross

Two scholars who study death rituals explain that the corpse is considered spiritually polluting in many religious traditions, while the Moon holds a sacred place.

Love songs in Hindu devotion – the Tamil poets who took on the female voice to express their intense longing for the divine

Archana Venkatesan, University of California, Davis

In Hindu devotional poetry, love directed toward Vishnu can take many forms, including service, maternal adoration and the intense intimacy of lovers.

Electric vehicles are suddenly hot − but the industry has traveled a long road to relevance

Hovig Tchalian, University of Southern California

This seemingly cutting-edge technology isn’t entirely new to our century.

Philadelphia hopes year-round schooling can catch kids up to grade level – will it make a difference?

Daniel H. Robinson, University of Texas at Arlington

An education expert explains the potential benefits and drawbacks of year-round schooling in Philadelphia.

In the face of severe challenges, democracy is under stress – but still supported – across Latin America and the Caribbean

Noam Lupu, Vanderbilt University; Elizabeth J. Zechmeister, Vanderbilt University; Luke Plutowski, Vanderbilt University

A survey of people across 24 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean found widespread concern over the economy and crime.

Immigration reform has always been tough, and rarely happens in election years - 4 things to know

Daniel Tichenor, University of Oregon

Immigration reform has always been hard to accomplish. As the U.S. enters an election year, bipartisan reform now appears out of reach.

Global health research suffers from a power imbalance − decolonizing mentorship can help level the playing field

Oluwafemi Atanda Adeagbo, University of Iowa; Brenda Yankam, University of Nigeria; Engelbert Bain Luchuo, University of Johannesburg

Though the Global South tends to experience higher disease burdens, most public health decisions and knowledge generation are centered in the Global North.

Our robot harvests cotton by reaching out and plucking it, like a lizard’s tongue snatching flies

Hussein Gharakhani, Mississippi State University

Cotton is one of the world’s largest crops and is harvested with large, heavy machines. Robotic harvesting could yield higher-quality cotton with less damage to plants and soil.

Flowers grown floating on polluted waterways can help clean up nutrient runoff and turn a profit

Jazmin Locke-Rodriguez, Florida International University; Krishnaswamy Jayachandran, Florida International University

Phosphorus and nitrogen contribute to water pollution and cause harmful algal blooms. New research shows how mats of floating flower beds can take advantage of these nutrients while cleaning the water.

Atlantic Ocean is headed for a tipping point − once melting glaciers shut down the Gulf Stream, we would see extreme climate change within decades, study shows

Can anyone make a citizen’s arrest? The history and legalities of catching criminals yourself

A brief history of Dearborn, Michigan – the first Arab-American majority city in the US