Crypto mining can be lucrative ... but is it right?

Americans agree more than they might think − not knowing this jeopardizes the nation’s shared values

Lawrence Torcello, Rochester Institute of Technology

Most Americans actually agree on key issues, including reproductive rights, firearms laws and climate change.

Red flag laws are still used in Colorado’s Second Amendment sanctuaries, just less frequently

Christopher Knoepke, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus

Colorado’s red flag law allows judges to order the temporary seizure of guns from someone they think is a significant risk to themselves or others, even in Second Amendment sanctuary counties.

Public health surveillance, from social media to sewage, spots disease outbreaks early to stop them fast

John Duah, Auburn University

Rather than winging it when an unusual health event crops up, health officials take a systematic approach. The goal is to quickly figure out what’s going on and squash any outbreak before it spreads.

Grantland Rice, the Four Horsemen and the blowout that never was

Stephen Brauer, University of Richmond

Generations of sportswriters have been inspired by Rice’s penchant for drama and flair. But the spectacular can obfuscate the real, more interesting stories taking place on and off the field.

Doctor’s bills often come with sticker shock for patients − but health insurance could be reinvented to provide costs upfront

Michal Horný, UMass Amherst

While some policies have made the price of certain health care services more transparent, they don’t guarantee patients won’t be surprised by how much they’ll need to pay out of pocket.

What would it mean if President-elect Trump dismantled the US Department of Education?

Kevin Welner, University of Colorado Boulder

Donald Trump stated during his comeback campaign that he’d dismantle the Education Department if elected. Will Linda McMahon, his nominee for secretary of education, lead the way?

When an atmospheric river meets a bomb cyclone, it’s like a fire hose flailing out of control along the West Coast

Chad Hecht, University of California, San Diego

A powerful storm hitting the West Coast combines these phenomena for a wet week of erratic weather, as a meteorologist explains.

Fast fashion may seem cheap, but it’s taking a costly toll on the planet − and on millions of young customers

Paula M. Carbone, University of Southern California

The industry has a reputation for pollution and waste, but it has psychological effects as well.

Why you should get to know Thomas Aquinas, even 800 years after he lived

Therese Cory, University of Notre Dame

The 13th-century theologian’s influences included Greek, Muslim and Jewish thinkers.

Fifty years after the discovery of Lucy, it’s time to ‘decolonise paleoanthropology’ says leading Ethiopian fossil expert

Gemma Ware, The Conversation; Mike Herd, The Conversation

Yohannes Haile-Selassie is responsible for some of the most remarkable ancient human fossil discoveries in his home country.

Why people would rather clean the toilet than check their bank balance – and the spending problems this leads to

Marcel Lukas, University of St Andrews; Ray Charles "Chuck" Howard, University of Virginia

Avoiding bad financial news is a common human trait – but it can have serious consequences for money management.

Rethinking screen time: A better understanding of what people do on their devices is key to digital well-being

An 83-year-old short story by Borges portends a bleak future for the internet

I’m a neuroscientist who taught rats to drive − their joy suggests how anticipating fun can enrich human life