Shuttered Canada-US border highlights different approaches to the pandemic – and differences between the 2 countries

By Daniel Baldwin Hess

The United States and Canada have long enjoyed a stable relationship. The countries share history, the longest nonmilitarized international border in the world, and strong economic ties. About 90% of the Canadian...

Digital-only local newspapers will struggle to serve the communities that need them most

By Chrisanthi Giotis

This week News Corp Australia announced the end of the print editions of 112 suburban and regional mastheads about one-fifth of all of Australias local newspapers. Of those, 36 will close and 76 become purely online...

Smart cars, smart cities, why not smart Great Lakes?

By Robert Michael Lee McKay

Smart home controllers, like Googles Nest Hub, are changing how we manage our home environments. Self-driving cars promise to revolutionize the transportation sector. Smart, connected communities are popping up around the...

Herd immunity in Europe – are we close?

By Jeremy Rossman

While no country claims to be pursuing herd immunity as a strategy, some such as Sweden have taken a more relaxed approach to containing the coronavirus. So how has the relaxed approach fared for Sweden is it close to...

Social ties, not politicians, may drive political participation on Instagram

By Sabrina Wilkinson

Politicians of all stripes use social media to share their party platforms and connect with voters, including during the COVID-19 pandemic. More than ever, they use video and image-driven platforms, especially...

People have been switching off from coronavirus news – but the Dominic Cummings story cut through

By Stephen Cushion Et Al

The turmoil about whether Boris Johnsons chief adviser, Dominic Cummings, broke the UKs lockdown rules has fuelled public anger about the government. This is despite many people experiencing news fatigue that led them to...

Car dealerships are reopening but the pivot to online sales has begun

By Justin O'Brien

Car dealerships are among the next establishments to reopen in England from June 1. Its welcome news to an industry that suffered an enormous drop in sales following the nationwide lockdown that started on March 30. New...

Mobile data shows which European countries took lockdown seriously

By Sotiris Georganas

A substantial part of humanity is slowly emerging from weeks of lockdown. What we have experienced is truly rare: a real global threat, menacing to all wherever we lived. But how did humanity respond to this pandemic? Did...

How the super rich conquered London

By Rowland Atkinson

Over cups of tea in his ramshackle London home I chatted with a novelist. It felt a valuable opportunity, given his multiple fictional treatments of London, to discuss the citys rapid changes that I was also writing...

A four-day working week could be the shot in the arm post-coronavirus tourism needs

By Jarrod Haar

When New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said recently, Ive heard lots of people suggesting we should have a four-day week, she inevitably ignited debate. Ardern was not, as some critics seemed to assume, just...

Businesses can build trust with consumers by unlocking data about their practices

By Sylvie Albert

Recent public demonstrations against climate change, human rights violations and industry practices that harm the environment reveal a growing public desire to participate in discussions about sustainability, safety and...

Half the matter in the universe was missing – we found it hiding in the cosmos

By J. Xavier Prochaska Et Al

In the late 1990s, cosmologist made a prediction about much ordinary matter there should be in the universe. About 5%, they estimated, should be regular stuff with rest a mixture of dark matter and dark energy. But when...

China: victory over coronavirus will be heralded as boost for Xi Jinping's brand of Marxism

By Ruairidh Brown

In the run-up to Chinas 13th National Peoples Congress (NPC) on May 22, the chairman of its Standing Committee, Li Zhanshu, said how important it was that the session was being held in the middle of the global coronavirus...

Coronavirus weekly: where next for globalisation after the crisis?

By Gemma Ware Et Al

As lockdown measures start to be eased in most countries around the world, the experts of The Conversations global network have focused this week on the major trends that are reshaping trade and the global economy. Just...

Mexican workers in US are sending record money home despite coronavirus-related economic shutdowns

By Araby Smyth

One might think Mexican immigrants in the U.S. would be sending less money home to their families as a result of the coronavirus. The 11.2 million people of Mexican origin living in the United States together send...

What is hazard pay, and why are Amazon and other companies ending it for essential workers?

By Nicole Hallett

As the shutdown orders went into effect two months ago, several American companies began offering hazard pay to essential employees, such as retail, grocery and health care workers. Now, some of those companies, such as...

Five ways online university learning can be better than face-to-face teaching

By Kyungmee Lee

The University of Cambridge has announced that all lectures will be offered online for the academic year beginning in October 2020. Other UK universities are expected to adopt similar policies, adopting a format which...

Lockdown and tech overload – how to escape your screens

By Sina Joneidy Et Al

From churchgoers to nursery school children, video calls, conferences and quizzes have become a lifeline at this time. But this has also meant the boundary between work and family life has become blurred and unbalanced ...

SpaceX astronaut launch: here's the rocket science it must get right

By Gareth Dorrian Et Al

Two NASA astronauts, Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley, will make history by travelling to the International Space Station in a privately funded spacecraft, SpaceXs Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon capsule. It will also be...

What are the characteristics of strong mental health?

By Simon Rosenbaum Et Al

Amid the coronavirus pandemic we are being warned of a second wave of mental health problems that threatens to overrun an already weakened mental health service. As we emerge from this crisis, while some people may need...

Why flour is still missing from supermarket shelves

By Brigit Busicchia

Extreme shortages of toilet paper, pasta and other pantry products defined the early weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic for many shoppers around the world. Availability of most these goods has returned to normal. But not...

Working out at home works for women – so well they might not go back to gyms

By Kim Toffoletti Et Al

Digital fitness is enjoying a COVID-19 boom. Online fitness technology provider Virtuagym reports a 400% increase in engagement and a 300% increase in the use of online workouts. Gyms, barre instructors, and yoga studios...

Crucible: the science behind why watching others playing video games has become so popular

By Craig Weightman

Amazon has taken a step into the highly lucrative world of gaming by releasing its first title, Crucible. A team-based action shooter, it hopes to rival industry giants like Fortnite. What makes the game unique is that it...

Liverpool close to bankruptcy: how decades of stigma have pushed the city into financial ruin

By Abi O'Connor

Thanks in part to a rich cultural and sporting heritage Liverpool is an internationally renowned city. But the municipal authority has a 44 million (US$54m) funding black hole and is on the brink of bankruptcy. The citys...

Municipal bond yields show investors willing to pay premium for debt that addresses climate change

By Carolin Schellhorn

The Research Brief is a short take about interesting academic work. The big idea Municipal bond investors are increasingly confident that as climate change accelerates, cities will be forced to prioritize projects...

Why Trump's Make America Great Again hat makes a dangerous souvenir for foreign politicians

By Dominic O'Sullivan

It looked just like any posed political picture. The politician, in this case the National Partys newly elected leader, Todd Muller, standing by a bookcase. So far so normal. It wasnt even a new photo. Except that...

Third time's the charm for Joe Biden: now he has an election to win and a country to save

By Bruce Wolpe

At age 77, in his twilight years, the third time was the charm for Joe Biden. He prevailed over a field of 24 Democrats from across the political spectrum and has emerged as his partys nominee for president in a manner...

Coronavirus recovery: public transport is key to avoid repeating old and unsustainable mistakes

By Hussein Dia

The coronavirus pandemic has affected our cities in profound ways. People adapted by teleworking, shopping locally and making only necessary trips. One of the many challenges of recovery will be to build on the momentum of...

Einstein’s two mistakes

By François Vannucci

Scientific research is based on the relationship between the reality of nature, as it is observed, and a representation of this reality, formulated by a theory in mathematical language. If all the consequences of the...

There's no shortage of players in Libya's conflict. But few champions for peace

By Jacob Mundy

The year-long battle for Tripoli has been heating up in recent weeks despite widespread calls for a ceasefire during Ramadan and the coronavirus pandemic. As the violence escalates and the number of foreigners involved in...

High-speed rail on Australia's east coast would increase emissions for up to 36 years

By Greg Moran

Bullet trains are back on the political agenda. As the major parties look for ways to stimulate the economy after the COVID-19 crisis, Labor is again spruiking its vision of linking Melbourne, Sydney, Canberra and Brisbane...

Can't resist splurging in online shopping? Here's why

By Adrian R. Camilleri Et Al

The demand for online shopping has obviously increased since COVID-19 restrictions were put in place. But less obvious are the subtle psychological drivers behind our collective online shopping splurge. In fact, online...

Vietnam's prudent, low-cost approach to combating Covid-19

By Mieszko Mazur

The author has been on a research visit at the Da Nang University of Economics since February 2020. The article is based on his personal observations, exchange with local residents, and independent research based on public...

How the coronavirus pet adoption boom is reducing stress

By L.F. Carver

As has been discussed in so many articles, sharing our lives with pets is good for our health. Not only do they make us healthier in normal times, in stressful times the benefit of a pandemic puppy (or cat), or other...

The coronavirus pandemic highlights the need for a surveillance debate beyond 'privacy'

By David Lyon

The coronavirus pandemic has stirred up a surveillance storm. Researchers rush to develop new forms of public health monitoring and tracking, but releasing personal data to private companies and governments carries risks...

Beware the 'cauldron of paranoia' as China and the US slide towards a new kind of cold war

By Tony Walker

In September 2005, before an audience of some of the most powerful business figures in the United States, then US Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick unveiled his responsible stakeholder formula for Chinas global...

China's new coronavirus recovery strategy explained

By Jane Duckett Et Al

When Chinese Premier Li Keqiang delivered his annual report to Chinas national legislature on May 22, his focus was firmly on COVID-19. His 55-minute speech to the annual gathering of Chinas National Peoples Congress (NPC)...

Coronavirus won't kill globalisation – but a shakeup is inevitable

By Jun Du Et Al

The COVID-19 pandemic is now expected to trigger the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression. Many argue it could unravel globalisation altogether. Globalisation relies on complex links global value chains...

How the movie industry is fighting lockdown

By Sarah Atkinson Et Al

Its a tough time for the global film industry, for which the pandemic represents a disruption of seismic proportions. All movie production spaces have been officially locked down and all talent whether in front of or...

India: a year after Narendra Modi's re-election the country's democracy is developing fascistic undertones

By Indrajit Roy

As Narendra Modi and his supporters mark a year since his re-election as Indias prime minister in May 2019, they can already point to achievements for his brand of Hindu nationalism. In the past 12 months, Indias...

SpaceX reaches for milestone in spaceflight – a private company launches astronauts into orbit

By Wendy Whitman Cobb

On May 27, two American astronauts, Robert L. Behnken and Douglas G. Hurley, are planning to launch from the Kennedy Space Center on a mission to the International Space Station. If successful, this will mark the first...

Intermittent fasting: if you're struggling to lose weight, this might be why

By David Clayton

Intermittent fasting is a way of losing weight that favours flexibility over calorie counting. It restricts the time you are allowed to eat, which reduces calorie intake by limiting opportunities to eat. Thats the theory,...

Aiming for novelty in coronavirus coverage, journalists end up sensationalizing the trivial and untrue

By Michael J. Socolow

For centuries, what has made news valuable and news organizations profitable has been the speed at which journalists collect and disseminate information. This is useful for both commerce and public service. But the rush...

In the opioid crisis, young queer and trans men are navigating risk reduction on their own

By Trevor Goodyear Et Al

The opioid overdose crisis has killed over 14,700 Canadians since January 2016. Unfortunately, we dont know how many lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and other queer (LGBTQ+) peoples lives are among those lost, because...

Coronavirus volunteers aren't just a source of free labour – don't take advantage of them

By Matt Baillie Smith

The diverse groups of volunteers responding to COVID-19 around the world are a source of positivity and hope. But volunteers are not simply a source of free labour. Volunteering is both political and influenced by...

Cape Town's creative firms are business innovators – but they're vulnerable

By Jen Snowball

In 1941 Hedy Lamarr, a Hollywood actress, and George Antheil, an experimental composer, patented frequency hopping. The technique is still used today for secure radio communications, Wi-Fi, GPS and Bluetooth. Frequency...

Economic policy remains hotly contested in South Africa: this detailed history shows why

By Edward Webster

Economic inequality in post-apartheid South Africa has deepened. This is not what was expected. Firstly, the African National Congress (ANC) won an overwhelming victory in the 1994 elections and promised to significantly...

COVID-19 is eroding scientific field work – and our knowledge of how the world is changing

By Richard B. Primack Et Al

Editors note: Summer is prime time across much of North America for scientists to do field research outdoors. But this year the COVID-19 pandemic is forcing many researchers to cancel or scale back their plans. We asked...

US seeks to change the rules for mining the Moon

By Scott Shackelford

Private industries have helped drop the cost of launching rockets, satellites and other equipment into space to historic lows. That has boosted interest in developing space both for mining raw materials such as silicon...

68% of Americans do not have a will

By Reid Kress Weisbord Et Al

Significant Figures is a series from The Conversation where scholars explain an important number in the news. As the coronavirus pandemic sweeps through the country, more people may find themselves in urgent...