Making eye contact and small talk with strangers is more than just being polite − the social benefits of psychological generosity

| Insights & Views

Eyes down, headphones on what message are you sending? vm/E+ via Getty Images How much do you engage with others when youre out in public? Lots of people dont actually engage with others much at all. Think of commuters on...

Aristotle would scoff at Mark Zuckerberg’s suggestion that AI can solve the loneliness epidemic

| Insights & Views

Mark Zuckerberg has said that chatbots could meet a need for Americans who want more friends. Andrej Sokolow/Picture Alliance via Getty Images Mark Zuckerberg recently suggested that AI chatbots could combat social...

Why your electricity bill is so high and what Pennsylvania is doing about it

| Insights & Views

Americans electricity bills tend to tick up each year in line with inflation. But upgrades to electric wires, reinforcing and protecting power lines from severe weather, and changing fuel costs among other factors are...

Rethinking engineering education: Why focusing on learning preferences matters for diversity

| Insights & Views

For decades, colleges, government agencies and foundations have experimented with recruitment and retention efforts designed to increase diversity in engineering programs. However, the efforts have not significantly...

Israel has promised ‘basic amount’ of food into Gaza – but its policies have already created catastrophic starvation risk for millions

| Insights & Views

After 18 months of punishing airstrikes, raids and an increasingly restrictive siege in Gaza, the United Nations on May 20, 2025, issued one of its most urgent warnings yet about the ongoing humanitarian crisis: an...

Russia’s invasion united different parts of Ukraine against a common enemy – 3 years on, that unanimity still holds

| Insights & Views

When Russia invaded Ukraine in the spring of 2022, President Vladimir Putin incorrectly assumed it would be a swift takeover. In fact, three years on, negotiators from both countries are tentatively exploring the idea of a...

Trump treats laws as obstacles, not limits − and the only real check on his rule-breaking can come from political pressure

| Insights & Views

Lately, the headlines have been clear: President Donald Trump is headed for a showdown with the courts. If he ignores their rulings, the courts have few tools and limited power to make him comply. But the real contest is...