The 10,300 women serving in fire departments across the US face ill-fitting gear, hostility and sexism. But in the end, they say, people "don't care you're a woman when their house is on fire.'
Academic rigor, journalistic flair
Workplace
Analysis and Comment
Climate change is transforming the Arctic, with impacts on the rest of the planet. A geographer explains why he once doubted that human actions were causing such shifts, and what changed his mind.
After a series of debacles, many metropolitan areas no longer want their leaders to vie for these opportunities.
While the White House scrambles to fill the VA's top post, the agency's deep issues of inadequate funding and low access for veterans continue to fester.
Senate confirmation for many of President Trump's nominees has been tough. In this speed read, The Conversation asks: What is Senate confirmation, and why do we do it?
Armenian Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan was just deposed. His party's still in power, though, and he could end up ruling anyway, behind a curtail like the Wizard of Oz.
Was the suspect in Toronto's van attack inspired by a misogynist mass killer in the United States?
This speed read explores why it’s hard to stop manufacturers in specific countries from dodging trade barriers by pretending that their goods come from somewhere else.
Opioids kill 100 people each day in the US, more than vehicular accidents. Those addicted are often left without treatment. An addiction researcher offers six steps to address the epidemic.
Whenever tuition rises at nonselective four-year colleges and universities, racial and ethnic diversity within the student body declines, researchers have found.
Why was one gene mutation that affects hair, teeth, sweat glands and breasts ubiquitous among ice age Arctic people? New research points to the advantage it provided for ancestors of Native Americans.
During sea turtle nesting season, scientists collect data and assess how turtles are doing. But they know less about how plastic pollution, fishing and warming oceans are affecting turtle numbers.
Each person experiences pain differently, depending on his or her genetic makeup. That makes it difficult to figure out what treatments patients need.
Why are they shiny? And how did Pennsylvania become the pretzel capital of the world?
Each year, 500,000 people die of malaria annually, a preventable disease. Most of them children in Africa, where many anti-malarial drugs are fake or substandard.
In a complex environment with massive numbers of internet-connected devices, the key barrier to better cybersecurity isn't funding: It's ensuring staff at all levels take action against the threat.
The Toronto cop who apprehended the van attack suspect is being lauded internationally for refraining from using deadly force as he apprehended him. Here's how everything went right for the constable.
Researchers found stark differences in child mental health and infant mortality rates, depending on whether immigrant mothers were covered by inclusive policies or not.
In the abstract, this near-mythic figure represents bravery, hard work and manliness.
The recent arrest of two black patrons who were waiting on a business meeting at a Starbucks has parallels to how black children are unfairly discipline in school, a researcher argues.
Although the choice of liberal icon Jimmy Carter as commencement speaker at Liberty University might be surprising, an expert explains why this fits in with the dream of conservative schools.
April is National Donate Life Month, a time to emphasize the importance of organ donation. It is also a good time to learn about a major medical advance that allows liver transplants from living donors.
Hip-hop heads around the world are rejoicing over Kendrick Lamar's win. But it's been a tumultuous ride for a genre once derided as 'pornographic filth.'
Facebook-Cambridge Analytica scandal
Facebook is realizing it has broad obligations to society. Here's how it could start meeting them.
James Comey and FBI
Here are three lessons that former FBI Director James Comey, took from the 20th-century American Christian philosopher, Reinhold Niebuhr.
Energy
Experts expect the wind business to remain brisk in the US and abroad, on land and offshore.
A recent survey of electric utility leaders finds that Trump administration efforts to promote coal energy and roll back air pollution regulations have had little impact on their long-range plans.
Marijuana
A drug made from a molecule produced from cannabis gained unanimous approval from an FDA panel. But the molecule, CBD, is decidedly different from some other ingredients in cannabis: It doesn't result in a high.
Research and Expert Database
Analysis from academics around the world
Editors’ Picks
Research suggests that government spending on very young children is a good investment.
Recent research shows that US rivers are becoming saltier and more alkaline. Salt pollution threatens drinking water supplies and freshwater ecosystems, but there is no broad system for regulating it.
Pity the poor night owls of the world, who already must adjust to a life that doesn't align with their natural sleep patterns. Now it appears that being a night owl even raises the risk of death.
Where people live in the US is still often influenced by racial discrimination. Is the federal government doing enough to carry out the vision of the civil rights era legislation?
It’s worth looking at how local news stations have traditionally operated.
The Democratic Party is a mishmash of causes and interest groups. The party's future will be determined by how its leaders balance and align the interests of its diverse factions.
E. coli bacteria are the frequent culprits behind outbreaks of food-borne illnesses. But not all strains are harmful; some are even helpful.
Four scientists talk through the ways they now build outreach into their work as a way to spread their research's impact – something that wasn't the norm for past generations of academics.
An academic suing the EPA over its decision to bar certain scientists from serving on advisory boards says the EPA needs to address legitimate criticisms to rebuild after Pruitt.
Companies these days offer insurance on pretty much anything you buy, no matter how inexpensive. How do you know when it's worth it?
From Brooklyn to Los Angeles, thousands of Americans are raising chickens in their backyards. But without stricter regulation, urban poultry farming is risky for both humans and birds.
Remembrance days and memorials provide people the opportunity to share stories with a community. An expert explains how that can make a difference.
Cognitive psychologists know the way our minds work means we not only don't notice errors and misinformation we know are wrong, we also then remember them as true.
A recent study suggested that a chemical responsible for getting the body ready for sleep was suppressed in children by too much evening light. A circadian rhythm expert explains the dangers.
Pop culture, personal tragedy and heroic persistence all played a role.
Most Read past week
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- Why losing a dog can be harder than losing a relative or friend
- Aneurysm strikes baseball pitcher, but why? A neurosurgeon explains the mysterious condition
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