Opinions
Online 'likes' for toxic social media posts prompt more − and more hateful − messages
The rampant increase of hate messages on social media is a scourge in today’s technology-infused society. Racism, homophobia, xenophobia and even personal attacks on people who have the audacity to disagree with someone else’s political opinion – these and other forms of online hate present an ugly side of humanity.… Read
How Japan can drive faster toward a clean-energy future
Japan and the United States are each making big once-in-a-political-lifetime policy and fiscal bets in order to transform their fossil fuel economies to clean energy ones. Both countries are racing the clock on the climate crisis and on beating global competitors on the clean energy playing field. But are the… Read
Colonized countries rarely ask for redress over past wrongs − the reasons can be complex
The king of the Netherlands, Willem-Alexander, apologized in July for his ancestors’ role in the colonial slave trade. He is not alone in expressing remorse for past wrongs. In 2021, France returned 26 works of art seized by French colonial soldiers in Africa – the largest restitution France has ever… Read
Being child-free has been deemed ‘selfish’ for decades – the history of this misconception explained
Choosing to be child-free is more common than ever before in some countries, including the U.S. Many people see not having children an ethical and ecological choice, made to protect the environment, people and other species. Being child-free is about being “green.” Consequently, more positive discourses around childlessness are emerging. But this was… Read
Extreme weather, guilt tipping and, yes, Barbie: We're over you, 2023
All things Barbie, going pantless, humungo Stanley Cup bottles and pressure tipping. There's plenty from 2023 to leave behind come the new year. Extreme weather hit historic heights. Fakeness took a huge turn with the rise of AI. The rudeness epidemic continued with the help of FaceTime. Here's a less… Read
The challenges of being a religious scientist
Given popular portrayals, you would be forgiven for assuming that the type of person who is a scientist is not the type of person who would be religious. Consider the popular television show “The Big Bang Theory,” which is about friends who nearly all have advanced degrees in physics, biology… Read
South Koreans want their own nukes
Not far from the big green mountains that stand along the world’s most heavily armed border, dozens of South Korean and U.S. combat engineers build a pontoon bridge to ferry tanks and armored vehicles across a lake, all within easy range of North Korean artillery. For seven decades, the allies… Read
Supreme Court to consider giving First Amendment protections to social media posts
The First Amendment does not protect messages posted on social media platforms. The companies that own the platforms can – and do – remove, promote or limit the distribution of any posts according to corporate policies. But all that might soon change. The Supreme Court has agreed to hear five… Read
Why hold U.N. climate talks 28 times? Do they even matter?
Ask most people what the annual U.N. climate talks are and the likely answer will be: “Huh?” Ask those who do know and the answer may be: “Why should I care?" The negotiations, called Conference of Parties, are nearly two weeks long and in their 28th iteration in Dubai. Delegates… Read
Many voters weary about Biden-Trump rematch in 2024
The 2024 presidential election is drawing an unusually robust field of independent, third party and long shot candidates hoping to capitalize on Americans' ambivalence and frustration over a likely rematch between Democrat Joe Biden and Republican Donald Trump. Those looking to blaze a new path to the White House range… Read
