In “It’s a Wonderful Life,” Pottersville is a dystopian warning about concentrated power, corruption and a community numbed to cruelty. The parallels to today are hard to ignore, writes a film studies professor.
The Conversation
The dystopian Pottersville in ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ is starting to feel less like fiction
Frank Capra’s dark vision of corruption and greed highlights both the dangers of concentrated power and the quiet effectiveness of collective act...
Trump can cheer coal all he wants, but the numbers haven’t changed: It’s still one of the most expensive and harmful ways to make power (and people pay the price in health and pollution).
The Conversation
Even with Trump’s support, coal power remains expensive – and dangerous
The Trump administration has made several efforts to support the coal industry, but even if coal were free, the economics aren’t in its favor.
Early screening and other supports are helping one Florida county cut preterm births, especially for high-risk moms. The program meant 85 fewer preterm babies, and at the average rate of $71,000 per NICU admission, that’s about $6 million in hospital spending avoided in a single year. It’s a successful model other communities could follow.
The Conversation
How one Florida program reduced preterm births – and how it could serve as a model for other communities
Central Hillsborough Healthy Start offers a model of community care that helps to prevent premature births.
Ever wonder why doctors ask if you’re married or what your race is? Those awkward questions feed the data that helps researchers spot health disparities, predict risks and design better care. Your answers become part of the bigger picture that moves medicine forward.
The Conversation
‘Are you married?’ Why doctors ask invasive questions during treatment
Answering personal questions at the doctor’s office can help researchers recognize health problems and find effective interventions.
We've made it very easy to cut out the messy, time-consuming stuff that actually builds real relationships. But "inconvenience is the cost of community," and if you want a village, it takes showing up, working through conflict and choosing people over convenience. More insight from a scholar who studies belonging:
The Conversation
The price of belonging is inconvenience. Are we still willing to pay it?
Every time we choose people over convenience, we invest in community. The real question in our homes, workplaces and democracies is whether we are ...
We put up #Christmas trees because… ancient solstice celebrations did it first 🎄 Evergreens symbolized life during winter darkness for Egyptians, Romans, Hopi, Persians and others. Christians adopted the tree centuries later, and Queen Victoria made it a worldwide trend.
The Conversation
The Christmas tree is a tradition older than Christmas
Evergreens have long served as symbols of life during the bleakness of winter. But Queen Victoria spurred the tradition that has become a global ph...
Zionist thinkers in the late 19th century reshaped #Hanukkah into a nationalist celebration of Jewish strength and self-determination. Then and now, many Jews disagreed.
The Conversation
Hanukkah celebrates both an ancient military victory and a miracle of light – modern Jews can pick from either tradition
Zionists draw on the military imagery of Hanukkah, while others look to the synagogue prayers that focus on the miracle of divine light.
Songbirds don’t just evolve alone 🐦 They swap color genes with related species! Hybrid warblers can pass along vivid plumage traits, revealing just how intertwined evolution really is. Brand new research from David Toews (seen here with a red-faced warbler):
The Conversation
Songbirds swap colorful plumage genes across species lines among their evolutionary neighbors
Interbreeding across species lines is one way helpful genes can spread into a bird population.
Maternal deaths are rising. Reproductive care is shrinking, especially in rural areas. And more states are finally recognizing what many parents already know: doulas save lives.
The Conversation
Doulas play essential roles in reproductive health care – and more states are beginning to recognize it
Doulas bring a holistic, person-centered approach that can improve birth outcomes and lower overall costs.
Want to support colleagues facing bias but feel like you’re “not good enough” to be an ally? You’re not alone. A new study finds 1 in 5 employees feel like impostors around allyship. The fix: small actions and not letting the desire to be a “perfect ally” get in the way of helping.
The Conversation
You care about fairness at work – so why do you feel like a fake?
The impostor phenomenon shows up with allyship too, new research shows. When people wrongly feel like they don’t have the skills to support their...