Author: TheConversation

By Julia Coffey, Associate Professor in Sociology, University of Newcastle Like many of her peers, 21-year-old Abigail takes a lot of selfies, tweaks them with purpose-made apps, and posts them on social media. But, she says, the selfie-editing apps do more than they were designed for: You look at that idealised version of yourself and you just want it – you just want it to be real […] the more you do it, the better you get at it and the more subtle your editing is the easier it is to actually see yourself as that version. Abigail was...

By Masha Remskar, Psychologist and Postdoctoral Researcher in Behavioral Science, Arizona State University Most people know roughly what kind of lifestyle they should be living to stay healthy. Think regular exercise, a balanced diet and sufficient sleep. Yet, despite all the hacks, trackers and motivational quotes, many of us still struggle to stick with our health goals. Meanwhile, people worldwide are experiencing more lifestyle-associated chronic disease than ever before. But what if the missing piece in your health journey wasn’t more discipline – but more stillness? Research shows that mindfulness meditation can help facilitate this pursuit of health goals...

By Wayne N White Jr, Adjunct Professor of Aviation and Space Law, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Private citizens and companies may one day begin to permanently settle outer space and celestial bodies. But if we do not enact governing laws in the meantime, space settlers may face legal chaos. Many wars on Earth start over territorial disputes. In order to avoid such disputes in outer space, nations should consider enacting national laws that specify the extent of each settler’s authority in outer space and provide a process to resolve conflicts. I have been researching and writing about space law for...

By Alessandra Marino, Senior Lecturer, Geography and Environmental Studies, The Open University; and Marjan Ajevski, Lecturer in Law, The Open University Scientific and commercial activities on the Moon could permanently change the lunar environment. These activities include sending vehicles to the Moon, extracting its resources through mining the lunar surface, building facilities, and extracting water from areas on the Moon where sunlight never shines. However, an organization called the World Monuments Fund (WMF) is attempting to protect the Moon from being despoiled by adding it to its list of monuments worth protecting. The non-profit, based in New York, is...

By Justin St. P. Walsh, Professor of Art History, Archaeology and Space Studies, Chapman University The International Space Station is one of the most remarkable achievements of the modern age. It is the largest, most complex, most expensive, and most durable spacecraft ever built. Its first modules were launched in 1998. The first crew to live on the International Space Station – an American and two Russians – entered it in 2000. November 2025 marked 25 years of continuous habitation by at least two people, and as many as 13 at one time. It is a singular example of...

By Damian Bailey, Professor of Physiology and Biochemistry, University of South Wales; an Angelique Van Ombergen, Visiting Professor in Translational Neurosciences, University of Antwerp; European Space Agency On January 14, 2004, the United States announced a new “Vision for Space Exploration,” promising that humans would not only visit space but live there. Two decades later, NASA’s Artemis programme is preparing to return astronauts to the Moon and, eventually, send humans to Mars. That mission will last around three years and cover hundreds of millions of kilometres. The crew will face radiation, isolation, weightlessness, and confinement, creating stresses unlike any...