With the 2012 presidential election just months away, the nation's attention has turned to the Democratic and Republican presidential nominating conventions. Temple University political experts Christopher Wlezien, Kevin Arceneaux and Robin Kolodny offer their insights on the campaigns and what to expect from the conventions this year.

Spatial skills — those employed in reading maps and assembling furniture — can be improved if you work at it, according to a new look at studies on the topic undertaken by researchers at Northwestern University and Temple. Children who do well at spatial tasks such as putting together puzzles are likely to achieve highly in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields.