- The Constitution promises an interpreter for fair trials – US courts often can’t deliver
Federal protections promise a fair trial in a language you understand, but for millions who speak lesser-known languages, courts can’t keep that promise.
- El Niño is back, and ocean temperatures are already near record highs – that can spell disaster for fish and corals
El Niño can trigger intense periods of extreme ocean warming known as marine heat waves that can devastate marine life.
- Efforts to combat climate change often exclude Indigenous people – and they may not have any recourse
Efforts to protect land and environmental resources, including fighting climate change, often end up displacing people who have lived in those places for generations.
- Most Pittsburgh-area communities are losing residents – here’s why that might be OK
New census data shows population decline is spreading across America. Planning for growth may be actively making things worse.
- Trump’s AI security order acknowledges risks but stops short of regulating industry
The executive order is voluntary for AI companies but aligns with AI safety experts on the potential for harm.
- Killing cancer requires immune cells to infiltrate tumors’ hostile microenvironment – sugar shields can help them break in
CAR-T therapy engineers a patient’s own immune cells to fight cancer. Making these cels more resilient can make treatments more effective.
- SpaceX raised $75B in record IPO – here’s why insiders like Elon Musk are much likelier than public stock buyers to get rocket-powered returns these days
In the old days, companies went public early to access cash to grow. These days, soon-to-be-public companies are already flush with cash from private finance.
- Why corporate inclusion policies are moral decisions, not just business ones
Before asking whether inclusion is good for business, we should ask whether it is the right thing to do, two scholars argue.
- Conspiracy theories that emerged from a civil rights shooting 60 years ago resonate today
The modern rhetorical and political resistance to racial equality finds its roots in the conspiratorial segregationists of the civil rights era.
- Using cannabis for sleep isn’t harmless – a neurologist explains how it can trap people in a cycle of dependency
Young people and those with trauma, such as veterans, are especially vulnerable to the difficulty of stopping cannabis use for sleep.
- Trump’s ‘narco-terrorism’ war in Latin America evokes Reagan – then as now, it’s more about fighting leftists than drug runners
The nebulous nature of narco-terrorism has allowed presidents from Reagan to Trump to deploy the term when it serves broader political goals in Latin America.
- How Pennsylvania towns are protecting themselves from the noise, heat and utility costs of massive data centers
Communities across the state are demanding to know how proposed data centers would affect their electric and water bills, landscapes and quality of life.
- Pepper pot stew was survival food for the poor and a path to freedom for Black women in early Philadelphia
Dina escaped from slavery and sold pepper pot stew on the streets of Philadelphia, while her enslaver tried to recapture her.
- How Colorado hospitals are caring for pregnant patients with substance use disorders by overcoming stigma
Nearly 1,500 healthcare professionals completed the training in hospitals, birth centers and community organizations across the state.
- Drone use poised to soar as FAA homes in on rule change allowing pilots to fly them out of sight
Allowing people to fly drones beyond their line of sight could greatly expand commercial applications.
- How the development of solar and wind farms on the Tibetan Plateau is affecting local communities
China’s national government policies on energy and economic development are changing pastoral life on the Tibetan Plateau.
- For Iran’s diaspora, a tough World Cup call: To support the national team or protest – or both?
Iran’s team faces a hostile reception from the US government and some of its brethren in the diaspora. Yet others hope the event will trump politics — for now.
- World Cup 2026 quiz
Test your knowledge of the beautiful game with this special World Cup trivia quiz based on The Conversation’s articles.
- Life after death: From burned trees to bleached corals, how dead organisms live on as the building blocks of new life
The dead remains of foundation species can boost or deter how well future generations are able to grow and thrive.
- How money exchanges between House members shape the balance of power in Congress
Campaign contributions among House members show how parties build influence, protect vulnerable members and respond to election pressures.
- How cuts to CDC are dismantling its capacity to protect Americans’ health
In a survey of more than 600 CDC workers, 99% said the Trump administration’s cuts to the agency have made it less able to protect the public’s health.
- Dads today talk more freely with their teens about sex and relationships
Teens fare better when both fathers and mothers play key parenting roles, including talking with them about sensitive subjects that were once considered only a mom’s role.
- Seat the rich! World Cup ticket inflation reflects widening gap between haves and have-nots
The wild swings of dynamic pricing, ongoing accusations of FIFA corruption and questions of host-nation probity have created a huge backlash.
- California spends less than 0.5% of its state-controlled funds on homelessness
California’s leaders have repeatedly promised to tackle homelessness. But they don’t consistently make it a high priority for using state funds, researchers found.
- Butter or margarine? A food scientist describes their subtle chemical deviations and how they can affect your baked goods
Butter and margarine are both made up of long fatty acid chains, but some slight chemical differences mean differences in how they melt.
- National Science Foundation cuts mean researchers like me are losing grants – but impacts extend far beyond academia
As the National Science Foundation starts giving out fewer grants, people worldwide will potentially lose out from potential research findings that could help improve their lives.
- Everyone wants to think they’re open-minded – here’s why most people aren’t
Practicing existential humility means learning to live with the natural tension between our desires for certainty and curiosity.
- Haiti at the World Cup is more than an underdog tale – it is the story of global migration
For the first time since 1974, the Haitian men’s team has qualified for the World Cup. This is their story.
- The Social Security trust fund will run dry in 2032 – what that means for retirees and workers who hope to retire
Unless Congress acts, 1 in 5 Americans who receive Social Security could see an across-the-board benefit cut of roughly 22% starting in 2032.
- Glucosamine supplements may speed memory loss from Alzheimer’s, new research shows
Animal experiments and analysis of patient records suggest that taking glucosamine is safe for a healthy brain but is associated with further decline in diseased brains.
- Is soccer taking over America … or are Americans taking over football?
Americans own dozens of elite European soccer teams – and are seeking changes to protect their investments.
- Who is allowed to walk on the beach? It depends on where you live
Both legally and practically speaking, getting to the water’s edge isn’t as straightforward as it might seem – or as many people might like.
- How are Saudis viewing the US-Iran war? Our polling suggests Gulf kingdom is split on key issues
Surveys in the Gulf kingdom point at ongoing support for the US-Saudi alliance.
- We ran 100,000 computer simulations of the World Cup. And the winner will be …
Data science and machine learning algorithms can help us form probabilistic forecasts of things like sporting events.
- Kids learn to bully from adults’ threats, manipulation and criticism – a child psychologist explains how parents can model better tactics
Observing how grown-ups operate provides children with information on how they can shape their worlds to get what they want and avoid what they don’t want.
- Philadelphia’s 2026 sports calendar is packed – but fans are being priced out
In 1976, fans could score a ticket to the MLB All-Star Game for $6. In 2026, tickets start at over $200.
- Home insurance and the unraveling of Florida communities
Florida’s current approach to insurance is forcing those who can least afford it to bear the cost of the climate crisis. But different approaches are available.
- Summer between high school graduation and college is a critical time for preventing risky behaviors – here’s how parents can play a key role
Honest conversations between parents and teens can help incoming college students make safer choices and be more aware of risks.
- Firefighters face a higher risk of skin cancer – nano fabrics with tiny, rough fibers can help keep them safer
The risk to firefighters isn’t just from breathing wildfire smoke – it’s also in the chemicals that get on their clothes and filter through to their skin.
- Bingles, knuckleballs and ‘Beer Barrel Polka’ – hundreds of forgotten works showcase the eclectic world of baseball scholarship
A new database includes more than 850 dissertations and theses, spanning everything from baseball slang and cigarette smoking to postage stamps and ballpark organs.
- Why the director of national intelligence needs more than political loyalty to do the job
The newly named director of national intelligence is a Trump political ally who has no experience in national security. A veteran of the field says it matters who holds the job.
- 5 ways data centers endanger their local communities and the country as a whole
Even as they create and enable expansive virtual worlds, data centers are physical buildings in real communities around the nation and the globe.
- Both Democrats and Republicans give millions to universities in earmarks – but not in the same way
Democrats tend to give less than Republicans when it comes to earmarked funding for universities – but they give more to minority-serving institutions.
- As America approaches its 250th anniversary, The Federalist remains an indispensable guide to understanding the constitutional system and the nation’s enduring independence
You know how important the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were to making the United States. But do you know about The Federalist and the crucial role it played in the founding era?
- Detroit is spending millions on gunshot detection tech – is it an effective tool in the fight against violent crime?
New research on ShotSpotter’s deployment in Detroit suggests the technology did not reduce officer response times.
- Can kids go to prison? A legal expert explains how young people can be tried and sentenced as adults
There’s a separate justice system for people under 18 because their brains are still developing. Treating them as adults can turn them into repeat offenders.
- US indictment of Raúl Castro comes amid a long history of American aggression against Cuba
Recent military and economic pressure on Cuba, including Trump’s threats of a ‘friendly takeover’ of the island, follow a long pattern of US hostility toward its southern neighbor.
- Upcoming telescopes could shed light on dark matter – astronomers are looking for these ‘fingerprints’ of the elusive substance
Scientists study small galaxies to look for hints of dark matter in the universe.
- HIV enters the brain and doesn’t leave – paradoxically, drugs intended to reduce brain inflammation increase virus levels
Immune cells can carry HIV into the brain, leading to problems with memory and cognition. Blocking other immune cells from the brain can make matters worse.
- How Amazon workers made glamour a form of protest
Glamour isn’t just for the rich and famous. As the ‘Ball Without Billionaires’ showed, the blue collar can bedazzle.
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