The Conversation

• Trump’s deployment of the National Guard to fight crime blurs the legal distinction between the police and the military
  A former FBI agent-turned-scholar says using National Guard troops to reduce crime in cities such as Chicago and Baltimore would violate legal prohibitions against domestic military law enforcement.
• Federal judges are frustrated by defiance from the Trump administration and fuzziness from the Supreme Court
  You’re probably hearing references in the news to “Article 1,” “Article 2” and “Article 3.” Why are phrases usually associated with discussions of constitutional law now cropping up in politics?
• An Arkansas group’s effort to build a white ethnostate forms part of a wider US movement inspired by white supremacy
  Several white nationalist groups such as Return to the Land have attempted to establish all-white communities across the country.
• Infant mortality rises in states with restrictive abortion laws – new research
  A new study found that, on average, infant deaths increased by more than 7% in states with laws that limited abortions.
• When it comes to wars − from the Middle East to Ukraine − what we call them matters
  Convention suggests wars are named after the participants or the place it which fighting takes place. But who chooses − and why?
• Colorado has one of the nation’s highest suicide rates − an ER doctor explains how to bring it down
  To prevent suicide by firearm: Reduce access for youths or adults with suicide risk.
• 3 states push to put the Ten Commandments back in school – banking on new guidance at the Supreme Court
  Louisiana, Texas and Arkansas are testing a Supreme Court precedent barring displays of the Ten Commandments’ display in public school classrooms.
• Helping teens navigate online racism − study shows which parenting strategy works best
  Parents can help their Black and Hispanic teens handle online racism by talking it through, but monitoring internet use can backfire.
• Jury trials, a critical part of democracy, are disappearing
  Juries now decide only a tiny share of civil and criminal trials in the US – and that hurts democracy.
• Astrology’s appeal in uncertain times
  Just as earlier generations might have turned to prayer or ritual, many people today are turning to the stars.
• Kennedy hearing deepens crisis over dismantling of CDC leadership - health scholar explains why the agency’s ability to protect public health is compromised
  The CDC’s current crisis has been building since Trump’s first week in office and boiled over after Kennedy fired the agency’s newly appointed director.
• US obliteration of Caribbean boat was a clear violation of international ‘right to life’ laws – no matter who was on board
  An expert in international law explains that the Trump administration’s justification for deadly strike doesn’t hold water.
• Civil servant exodus: How employees wrestle with whether to stay, speak up or go
  Federal workers face unique challenges. But part of their dilemma is familiar to many Americans who have to wrestle with dramatic changes in the workplace.
• Scientific objectivity is a myth – cultural values and beliefs always influence science and the people who do it
  Cultural ideas are inextricably entwined with the people who do science, the questions they ask, the assumptions they hold and the conclusions they land on.
• A first connection can make a big difference when it comes to sticking with a career
  A new study of 40,000 real estate agents suggests that the first professional connection you make can boost your odds of success by 25%.
• Hidden treasures of America’s national parks are closer than you might think
  These sites of national significance hold surprising treasures no less wondrous than the big-name destinations, potentially right around the corner from your home.
• You can be exposed to PFAS through food, water, even swimming in lakes – new maps show how risk from ‘forever chemicals’ varies
  PFAS exposure can vary significantly from one community to the next. A close-up view of three Great Lakes states offers some insights for everyone.
• How Frank Rizzo, a high school dropout, became Philadelphia’s toughest cop and a harbinger of MAGA politics
  Understanding Rizzo’s career and political popularity can help explain the appeal of President Trump’s identity-based populism today.
• How RFK Jr.’s misguided science on mRNA vaccines is shaping policy − a vaccine expert examines the false claims
  Chaos at the CDC and the sharp move away from mRNA vaccines has public health experts alarmed.
• China’s electric vehicle influence expands nearly everywhere – except the US and Canada
  China is already producing a wide range of EVs, including several options that cost less than $25,000.
• 5 forecasts early climate models got right – the evidence is all around you
  From rising global temperatures to the fast-warming Arctic, early climate models predicted the changes half a century ago.
• AI is transforming weather forecasting − and that could be a game changer for farmers around the world
  AI models can deliver localized forecasts faster and cheaper than traditional models. The challenge is getting this technology where it’s needed.
• No credit history? No problem − new research suggests shopping data works as a proxy for creditworthiness
  Responsible borrowers are locked out of the global financial system for reasons beyond their control. A study looking at shopping habits offers a novel solution.
• AI’s ballooning energy consumption puts spotlight on data center efficiency
  AI’s burgeoning energy appetite is driving efforts to make more efficient computer chips. But chips are only part of the data center equation.
• Green gruel? Pea soup? What Westerners thought of matcha when they tried it for the first time
  ‘Matcha mania’ shows no signs of slowing, with global demand pushing supply chains to the brink. It’s marked quite the rise for a drink long met with skepticism in the West.
• 65,000 Pennsylvania kids have a parent in prison or jail − here’s what research says about the value of in-person visits
  In-person visits in prisons and jails can strengthen family relationships and reduce recidivism.
• From intention to impact: 3 ways men in leadership can build equitable workplaces that work for everyone
  Many male leaders say they value gender equity. But their ideas about how to achieve it don’t always line up with women’s.
• China’s WWII anniversary parade rekindles cross-strait battle over war narrative − and fears in Taiwan of future conflict
  Japan surrendered to the Chinese nationalist army in September 1945. But since then, Beijing has played up the role of communist fighters.
• How Europe’s deforestation law could change the global coffee trade
  Small farms will have the hardest time meeting the rules, giving big producers an edge. One potential solution: agroforestry, growing coffee plants among the trees.
• What is AI slop? A technologist explains this new and largely unwelcome form of online content
  AI slop refers to low- to mid-quality content created with AI tools, often with little regard for accuracy or quality.
• ‘What you feel is valid’: Social media is a lifeline for many abused and neglected young people
  Young people who are being abused or neglected are more likely to turn to informal online support systems than to authorities.
• Adding more green space to a campus is a simple, cheap and healthy way to help millions of stressed and depressed college students
  Multiple studies show that grass, trees, shade and sidewalks on a campus reduce student anxiety.
• Personal power v. socialized power: What Machiavelli and St. Francis can tell us about modern CEOs
  The kind of power that motivates a leader shapes their behavior, two management scholars write.
• Turkey and the PKK have made historic moves toward peace – now begins the hard diplomatic work
  The PKK has been fighting the Turkish state for more than 40 years. Whether peace can take root will depend on each side’s commitment to a credible peace process.
• AI has a hidden water cost − here’s how to calculate yours
  AI systems’ water usage can vary widely, depending on where and when the computer answering the query is running.
• Are high school sports living up to their ideals?
  High school sports associations want to mold better students and citizens through sport, but are coaches well equipped to deliver on that front?
• Balancing kratom’s potential benefits and risks − new legislation in Colorado seeks to minimize harm
  Kratom, an herbal product, is a remedy to some and a risk to others.
• How to poop outdoors in a way that won’t harm the environment and other hikers
  Most people want to properly dispose of their waste, but they’re typically not prepared. Land managers can help users meet the moment.
• How does your body make poop?
  Your food goes on a complex journey as it travels from your mouth to your colon.
• We’ve been tracking the number of Americans who identify as transgender – soon, there will be no reliable way to measure them
  The federal government has erased gender identity questions from federal surveys. Researchers say it will cost them at least a decade’s worth of data.
• Pregnant women face tough choices about medication use due to lack of safety data − here’s why medical research cuts will make it worse
  Recent progress in understanding drug safety during pregnancy is at risk due to cuts to medical research funding.
• Earth-size stars and alien oceans – an astronomer explains the case for life around white dwarfs
  Could tiny stars a fraction the size of our solar system’s Sun have habitable planets orbiting them? A new study says it’s possible.
• How the conservative Federalist Society will affect the Supreme Court for decades to come
  Research shows that Supreme Court justices affiliated with the group are more consistently conservative than other justices, meaning they seldom deviate from their voting behavior.
• American capitalism is being remade by state power
  The US is moving away from a laissez-faire version of capitalism and toward a state-directed form.
• As National Park System visitor numbers hit record highs, here’s how visitors can adapt for a better experience
  There are other parts of popular areas – and different locations altogether – that can be great places for outdoor recreation and enjoyment.
• FDA approves updated COVID-19 vaccines with new restrictions, potentially limiting access for healthy children
  Healthy children may now only receive a COVID-19 vaccine ‘off-label’ – but in many states, pharmacists and other non-physicians may not be able to administer them that way.
• Supporting religious diversity on campus is a surprising consensus among faculty across the red-blue divide
  Faculty members represent a university’s core identity and mission. But no one had systematically studied faculty opinions on matters related to spirituality and religion − until now.
• Latin American literature contains warnings for American universities that yield to Trump
  Writers have mined the region’s turbulent political history to explore how authoritarian rulers bend institutional leaders to their will.
• When federal courts fail to punish lawyers for potential misconduct, states can step in
  A federal court stopped contempt proceedings against Trump administration lawyers, but they may still have to respond to charges in states where they are licensed to practice law.
• Escaped slaves on St. Croix hid their settlements so well, they still haven’t been found – archaeologists using new mapping technology are on the hunt
  As many as 10% of enslaved people on St. Croix escaped. Where they went has remained a mystery, but scientists are using new mapping technology to find answers.