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A new Houthi front and expanded Iranian attacks risk sinking Gulf nations’ choke‑point workaround and widening shipping risks

A new Houthi front and expanded Iranian attacks risk sinking Gulf nations’ choke‑point workaround and widening shipping risks

The ongoing war in Iran has created an expanding zone of risk for shipping, including for Saudi Arabia’s strategy of redirecting oil exports away...

yesterday 1

The Conversation

Kristian Coates Ulrichsen

Detroit has a shortage of national retailers. What can officials do to attract more chains to the city?

Detroit has a shortage of national retailers. What can officials do to attract more chains to the city?

The city of Detroit has hired a senior director of retail attraction to bring national and regional chains into the city.

yesterday 0

The Conversation

Keion Harris

Can we remove or decrease spaces between atoms or molecules?

Can we remove or decrease spaces between atoms or molecules?

Turns out, changing the way atoms and molecules are arranged in a substance can give it new and fascinating properties.

yesterday 1

The Conversation

Robin Macaluso

Spaceflight could change how astronauts swallow, eat and drink in subtle ways

Spaceflight could change how astronauts swallow, eat and drink in subtle ways

A speech-language pathologist on how complex swallowing is – and how small changes from gravity can complicate the process.

yesterday 1

The Conversation

Sundeep Venkatesan

When expressive humanoid robots are awkward, people become wary – new brain study

When expressive humanoid robots are awkward, people become wary – new brain study

People who interact with expressive robots that make mistakes react with suspicion rather than seeing the bots as malfunctioning machines.

yesterday 0

The Conversation

Hasan Ayaz

Trump administration is withholding more than $1B in Medicaid funds from California and Minnesota, in latest example of weaponizing real and imagined fraud

Trump administration is withholding more than $1B in Medicaid funds from California and Minnesota, in latest example of weaponizing real and imagined fraud

For six decades, politicians have blurred the distinction between protecting Medicaid from abuse and using abuse to discredit Medicaid itself.

yesterday 0

The Conversation

Ben Zdencanovic

In memory care deserts, senior centers can help close the gap in brain‑related healthcare

In memory care deserts, senior centers can help close the gap in brain‑related healthcare

Specialized health care for brain-related issues can be lacking in rural areas, but collaborative, community-based approaches can help address these...

yesterday 0

The Conversation

Rasheera Dopson

HOAs are often barriers to sustainable landscaping and solar energy – here’s how they could be bridges instead

HOAs are often barriers to sustainable landscaping and solar energy – here’s how they could be bridges instead

Climate change, biodiversity loss and water conservation are often framed as problems in need of national policies. However, there is an often more...

yesterday 0

The Conversation

Daniel Kramer

Trump administration moves to block public from enforcing environmental protection laws

Trump administration moves to block public from enforcing environmental protection laws

For decades, regular citizens and advocacy groups have filed suits that forced companies and the federal government to clean up the environment. Trump...

yesterday 1

The Conversation

Sarah J. Morath

Why Arbaeen – the Shiite Muslim pilgrimage of mourning – has a deep significance that brings millions to Iraq each year

Why Arbaeen – the Shiite Muslim pilgrimage of mourning – has a deep significance that brings millions to Iraq each year

Each year, millions of Shiite Muslims walk to Karbala to honor Husayn, the prophet’s grandson, whose death continues to shape their faith.

31.07.2026 3

The Conversation

Iqbal Akhtar

What a western Pennsylvania ’90s‑style Pizza Hut reveals about nostalgia

What a western Pennsylvania ’90s‑style Pizza Hut reveals about nostalgia

A Carnegie Mellon University marketing researcher explains why the love of a retro Pizza Hut has more to do with the relationships attached to it than...

31.07.2026 3

The Conversation

Jeff Galak

Students are anxious – and it’s no surprise, since we are teaching them to be that way

Students are anxious – and it’s no surprise, since we are teaching them to be that way

Whether students feel pressure to get good grades or keep up with classmates, the anxiety this effort produces can have long-term effects on their...

31.07.2026 3

The Conversation

Erin Clabough

Revolving door at 10 Downing St. is weakening the special relationship between UK and US

Revolving door at 10 Downing St. is weakening the special relationship between UK and US

The days of long-established relationships between the UK prime minister and the US president are long gone.

31.07.2026 1

The Conversation

Garret Martin

Getting outside despite your 9‑to‑5 job can improve your mental health – here’s how to spend time in nature during and around working hours

Getting outside despite your 9‑to‑5 job can improve your mental health – here’s how to spend time in nature during and around working hours

Sometimes the best escape isn’t a weekend away. It’s the park just down the road.

31.07.2026 1

The Conversation

Todd Lookingbill

Foldable synthetic molecules could infiltrate and bust apart the toxic protein clumps causing Parkinson’s

Foldable synthetic molecules could infiltrate and bust apart the toxic protein clumps causing Parkinson’s

Researchers are finding ways to target the toxic proteins involved in neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s that were...

31.07.2026 2

The Conversation

Sunil Kumar

How an 1876 massacre of Black men in South Carolina turned racial terror into political power

How an 1876 massacre of Black men in South Carolina turned racial terror into political power

The men responsible for the bloodshed 150 years ago were never prosecuted; instead, they rose to South Carolina’s highest offices.

31.07.2026 2

The Conversation

Jacob Ware

58 years of attacks on the media by powerful leaders trying to deflect criticism, from Nixon to Trump

58 years of attacks on the media by powerful leaders trying to deflect criticism, from Nixon to Trump

American faith in news is at an all-time low, aided by a president hostile to the press. But presidents have long attacked journalists as biased. What...

31.07.2026 1

The Conversation

Heather Hendershot

Leaving vehicle engines idling is unhealthy, expensive – and often illegal

Leaving vehicle engines idling is unhealthy, expensive – and often illegal

Idling vehicles are easy targets for enforcement – they’re often left running for no good reason.

31.07.2026 1

The Conversation

Richard Marcantonio

What this western Pennsylvania ’90s Pizza Hut reveals about nostalgia

What this western Pennsylvania ’90s Pizza Hut reveals about nostalgia

A CMU marketing researcher explains why the love of a retro Pizza Hut has more to do with the relationships attached to it than pizza.

31.07.2026 3

The Conversation

Jeff Galak

The Catholic principle guiding popes through tech upheavals, from the Industrial Revolution to AI

The Catholic principle guiding popes through tech upheavals, from the Industrial Revolution to AI

Pope Leo is one of many popes to respond to technological change by drawing on a Catholic principle called ‘subsidiarity.’

31.07.2026 3

The Conversation

Walter Scheirer

Fauci’s COVID‑origins hearing shows how conspiracy theories became political weapons

Fauci’s COVID‑origins hearing shows how conspiracy theories became political weapons

Conspiracy theories don’t just explain events – they identify villains, and Fauci is among the most popular.

30.07.2026 1

The Conversation

Art Jipson

Americans feel the sting of high prices every day, so why does the Fed need so many ways to measure inflation?

Americans feel the sting of high prices every day, so why does the Fed need so many ways to measure inflation?

Fresh off a divided Fed vote to hold rates, policymakers confront a deeper question: Which of conflicting inflation gauges should guide them?

30.07.2026 2

The Conversation

Brandy Hadley

Flawed studies linking hormone therapy to breast cancer made doctors reluctant to prescribe it for menopause relief – especially for breast cancer survivors

Flawed studies linking hormone therapy to breast cancer made doctors reluctant to prescribe it for menopause relief – especially for breast cancer survivors

Menopausal hormone therapy no longer has the highest-level warning label about the risk of breast cancer, opening a gray area on who would benefit...

30.07.2026 1

The Conversation

Versha Pleasant

A government fund of AI stocks to benefit all Americans is a good idea, but hard to pull off

A government fund of AI stocks to benefit all Americans is a good idea, but hard to pull off

If the US were to create a fund to harness AI and buffer the economy and workers from long-term harms AI could cause, it would not be the first...

30.07.2026 1

The Conversation

Patrick J. Schena

4 ways wildfires generate tornadoes, lightning and other extreme weather, sometimes miles from the flames

4 ways wildfires generate tornadoes, lightning and other extreme weather, sometimes miles from the flames

An atmospheric scientist explains the mechanics behind 4 types of extreme weather fueled by the smoke and the heat of wildfires.

30.07.2026 4

The Conversation

Yunyao Li

‘The Odyssey’ is a striking portrait of the psychological wounds that can emerge when people violate their deepest values

‘The Odyssey’ is a striking portrait of the psychological wounds that can emerge when people violate their deepest values

Christopher Nolan turns Homer’s legendary warrior into a case study of moral injury, a condition that often appears in war veterans who struggle to...

30.07.2026 2

The Conversation

Amy S. Badura-Brack

Not all Coloradans want to share their cities with Canada geese and their poop – a wildlife manager shares the control methods that work

Not all Coloradans want to share their cities with Canada geese and their poop – a wildlife manager shares the control methods that work

Although Canada geese were not purposely reintroduced in urban areas, many have made cities their permanent homes.

30.07.2026 1

The Conversation

Mark Vrtiska

What video review controversies in sports reveal about AI and human decision‑making

What video review controversies in sports reveal about AI and human decision‑making

The World Cup’s VAR controversies reveal a broader challenge for AI-assisted decision-making: deciding what AI should handle, what it should support...

30.07.2026 2

The Conversation

Pooya Tabesh

What is a side‑channel attack? A cybersecurity researcher explains how computers can leak secrets without being hacked

What is a side‑channel attack? A cybersecurity researcher explains how computers can leak secrets without being hacked

Hackers have easier ways of getting information out of a computer, but side-channel vulnerabilities show that technology developers need to take a...

30.07.2026 2

The Conversation

Chetan Jaiswal

Schools are rethinking whether every student needs a laptop

Schools are rethinking whether every student needs a laptop

Rather than considering how much time students spend on screens, the more useful question is whether they are asking questions and solving problems...

30.07.2026 2

The Conversation

Janice Mak

The enduring legacy of Kashmir’s poet‑saints who built bridges between faiths

The enduring legacy of Kashmir’s poet‑saints who built bridges between faiths

Kashmir’s history as a center of learning and the arts for Hindus, Buddhists and Muslims offers another way of understanding the region – one...

30.07.2026 2

The Conversation

Peter Dziedzic

Should you drink Philly’s tap water?

Should you drink Philly’s tap water?

Philadelphia’s tap water meets federal drinking water standards but falls far short of public health goals when it comes to cancer-causing chemicals.

30.07.2026 2

The Conversation

Christine Kirchhoff

Preeclampsia rates in minority communities shed light on the social roots of maternal health disparities

Preeclampsia rates in minority communities shed light on the social roots of maternal health disparities

Disproportionate rates of preeclampsia – a potentially dangerous pregnancy complication – in immigrant populations reflect the physical toll of...

30.07.2026 3

The Conversation

Carina Heckert

Florida’s proposed property tax amendment will require trade‑offs – and some residents could end up with higher costs

Florida’s proposed property tax amendment will require trade‑offs – and some residents could end up with higher costs

Amendment 3 would mean most homeowners pay less in property taxes – but that may not end up significantly lowering their costs.

30.07.2026 1

The Conversation

Abigail Hall

Should you wash your prewashed lettuce? An infectious disease expert explains how to eat your greens safely during the cyclospora outbreak

Should you wash your prewashed lettuce? An infectious disease expert explains how to eat your greens safely during the cyclospora outbreak

Rather than avoiding fresh produce, adopting a few sensible food safety practices can help cut your risk of infection. ➕ Includes video 🎥

29.07.2026 2

The Conversation

Lisa Cuchara

Family feud over Chadwick Boseman’s estate highlights 3 lessons for grieving families

Family feud over Chadwick Boseman’s estate highlights 3 lessons for grieving families

Celebrity probate battles deal with the same legal issues that courts handle every day for many families that are not in the news.

29.07.2026 2

The Conversation

Reid Kress Weisbord

What I found when I scanned the brains of kids creating tunes on the piano

What I found when I scanned the brains of kids creating tunes on the piano

Playing improv music activates the reward system of the brain.

29.07.2026 3

The Conversation

Karen Barrett

Cholera still kills thousands each year – in places without clean water, it’s far from history

Cholera still kills thousands each year – in places without clean water, it’s far from history

While cholera launched modern epidemiology and has nearly disappeared in many countries, the disease never went away. It has instead retreated to the...

29.07.2026 1

The Conversation

Katrine L. Wallace

Nearly 100 years ago, Philadelphia’s Inez Patterson integrated pools and encouraged other Black girls to swim too

Nearly 100 years ago, Philadelphia’s Inez Patterson integrated pools and encouraged other Black girls to swim too

When Patterson was at Temple University, she insisted on swimming when her white teammates swam and not being limited to the hour when the pool was...

29.07.2026 1

The Conversation

Samantha Adams

As AI reshapes newsrooms, leading media outlets are charting different paths for its use

As AI reshapes newsrooms, leading media outlets are charting different paths for its use

From the BBC’s implementation of AI guardrails to Reuters’ embrace of AI tools to disseminate breaking financial news, newsrooms’ missions and...

29.07.2026 5

The Conversation

Erik P. Bucy

Got money questions? How to get chatbots to give you accurate answers

Got money questions? How to get chatbots to give you accurate answers

The gap between AI and a human adviser is narrowest for commonsense guidance.

29.07.2026 1

The Conversation

Pawan Jain

Better guacamole? How avocado import rules helped cut Mexico’s water pollution – it holds lessons for future US trade deals

Better guacamole? How avocado import rules helped cut Mexico’s water pollution – it holds lessons for future US trade deals

Pressure from trade agreements can clean up sources of environmental harm, leading to cleaner rivers in the case of Mexico’s much-loved avocados.

29.07.2026 1

The Conversation

Jayash Paudel

AI in healthcare is an evolving landscape of new technologies, productivity benefits and legal uncertainties

AI in healthcare is an evolving landscape of new technologies, productivity benefits and legal uncertainties

A standardized framework for regulating the safety and efficacy of AI in healthcare has yet to be established.

29.07.2026 1

The Conversation

Jodyn Platt

Mail‑in voting: Trump administration appeals to Supreme Court to revive executive order setting limits, rejected by lower courts

Mail‑in voting: Trump administration appeals to Supreme Court to revive executive order setting limits, rejected by lower courts

The U.S. Constitution gives states control of elections. An executive order by President Donald Trump aims to take away that control and limit mail-in...

28.07.2026 5

The Conversation

John E. Jones Iii

Affordable housing often costs more to build than market‑rate housing – Colorado is closing the gap

Affordable housing often costs more to build than market‑rate housing – Colorado is closing the gap

Lower land costs and new statewide housing reforms have made Colorado an outlier.

28.07.2026 6

The Conversation

Solomon Greene

Sargassum, the smelly nemesis of beach vacations, has become a self‑sustaining disaster that will keep coming back

Sargassum, the smelly nemesis of beach vacations, has become a self‑sustaining disaster that will keep coming back

Communities and entrepreneurs are experimenting with ways to turn this nuisance into a valuable resource.

28.07.2026 5

The Conversation

Xing Zhou

French climate lawsuit offers a window into the next round of the global legal fight

French climate lawsuit offers a window into the next round of the global legal fight

A court ruling expands the options for corporate accountability efforts against oil companies in France, and it may have repercussions in the US and...

28.07.2026 6

The Conversation

Aminta Ossom

Why ‘democratic neutrality’ is an overlooked threat to American democracy

Why ‘democratic neutrality’ is an overlooked threat to American democracy

While only a sliver of Americans say they support violating core democratic norms, many more say they’re ambivalent about politicians who undermine...

28.07.2026 5

The Conversation

Matthew Hall

Trump administration changes to ‘public charge’ rule could keep millions of immigrants – and their US citizen kids – from getting healthcare they need

Trump administration changes to ‘public charge’ rule could keep millions of immigrants – and their US citizen kids – from getting healthcare they need

A new policy could deny an immigration application based in part on the use of government benefits by a close relative.

28.07.2026 10

The Conversation

Medha D. Makhlouf

How the Trump administration’s rhetoric promotes anti‑transgender views

How the Trump administration’s rhetoric promotes anti‑transgender views

How invented threats, provocative language and repulsive imagery contribute to declining support for transgender people and other marginalized groups.

28.07.2026 10

The Conversation

Julie D. Nelson