The Conversation U.S. - News written by researchers and scientists to help you understand

Several hundred people waves flags

Several hundred people waves flags

Despite massive US attack and death of ayatollah, regime change in Iran is unlikely

Donald Heflin, Tufts University

Iran will respond to US-Israeli strikes as existential threats to the regime – because they are

Javed Ali, University of Michigan

Smoke rised above a city landscape.

Smoke rised above a city landscape.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei ruled Iran with defiance and brutality for 36 years. For many Iranians, he will not be revered

Andrew Thomas, Deakin University

A number of military looking vessels are seen docked.

A number of military looking vessels are seen docked.

Cuba’s speedboat shootout recalls long history of exile groups engaged in covert ops aimed at regime change

William M. LeoGrande, American University School of Public Affairs

How the Seattle Seahawks’ sale will score a touchdown for charity 8 years after Paul Allen’s death

Reid Kress Weisbord, Rutgers University - Newark and Naomi Cahn, University of Virginia

Man in a gray jacket waves, while surrounded by confetti and football players.

Man in a gray jacket waves, while surrounded by confetti and football players.

Former Harvard president Summers’ soft landing after Epstein revelations is case study of economics’ trouble with misbehaving men

Yana van der Meulen Rodgers, Rutgers University

A man in a gray coat is surrounded by people, some of whom are shooting footage of him moving through the crowd.

A man in a gray coat is surrounded by people, some of whom are shooting footage of him moving through the crowd.

Tiny recording backpacks reveal bats’ surprising hunting strategy

Leonie Baier, Naturalis Biodiversity Center

Fringe-lipped bat wearing a red miniature data logger on its back.

Fringe-lipped bat wearing a red miniature data logger on its back.

How well have you been following the news?

Fritz Holznagel, The Conversation's Quizmaster

jumble of disparate images like question marks, supreme court building, two silhouettes kissing and smiley faces

jumble of disparate images like question marks, supreme court building, two silhouettes kissing and smiley faces

Bad Bunny says reggaeton is Puerto Rican, but it was born in Panama

Brendan Frizzell, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences

Young man wearing all white spreads his arms, closes his eyes and sings from a stage before a huge crowd.

Young man wearing all white spreads his arms, closes his eyes and sings from a stage before a huge crowd.

Nanoparticles and artificial intelligence can help researchers detect pollutants in water, soil and blood

Andres B. Sanchez Alvarado, Rice University

A small glass square under a microscope lens

A small glass square under a microscope lens

South Korea’s birth rate is rising – but the population is still shrinking

Gemma Ware, The Conversation

Baby and mother

Baby and mother

There aren’t enough geriatricians – here’s how older adults can still get the right care

Jerry Gurwitz, UMass Chan Medical School

Grandfather cuddling with grandchildren

Grandfather cuddling with grandchildren

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hands are seen holding a roll of i voted stickers in the left and a single one in the right

hands are seen holding a roll of i voted stickers in the left and a single one in the right

How to prevent elections from being stolen − lessons from around the world for the US

Shelley Inglis, Rutgers University

Back of a person's head as they watch tv while holding a remote

Back of a person's head as they watch tv while holding a remote

Drug company ads are easy to blame for misleading patients and raising costs, but research shows they do help patients get needed treatment

Anna Chorniy, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai; Institute for Humane Studies

La Jefa: the wife of slain drug kingpin El Mencho and the women at the heart of the cartels

Adriana Marin, Coventry University

A stock image of a Latino woman putting a wad of US dollars in her pocket.

A stock image of a Latino woman putting a wad of US dollars in her pocket.

Taboo tics like shouting curses and slurs are uncommon in Tourette syndrome − but people who have them suffer harsh social stigma

Rena Zito, Elon University

John Davidson at the BAFTA Awards on Feb. 22, 2026.

John Davidson at the BAFTA Awards on Feb. 22, 2026.

The apocrypha, Christianity’s ‘hidden’ texts, may not be in the Bible – but they have shaped tradition for centuries

Christy Cobb, University of Denver

Two open books rest on a table next to a pile of three more books.

Two open books rest on a table next to a pile of three more books.

How natural hydrogen, hiding deep in the Earth, could serve as a new energy source

Promise Longe, University of Kansas

A large drilling tower sits in an open, grassy area.

A large drilling tower sits in an open, grassy area.

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Digital art piece displaying a human hand, an X-ray of a hand and a wire frame hand, all overlayed.

Digital art piece displaying a human hand, an X-ray of a hand and a wire frame hand, all overlayed.

Artists and writers are often hesitant to disclose they’ve collaborated with AI – and those fears may be justified

Joel Carnevale, Florida International University

Will AI accelerate or undermine the way humans have always innovated?

R. Alexander Bentley, University of Tennessee

two metal gears meshing with the word 'past' on one and the word 'future' on the other

two metal gears meshing with the word 'past' on one and the word 'future' on the other

From moral authority to risk management: How university presidents stopped speaking their minds

Austin Sarat, Amherst College

A black outline of a person stands at a podium with thought bubbles above them in a graphic image.

A black outline of a person stands at a podium with thought bubbles above them in a graphic image.

Pittsburgh nurses are fighting for better staffing ratios — and the research backs them up

Anna Mayo, Carnegie Mellon University

A group of nurses in black scrubs hold signs that read 'Elevating women's and family health for our region.'

A group of nurses in black scrubs hold signs that read 'Elevating women's and family health for our region.'

Making sense of a chaotic planet: How understanding weather and climate risks depends on supercomputers like NCAR’s

Antonios Mamalakis, University of Virginia

The NCAR-Wyoming supercomputer center

The NCAR-Wyoming supercomputer center

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Philosophy and ethics

Graphic of a fish confronting a fish-shaped school of much smaller fishes

Graphic of a fish confronting a fish-shaped school of much smaller fishes

‘Learning to be humble meant taming my need to stand out from the group’ – a humility scholar explains how he became more grounded

Barret Michalec, Arizona State University

I’m a philosopher who tries to see the best in others – but I know there are limits

Mark Schroeder, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences

Two cartoon faces with hollow heads, and a spool of thread or yarn running between them.

Two cartoon faces with hollow heads, and a spool of thread or yarn running between them.

Meekness isn’t weakness – once considered positive, it’s one of the ‘undersung virtues’ that deserve defense today

Timothy J. Pawl, University of St. Thomas

A bearded man seems to speak gently as he holds an upset, angry-looking toddler.

A bearded man seems to speak gently as he holds an upset, angry-looking toddler.

How business students learn to make ethical decisions by studying a soup kitchen in one of America’s toughest neighborhoods

Tim Swift, St. Joseph's University

Large group of people gather outside a building with a religious mural

Large group of people gather outside a building with a religious mural

More than a feeling – thinking about love as a virtue can change how we respond to hate

Tucker J. Gregor, University of Iowa

The word 'love' is written in a red heart shape, surrounded by the word 'hate' written many times.

The word 'love' is written in a red heart shape, surrounded by the word 'hate' written many times.

Read more on the character virtues

Extreme weather and natural disasters

An outdoor view of a lake, snow on trees and mountains in the background

An outdoor view of a lake, snow on trees and mountains in the background

Warming winters are disrupting the hidden world of fungi – the result can shift mountain grasslands to scrub

Stephanie Kivlin, University of Tennessee; Aimee Classen, University of Michigan, and Lara A. Souza, University of Oklahoma

Tahoe avalanche: What causes snow slopes to collapse? A physicist and skier explains, with tips for surviving

Nathalie Vriend, University of Colorado Boulder

Two skiers cross a slope.

Two skiers cross a slope.

Sixth year of drought in Texas and Oklahoma leaves ranchers facing wildfires and bracing for another tough year

Joel Lisonbee, University of Colorado Boulder and William Baule, Texas A&M University

A farmer walks toward cattle in a very dry landscape under a blue sky.

A farmer walks toward cattle in a very dry landscape under a blue sky.

Data centers told to pitch in as storms and cold weather boost power demand

Nikki Luke, University of Tennessee and Conor Harrison, University of South Carolina

A downed tree blocks a snowy road and touches power lines.

A downed tree blocks a snowy road and touches power lines.

Winter storms don’t have to be deadly – here’s how to stay safe before, during and after one hits

Brett Robertson, University of South Carolina

People shovel out cars parked along a road in Boston.

People shovel out cars parked along a road in Boston.

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ICE and immigration

A police officer wears a body camera.

A police officer wears a body camera.

Why ICE’s body camera policies make the videos unlikely to improve accountability and transparency

Stephanie Lessing, UMass Boston

When ICE sweeps a community, public health pays a price – and recovery will likely take years

Nicole L. Novak, University of Iowa and William D. Lopez, University of Michigan

People in winter hats hold signs protesting against ICE in Minneapolis.

People in winter hats hold signs protesting against ICE in Minneapolis.

How the 9/11 terrorist attacks shaped ICE’s immigration strategy

Pawan Dhingra, Amherst College

A man dressed in military gear and holding a rifle is surrounded by tear gas.

A man dressed in military gear and holding a rifle is surrounded by tear gas.

A terrorism label that comes before the facts can turn ‘domestic terrorism’ into a useless designation

Brian O'Neill, Georgia Institute of Technology

A woman speaks in front of a podium as an image of a gun appears on a video screen behind her.

A woman speaks in front of a podium as an image of a gun appears on a video screen behind her.

Why the ‘Streets of Minneapolis’ have echoed with public support – unlike the campus of Kent State in 1970

Gregory P. Magarian, Washington University in St. Louis

A line of men in military uniforms, wearing gas masks and holding guns.

A line of men in military uniforms, wearing gas masks and holding guns.

Read more on U.S. immigration policies

Trump administration

A group of people carry umbrellas as they walk past a big white building.

A group of people carry umbrellas as they walk past a big white building.

Supreme Court rules against Trump’s emergency tariffs – but leaves key questions unanswered

Kent Jones, Babson College

TrumpRx, Trump Kennedy Center, Trump National Parks passes − government free speech allows the president to name things after himself

Jason Zenor, State University of New York Oswego

Workmen using lifts add Donald Trump's name to the facade of the Kennedy Center.

Workmen using lifts add Donald Trump's name to the facade of the Kennedy Center.

How poisonous mercury can get from coal-fired power plants into fish you eat – EPA just weakened rules meant to lower the risk

Gabriel Filippelli, Indiana University

A woman fishes with a power plant in the background.

A woman fishes with a power plant in the background.

What’s at risk for Arctic wildlife as Trump invites bids for oil drilling in the fragile National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska

Mariah Meek, Michigan State University

A group of Caribou on the tundra. One looks at the camera.

A group of Caribou on the tundra. One looks at the camera.

EPA removal of vehicle emissions limits won’t stop the shift to electric vehicles, but will make it harder, slower and more expensive

Alan Jenn, University of California, Davis

Cars are connected with cables to small towers in a parking lot.

Cars are connected with cables to small towers in a parking lot.

Read more about the Trump administration

International

Vladimir Putin chairing a security council meeting

Vladimir Putin chairing a security council meeting

How Putin turned Russia’s post-Soviet ‘national humiliation’ into military aggression in Ukraine

Gemma Ware, The Conversation

Russia tested NATO’s airspace 18 times in 2025 alone – a 200% surge that signals a dangerous shift

Frederic Lemieux, Georgetown University

A man in a hi-vis jacket stands behind a police line.

A man in a hi-vis jacket stands behind a police line.

Iran-US nuclear talks may fail due to both nations’ red lines – but that doesn’t make them futile

Nina Srinivasan Rathbun, University of Toronto; USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences

A selection of newspaper

A selection of newspaper

In World War II’s dog-eat-dog struggle for resources, a Greenland mine launched a new world order

Thomas Robertson, Macalester College

A black-and-white photo of a mine with buildings around it.

A black-and-white photo of a mine with buildings around it.

As Alberta separatists court the U.S., prosperity is fuelling a sovereigntist turn

Tamara Krawchenko, University of Victoria

A thin man with short grey hair points and walks behind a hulking man with orange-ish white hair and splotchy orange-hued skin. Mountains are in the background.

A thin man with short grey hair points and walks behind a hulking man with orange-ish white hair and splotchy orange-hued skin. Mountains are in the background.

Read more world news

New research in health and science

Close-up of person picking coffee berries

Close-up of person picking coffee berries

Coffee crops are dying from a fungus with species-jumping genes – researchers are ‘resurrecting’ their genomes to understand how and why

Lily Peck, University of California, Los Angeles

Probability underlies much of the modern world – an engineering professor explains how it actually works

Zachary del Rosario, Olin College of Engineering

A hand flipping a coin

A hand flipping a coin

FDA’s abrupt flip-flop on Moderna’s mRNA flu shot highlights growing risks to drug-makers of investing in vaccines

Ana Santos Rutschman, Villanova University

Your gut microbes can be anti-aging – scientists are uncovering how to keep your microbiome youthful

Bill Sullivan, Indiana University

Older adult standing in garden holding basket of vegetables, smiling.

Older adult standing in garden holding basket of vegetables, smiling.

Menstrual pads and tampons can contain toxic substances – here’s what to know about this emerging health issue

Jenni Shearston, University of Colorado Boulder

A woman stands in a drugstore aisle, choosing between two brands of tampons.

A woman stands in a drugstore aisle, choosing between two brands of tampons.

Read more new science research

Artificial intelligence

an illustration depicting a man in a business suit with hands on hips next to a humanoid robot that is pointing up to an arrow that is at the end of a jagged line that shifts upwards from left to right

an illustration depicting a man in a business suit with hands on hips next to a humanoid robot that is pointing up to an arrow that is at the end of a jagged line that shifts upwards from left to right

‘Probably’ doesn’t mean the same thing to your AI as it does to you

Mayank Kejriwal, University of Southern California

The greatest risk of AI in higher education isn’t cheating – it’s the erosion of learning itself

Nir Eisikovits, UMass Boston and Jacob Burley, UMass Boston

Picture of university teacher in empty classroom.

Picture of university teacher in empty classroom.

Algorithms that customize marketing to your phone could also influence your views on warfare

Justin Pelletier, Rochester Institute of Technology

an illustration of people in a crowd looking at phones and tablets

an illustration of people in a crowd looking at phones and tablets

Colleges face a choice: Try to shape AI’s impact on learning, or be redefined by it

Vicki Baker, Albion College and Linda M. Boland, University of Richmond

A person has an illuminated graphic in each hand - one shows a person's head that says 'AI' on the inside, and the other shows a person's head wearing a graduation cap.

A person has an illuminated graphic in each hand - one shows a person's head that says 'AI' on the inside, and the other shows a person's head wearing a graduation cap.

OpenAI has deleted the word ‘safely’ from its mission – and its new structure is a test for whether AI serves society or shareholders

Alnoor Ebrahim, Tufts University

A caution sign is seen in the midst of a data illustration.

A caution sign is seen in the midst of a data illustration.

Read more stories on artificial intelligence

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Detroit was once home to 18 Black-led hospitals – here’s how to understand their rise and fall

Rashid Faisal, University of Michigan-Dearborn and Anita Moncrease, Wayne State University

How Dracula became a red-hot lover

Stanley Stepanic, University of Virginia

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A young man in a top hat rests his chin on the shoulder of a young woman who looks uncomfortable.

Picky eating starts in the womb – a nutritional neuroscientist explains how to expand your child’s palate

Kathleen Keller, Penn State

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Toddler wearing bib, face scrunched up as parent presents a spoon of greens to them

Why Michelangelo’s ‘Last Judgment’ endures

Virginia Raguin, College of the Holy Cross

A fresco showing Christ at the center, surrounded by saints and angels; some figures are shown rising and others falling below.

A fresco showing Christ at the center, surrounded by saints and angels; some figures are shown rising and others falling below.

Do animals have a future on Hollywood sets?

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A bearded man wrestles with a large, brown bear in the snow.

A bearded man wrestles with a large, brown bear in the snow.

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