menu_open Columnists

The Conversation
We use cookies to provide some features and experiences in QOSHE

More information  .  Close

When fake data is a good thing – how synthetic data trains AI to solve real problems

When fake data is a good thing – how synthetic data trains AI to solve real problems

You’ve just finished a strenuous hike to the top of a mountain. You’re exhausted but elated. The view of the city below is gorgeous, and you want...

yesterday 20

The Conversation

Ambuj Tewari

Research breakthroughs often come through collaborations − attacks on academic freedom threaten this vital work

Research breakthroughs often come through collaborations − attacks on academic freedom threaten this vital work

Since President Donald Trump took office for the second time, many researchers across academic disciplines have had their funding cut because of...

yesterday 10

The Conversation

Volha Chykina

Black families pay more to keep their houses warm than average American families

Black families pay more to keep their houses warm than average American families

Rising energy costs consume a bigger and bigger chunk of family budgets in the United States. Our research has found that for many African American...

yesterday 3

The Conversation

George C. Homsy

I treat menopause and its symptoms, and hormone replacement therapy can help – here’s the science behind the FDA’s decision to remove warnings

I treat menopause and its symptoms, and hormone replacement therapy can help – here’s the science behind the FDA’s decision to remove warnings

For more than 20 years, hormone therapy for menopause has carried a warning label from the Food and Drug Administration describing the medication’s...

yesterday 3

The Conversation

Genevieve Hofmann

Americans are unprepared for the expensive and complex process of aging – a geriatrician explains how they can start planning

Americans are unprepared for the expensive and complex process of aging – a geriatrician explains how they can start planning

Hollywood legend Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, were found dead in their home in February 2025. Hackman had been living with Alzheimer’s...

yesterday 4

The Conversation

Kahli Zietlow

Black student unions are under pressure – here’s what they do and how they help Black students find community

Black student unions are under pressure – here’s what they do and how they help Black students find community

Black student unions have been a vital part of many Black college students’ lives for more than 60 years. But since 2024, Black student unions have...

yesterday 1

The Conversation

Antar A. Tichavakunda

How pecans went from ignored trees to a holiday staple – the 8,000-year history of America’s only native major nut

Pecans are a truly American nut: They grew on George Washington’s estate, and they flew to space on an Apollo mission.

yesterday 0

The Conversation

Shelley Mitchell

Why MAGA is obsessed with Epstein − and why the files are unlikely to dent loyalty to Trump

President Donald Trump’s base has supported him through countless controversies. But they split from him over the release of the Epstein files. Why...

yesterday 0

The Conversation

Alex Hinton

Florida’s new open carry ruling combines with ‘stand your ground’ to create new freedoms – and new dangers

Florida’s new open carry ruling combines with ‘stand your ground’ to create new freedoms – and new dangers

Twenty years ago, Florida Gov. Jeb Bush signed the first “stand your ground” law, calling it a “good, common-sense, anti-crime issue.” The law’s...

previous day 100

The Conversation

Caroline Light

Renewable energy is cheaper and healthier – so why isn’t it replacing fossil fuels faster?

Renewable energy is cheaper and healthier – so why isn’t it replacing fossil fuels faster?

You might not know it from the headlines, but there is some good news about the global fight against climate change. A decade ago, the cheapest way...

previous day 30

The Conversation

Jay Gulledge

If evolution is real, then why isn’t it happening now? An anthropologist explains that humans actually are still evolving

If evolution is real, then why isn’t it happening now? An anthropologist explains that humans actually are still evolving

Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to...

previous day 20

The Conversation

Michael A. Little

Florida’s new open carry law combines with ‘stand your ground’ to create new freedoms – and new dangers

Florida’s new open carry law combines with ‘stand your ground’ to create new freedoms – and new dangers

Twenty years ago, Florida Gov. Jeb Bush signed the first “stand your ground” law, calling it a “good, common-sense, anti-crime issue.” The law’s...

previous day 10

The Conversation

Caroline Light

White nationalism fuels tolerance for political violence nationwide

White nationalism fuels tolerance for political violence nationwide

Political violence among rival partisans has been a deadly and destabilizing force throughout history and across the globe. It has claimed...

previous day 10

The Conversation

Murat Haner

Why people trust influencers more than brands – and what that means for the future of marketing

Why people trust influencers more than brands – and what that means for the future of marketing

Not long ago, the idea of getting paid to share your morning routine online would have sounded absurd. Yet today, influencers are big business: The...

previous day 7

The Conversation

Kelley Cours Anderson

Slavery’s brutal reality shocked Northerners before the Civil War − and is being whitewashed today by the White House

Slavery’s brutal reality shocked Northerners before the Civil War − and is being whitewashed today by the White House

Long before the first shots were fired in the Civil War, beginning early in the 19th century, Americans had been fighting a protracted war of words...

previous day 4

The Conversation

Gerry Lanosga

Most colleges score low on helping students of all faiths – or none – develop a sense of belonging. Faculty can help change that

Most colleges score low on helping students of all faiths – or none – develop a sense of belonging. Faculty can help change that

What helps students from all walks of life have a good college experience? Beyond all the concrete things schools can offer – academics, research...

previous day 3

The Conversation

Matthew J. Mayhew

Don’t stress out about overeating during the holidays – a dietitian explains how a day of indulgence won’t harm your overall health

Don’t stress out about overeating during the holidays – a dietitian explains how a day of indulgence won’t harm your overall health

For many, holidays are synonymous with quality time and long-standing traditions. Typically laden with delicious foods, it’s not uncommon to eat...

previous day 6

The Conversation

Bryn Beeder

Student cheating dominates talk of generative AI in higher ed, but universities and tech companies face ethical issues too

Student cheating dominates talk of generative AI in higher ed, but universities and tech companies face ethical issues too

Debates about generative artificial intelligence on college campuses have largely centered on student cheating. But focusing on cheating overlooks...

previous day 3

The Conversation

Jeffrey C. Dixon

Retailers are quietly changing their return policies – here’s why you should be on the lookout this Black Friday

Retailers are quietly changing their return policies – here’s why you should be on the lookout this Black Friday

’Tis the season for giving – and that means ’tis the season for shopping. Maybe you’ll splurge on a Black Friday or Cyber Monday deal,...

previous day 8

The Conversation

Lauren Beitelspacher

Why the chemtrail conspiracy theory lingers and grows – and why Tucker Carlson is talking about it

Why the chemtrail conspiracy theory lingers and grows – and why Tucker Carlson is talking about it

Everyone has looked up at the clouds and seen faces, animals, objects. Human brains are hardwired for this kind of whimsy. But some people – perhaps...

14.11.2025 10

The Conversation

Calum Lister Matheson

Supply-chain delays, rising equipment prices threaten electricity grid

Supply-chain delays, rising equipment prices threaten electricity grid

Two new data centers in Silicon Valley have been built but can’t begin processing information: The equipment that would supply them with...

14.11.2025 10

The Conversation

Morgan Bazilian

SNAP benefits have been cut and disrupted – causing more kids to go without enough healthy food and harming child development

SNAP benefits have been cut and disrupted – causing more kids to go without enough healthy food and harming child development

About 4 in 10 of the more than 42 million Americans who get Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits are children under 18. This food aid...

14.11.2025 10

The Conversation

Jenalee Doom

Can the world quit coal?

Can the world quit coal?

As world leaders and thousands of researchers, activists and lobbyists meet in Brazil at the 30th annual United Nations climate conference, there...

14.11.2025 7

The Conversation

Stacy D. Vandeveer

Why two tiny mountain peaks became one of the internet’s most famous images

Why two tiny mountain peaks became one of the internet’s most famous images

It’s happened to you countless times: You’re waiting for a website to load, only to see a box with a little mountain range where an image should...

14.11.2025 5

The Conversation

Christopher Schaberg

Recent studies prove the ancient practice of nasal irrigation is effective at fighting the common cold

Recent studies prove the ancient practice of nasal irrigation is effective at fighting the common cold

It starts with a slight scratchiness at the back of your throat. Then, a sneeze. Then coughing, sniffling and full-on congestion, with or without...

14.11.2025 3

The Conversation

Mary J. Scourboutakos

Don’t let food poisoning crash your Thanksgiving dinner

Don’t let food poisoning crash your Thanksgiving dinner

Thanksgiving is a time for family, friends and feasting. However, amid the joy of gathering and indulging in delicious food, it is essential to...

14.11.2025 2

The Conversation

Lisa Cuchara

How a Colorado law school dug into its history to celebrate its unsung Black graduates

How a Colorado law school dug into its history to celebrate its unsung Black graduates

Class portraits line the hallways of the University of Colorado Law School, the faces of former students gazing down at the building’s current...

14.11.2025 4

The Conversation

Rebecca Ciota

Hybrid workers are putting in 90 fewer minutes of work on Fridays – and an overall shift toward custom schedules could be undercutting collaboration

Hybrid workers are putting in 90 fewer minutes of work on Fridays – and an overall shift toward custom schedules could be undercutting collaboration

Do your office, inbox and calendar feel like a ghost town on Friday afternoons? You’re not alone. I’m a labor economist who studies how technology...

14.11.2025 10

The Conversation

Christos Makridis

Trump’s proposed cuts to work study threaten to upend a widely supported program that helps students offset college costs

Trump’s proposed cuts to work study threaten to upend a widely supported program that helps students offset college costs

Work study works, doesn’t it? Federal work study is a government program that gives colleges and universities approximately US$1 billion in...

14.11.2025 1

The Conversation

Samantha Hicks

Making progress is more than making policy – what Mamdani can learn from de Blasio about the politics of urban progress

Making progress is more than making policy – what Mamdani can learn from de Blasio about the politics of urban progress

After a decisive election win, Zohran Mamdani will become mayor of New York on Jan. 1, 2026. His impressive grassroots campaign made big promises...

14.11.2025 2

The Conversation

Nicole West Bassoff

Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket landed its booster on a barge at sea – an achievement that will broaden the commercial spaceflight market

Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket landed its booster on a barge at sea – an achievement that will broaden the commercial spaceflight market

Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket successfully made its way to orbit for the second time on Nov. 13, 2025. Although the second launch is never as...

14.11.2025 20

The Conversation

Wendy Whitman Cobb

How the Plymouth Pilgrims took over Thanksgiving – and who history left behind

How the Plymouth Pilgrims took over Thanksgiving – and who history left behind

Nine in 10 Americans gather around a table to share food on Thanksgiving. At this polarizing moment, anything that promises to bring Americans...

13.11.2025 2

The Conversation

Thomas Tweed

NASA goes on an ESCAPADE – twin small, low-cost orbiters will examine Mars’ atmosphere

NASA goes on an ESCAPADE – twin small, low-cost orbiters will examine Mars’ atmosphere

Envision a time when hundreds of spacecraft are exploring the solar system and beyond. That’s the future that NASA’s ESCAPADE, or Escape and Plasma...

13.11.2025 2

The Conversation

Christopher Carr