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Can the president really kill off the penny – and should he?

In the middle of Super Bowl LIX, President Donald Trump posted on social media that he was getting rid of the penny. Since the lowly penny in 2024...

yesterday 2

The Conversation

Jay L. Zagorsky

Trump and Maduro refresh a complex relationship governed by self-interest and tainted by Venezuela election fraud

In 2019, President Donald Trump recognized then-Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó as the country’s interim leader over Nicolás Maduro, who...

yesterday 3

The Conversation

Paul Webster Hare

From Jewish summer camp to gospel to Chabad, Bob Dylan’s faith doesn’t fit in a box − but he’s long had a connection to Israel

James Mangold’s film “A Complete Unknown,” nominated for eight Oscars, captures the elusive, enigmatic quality of Bob Dylan in the early 1960s: the...

yesterday 3

The Conversation

Shalom Goldman

60 years of progress in expanding rights is being rolled back by Trump − a pattern that’s all too familiar in US history

For many Americans, Donald Trump’s head-spinning array of executive orders in the early days of his second term look like an unprecedented effort...

yesterday 2

The Conversation

Philip Klinkner

Syria’s mass graves: Accounting for the dead and disappeared is crucial for the nation to heal

Shortly after the fall of Bashar Assad in Syria in December 2024, reports emerged of mass graves being uncovered in liberated areas. Grim as such...

yesterday 2

The Conversation

Stefan Schmitt

Enzymes are the engines of life − machine learning tools could help scientists design new ones to tackle disease and climate change

Enzymes are molecular machines that carry out the chemical reactions that sustain all life, an ability that has captured the attention of...

yesterday 1

The Conversation

Sam Pellock

Address science misinformation not by repeating the facts, but by building conversation and community

Address science misinformation not by repeating the facts, but by building conversation and community

Misinformation about scientific topics, including falsehoods such as vaccines cause autism and climate change being an entirely natural phenomenon,...

previous day 30

The Conversation

Anne Toomey

How much does scientific progress cost? Without government dollars for research infrastructure, breakthroughs become improbable

How much does scientific progress cost? Without government dollars for research infrastructure, breakthroughs become improbable

Biomedical research in the U.S. is world-class in part because of a long-standing partnership between universities and the federal government. On...

previous day 10

The Conversation

Aliasger K. Salem

Repatriation to Indigenous groups is more than law, it’s human rights − an archaeologist describes the day that lesson hit home

Repatriation to Indigenous groups is more than law, it’s human rights − an archaeologist describes the day that lesson hit home

As an archaeologist, you picture yourself traveling to some remote location, digging into the ground, and returning to a lab in a university or...

previous day 10

The Conversation

Christopher Wolff

Teenagers turning to AI companions are redefining love as easy, unconditional and always there

Teenagers turning to AI companions are redefining love as easy, unconditional and always there

Teenagers are falling in love with chatbots. Young people are reporting epidemic levels of loneliness, and some are turning to technology to fill...

previous day 5

The Conversation

Anna Mae Duane

In spite of anti-DEI pressures, top corporations continued to diversify in 2024: new research

In spite of anti-DEI pressures, top corporations continued to diversify in 2024: new research

Despite the Supreme Court’s 2023 decision banning affirmative action in college admissions, and mounting pressure on corporations to eliminate...

previous day 6

The Conversation

Richie Zweigenhaft

Inflation is heating up again, putting pressure on Trump to cool it on tariffs

Inflation figures released on Feb. 12, 2025, will come as a disappointment to Americans who hoped President Donald Trump would be true to his word...

previous day 10

The Conversation

Jason Reed

China flexes its media muscle in Africa – encouraging positive headlines as part of a soft power agenda

China flexes its media muscle in Africa – encouraging positive headlines as part of a soft power agenda

Every year, China’s minister of foreign affairs embarks on what has now become a customary odyssey across Africa. The tradition began in the late...

previous day 2

The Conversation

Mitchell Gallagher

How Valentine’s Day was transformed by the Industrial Revolution and ‘manufactured intimacy’

How Valentine’s Day was transformed by the Industrial Revolution and ‘manufactured intimacy’

When we think of Valentine’s Day, chubby Cupids, hearts and roses generally come to mind, not industrial processes like mass production and the...

previous day 2

The Conversation

Christopher Ferguson

Why federal courts are unlikely to save democracy from Trump’s and Musk’s attacks

Why federal courts are unlikely to save democracy from Trump’s and Musk’s attacks

State governments, community groups, advocacy nonprofits and regular Americans have filed a large and growing number of federal lawsuits opposing...

previous day 3

The Conversation

Maya Sen

NOAA’s vast public weather data powers the local forecasts on your phone and TV – a private company alone couldn’t match it

NOAA’s vast public weather data powers the local forecasts on your phone and TV – a private company alone couldn’t match it

When a hurricane or tornado starts to form, your local weather forecasters can quickly pull up maps tracking its movement and showing where it’s...

tuesday 20

The Conversation

Christine Wiedinmyer

The New Yorker turns 100 − how a poker game pipe dream became a publishing powerhouse

The New Yorker turns 100 − how a poker game pipe dream became a publishing powerhouse

Literate in tone, far-reaching in scope, and witty to its bones, The New Yorker brought a new – and much-needed – sophistication to American...

tuesday 10

The Conversation

Christopher B. Daly

Decluttering can be stressful − a clinical psychologist explains how personal values can make it easier

Decluttering can be stressful − a clinical psychologist explains how personal values can make it easier

I recently helped my mom sort through boxes she inherited when my grandparents passed away. One box was labeled – either ironically or genuinely –...

tuesday 5

The Conversation

Mary E. Dozier

Whether Christians should prioritize care for migrants as much as for fellow citizens has been debated for centuries

Whether Christians should prioritize care for migrants as much as for fellow citizens has been debated for centuries

Vice President JD Vance and several bishops of the U.S. Roman Catholic Church are having a war of words over the Trump administration’s flurry of...

tuesday 2

The Conversation

Laura E. Alexander

Art and science illuminate the same subtle proportions in tree branches

Art and science illuminate the same subtle proportions in tree branches

Do artists and scientists see the same thing in the shape of trees? As a scientist who studies branching patterns in living things, I’m starting to...

tuesday 2

The Conversation

Mitchell Newberry

Mirror life is a scientific fantasy leading to a dangerous reality − a synthetic biologist explains how mirror bacteria could conquer life on Earth

Mirror life is a scientific fantasy leading to a dangerous reality − a synthetic biologist explains how mirror bacteria could conquer life on Earth

Most major biological molecules, including all proteins, DNA and RNA, point in one direction or another. In other words, they are chiral, or...

tuesday 8

The Conversation

Kate Adamala

Legal fight against AI-generated child pornography is complicated – a legal scholar explains why, and how the law could catch up

Legal fight against AI-generated child pornography is complicated – a legal scholar explains why, and how the law could catch up

The city of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, was shaken by revelations in December 2023 that two local teenage boys shared hundreds of nude images of girls...

tuesday 2

The Conversation

Wayne Unger

Even as polarization surges, Americans believe they live in a compassionate country

Even as polarization surges, Americans believe they live in a compassionate country

Compassion comes easily to me. As the granddaughter of immigrants from Lithuania and Poland who spoke little English, I understand what it’s like...

tuesday 5

The Conversation

Tara Sonenshine

Rural Americans don’t live as long as those in cities − new research

Rural Americans don’t live as long as those in cities − new research

Rural Americans – particularly men – are expected to live significantly shorter, less healthy lives than their urban counterparts, according to our...

tuesday 1

The Conversation

Elizabeth Currid-Halkett

Why are migrants dying trying to cross into the US? These are the 3 main risks they face

Why are migrants dying trying to cross into the US? These are the 3 main risks they face

President Donald Trump closed much of the activity at the U.S.-Mexico border in January 2025, making it impossible for migrants who arrive at a...

tuesday 1

The Conversation

Marni Lafleur

How opioid deaths tripled in Philly over a decade − and what may be behind a recent downturn

How opioid deaths tripled in Philly over a decade − and what may be behind a recent downturn

After nearly a decade of almost year-over-year increases in overdose deaths, the tide may finally be turning in Philadelphia. The Centers for...

tuesday 1

The Conversation

Ben Cocchiaro

Helping teachers learn what works in the classroom − and what doesn’t − will get a lot harder without the Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences

Helping teachers learn what works in the classroom − and what doesn’t − will get a lot harder without the Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences

The future of the Institute of Education Sciences, the nonpartisan research arm of the Education Department, is suddenly in jeopardy. The...

tuesday 30

The Conversation

Nicole M. Mcneil

How the human neck became a locus of power, beauty and frailty

How the human neck became a locus of power, beauty and frailty

I broke its neck. When making a vase at the potter’s wheel, I torqued its slippery neck clear off the pot as I tried to thin it into a graceful...

10.02.2025 10

The Conversation

Kent Dunlap

A boycott campaign fuels tension between Black shoppers and Black-owned brands – evoking the long struggle for ‘consumer citizenship’

A boycott campaign fuels tension between Black shoppers and Black-owned brands – evoking the long struggle for ‘consumer citizenship’

Some Black consumers may be breaking up with Target this February. It all started late last month, when the retailer announced that it was ending...

10.02.2025 8

The Conversation

Timeka N. Tounsel

Russia’s shrinking world: The war in Ukraine and Moscow’s global reach

Russia’s shrinking world: The war in Ukraine and Moscow’s global reach

Russia President Vladimir Putin sent a guarded message of congratulations to Donald Trump on inauguration day, but then held a long direct call...

10.02.2025 4

The Conversation

Ronald H. Linden

Here’s how researchers are helping AIs get their facts straight

Here’s how researchers are helping AIs get their facts straight

AI has made it easier than ever to find information: Ask ChatGPT almost anything, and the system swiftly delivers an answer. But the large language...

10.02.2025 2

The Conversation

Lu Wang

Are animals smart? From dolphin language to toolmaking crows, lots of species have obvious intelligence

Are animals smart? From dolphin language to toolmaking crows, lots of species have obvious intelligence

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...

10.02.2025 6

The Conversation

Leticia Fanucchi

Teen girls are facing an increased risk of suicide − and stress related to sexual identity might be contributing to it

Teen girls are facing an increased risk of suicide − and stress related to sexual identity might be contributing to it

The alarming national rise in suicidal thoughts and behaviors among teenage girls has made headlines recently. Experts point to social media,...

10.02.2025 2

The Conversation

Joseph Cimpian

Gut-wrenching love: What a fresh look at the ‘Good Samaritan’ story says for ethics today

Gut-wrenching love: What a fresh look at the ‘Good Samaritan’ story says for ethics today

The Bible story of the Good Samaritan is more than a mainstay of Sunday school courses. “Good samaritan” is the catch-all way to describe a...

10.02.2025 5

The Conversation

Meghan Sullivan

Why the price of your favorite chocolate will continue to rise

Why the price of your favorite chocolate will continue to rise

Valentine’s Day often conjures images of chocolates and romance. But the crop behind this indulgence faces an existential threat. Regions like...

10.02.2025 5

The Conversation

Narcisa Pricope

Poor sleep and addiction go hand in hand − understanding how could lead to new treatments for opioid use disorder

Poor sleep and addiction go hand in hand − understanding how could lead to new treatments for opioid use disorder

A good night’s sleep often sets the stage for a positive day. But for the nearly quarter of American adults struggling with mental illness, a good...

10.02.2025 2

The Conversation

Ryan Logan

If FEMA didn’t exist, could states handle the disaster response alone?

If FEMA didn’t exist, could states handle the disaster response alone?

Imagine a world in which a hurricane devastates the Gulf Coast, and the U.S. has no federal agency prepared to quickly send supplies, financial aid...

10.02.2025 4

The Conversation

Ming Xie

5 premium online research tools all Philly students can use for free

5 premium online research tools all Philly students can use for free

Years ago, as a high school librarian in suburban Philadelphia, I hosted a group of honors students from a high school just across the nearby city...

10.02.2025 1

The Conversation

Joyce Valenza

US sovereign wealth fund: A feasible idea to invest strategically, or a giant opportunity for waste?

US sovereign wealth fund: A feasible idea to invest strategically, or a giant opportunity for waste?

Could the United States soon be joining the likes of Norway, Kuwait and Mongolia in having a national reserve to invest on projects of strategic...

08.02.2025 10

The Conversation

Patrick J. Schena