menu_open Columnists

The Conversation

We use cookies to provide some features and experiences in QOSHE

More information  .  Close

Rapid Houthi advances in Yemen pose massive strategic risks for Saudi Arabia in the Gulf

Rapid Houthi advances in Yemen pose massive strategic risks for Saudi Arabia in the Gulf

The resumption of fighting, paired with the ongoing closure of the Strait of Hormuz, complicates regional strategy and energy policy for the Gulf...

yesterday 0

The Conversation

Kristian Coates Ulrichsen

If you’re on GLP‑1 drugs and plan to fast for Yom Kippur, here’s what you need to know

If you’re on GLP‑1 drugs and plan to fast for Yom Kippur, here’s what you need to know

Most people on GLP-1 drugs can safely fast for Yom Kippur or other religious observances, but they may need to plan ahead, take certain precautions or...

yesterday 0

The Conversation

Reed Berger-Fleishman

US consumers and businesses are now facing a future of more expensive borrowing

US consumers and businesses are now facing a future of more expensive borrowing

The Federal Reserve’s rate hike comes as the US economy is increasingly moving at two very different speeds.

yesterday 0

The Conversation

John W. Diamond

Putin’s United Russia will win – but vote tally, turnout and level of coercion will tell the real story of Russia’s wartime elections

Putin’s United Russia will win – but vote tally, turnout and level of coercion will tell the real story of Russia’s wartime elections

Russia’s 2026 parliamentary elections will take place over three days, starting Sept. 18.

yesterday 0

The Conversation

Regina Smyth

8 rules to help you understand what campaign finance reporting reveals about influence and support – or doesn’t

8 rules to help you understand what campaign finance reporting reveals about influence and support – or doesn’t

Campaign spending is confusing, but there are basic rules to help you understand information about money in elections. They can help you determine...

yesterday 1

The Conversation

Robert Boatright

Eight rules to help you understand what campaign finance reporting reveals about influence and support – or doesn’t

Eight rules to help you understand what campaign finance reporting reveals about influence and support – or doesn’t

Campaign spending is confusing, but there are basic rules to help you understand information about money in elections. They can help you determine...

yesterday 1

The Conversation

Robert Boatright

Lockdown or active shooter drill? The distinction matters for children’s safety and well‑being

Lockdown or active shooter drill? The distinction matters for children’s safety and well‑being

Lockdown and active shooter simulations look and feel very different, though people often lump the two practices together.

yesterday 1

The Conversation

Emily Greene-Colozzi

Why an overactive immune system attacks the bodies of people with lupus but still leaves them vulnerable to infection

Why an overactive immune system attacks the bodies of people with lupus but still leaves them vulnerable to infection

A strong immune response doesn’t necessarily mean better protection from infection. The type and timing of immune attacks matter, too.

yesterday 1

The Conversation

Andrew Monteith

Even the Buddha experienced challenges with meditation: Historical texts reveal its potential downsides

Even the Buddha experienced challenges with meditation: Historical texts reveal its potential downsides

While meditation has been shown to have health benefits, it may not always be the right practice for all people.

yesterday 1

The Conversation

Pierce Salguero

Pardoned by Trump and escaping charges at home, ex‑Honduran leader’s case shows a nation’s struggle for sovereignty

Pardoned by Trump and escaping charges at home, ex‑Honduran leader’s case shows a nation’s struggle for sovereignty

Juan Orlando Hernández’s escape from legal accountability at home and abroad point to the larger challenges of democracy building under the shadow...

yesterday 1

The Conversation

Laura Blume

Pittsburgh’s kindergartners fall below the measles safety threshold, testing the city’s vaccine legacy

Pittsburgh’s kindergartners fall below the measles safety threshold, testing the city’s vaccine legacy

Pittsburgh helped pioneer the polio vaccine. Now, as measles cases rise across Pennsylvania, an epidemiologist explains the disease and the vaccine...

previous day 2

The Conversation

Rebecca Smullin Dawson

Trump’s thumbs‑up to Irish reunification breaks with precedent, but evokes earlier age of White House support

Trump’s thumbs‑up to Irish reunification breaks with precedent, but evokes earlier age of White House support

Trump waded intro controversial territory with his comments in Ireland.

previous day 4

The Conversation

Bryan McGovern

Middle East is the latest arena of political recalibration for Italy’s right‑wing but pragmatic Meloni

Middle East is the latest arena of political recalibration for Italy’s right‑wing but pragmatic Meloni

The Italian leader has positioned Italy as a geopolitical hinge between competing power centers. The Middle East has just given that strategy a new...

previous day 4

The Conversation

Julia Khrebtan-Hörhager

How ‘portfolio reasoning’ explains Trump’s constant reevaluation of America’s value

How ‘portfolio reasoning’ explains Trump’s constant reevaluation of America’s value

Trump has approached governing through the same framework as his former business portfolio, where he casts the US as a flagship holding whose value he...

previous day 2

The Conversation

J. Christian Spielvogel

How South Korea is tackling its super‑aging problem – and what other aging nations can learn from its experience

How South Korea is tackling its super‑aging problem – and what other aging nations can learn from its experience

South Korea’s unusually rapid transition to a super-aged society means it has had little time to find solutions for pension funding and healthcare...

previous day 2

The Conversation

Jeongmin Park

Dengue‑carrying mosquitoes expand their reach into new territories – including Florida

Dengue‑carrying mosquitoes expand their reach into new territories – including Florida

As dengue spreads further outside its normal tropical zones, doctors and patients need to know what to watch for.

previous day 3

The Conversation

Andrés Henao

Is science journalism dying? Comparing a ‘science crash’ 40 years ago to today

Is science journalism dying? Comparing a ‘science crash’ 40 years ago to today

While science journalism layoffs pile up and publications shutter, more science communication than ever is available via other online venues.

previous day 3

The Conversation

Bruce Lewenstein

No, AI systems don’t have a drive to survive – a developmental psychologist explains why it only looks that way

No, AI systems don’t have a drive to survive – a developmental psychologist explains why it only looks that way

In tests, some AI systems resisted being shut down. But an instinct to stay “alive” isn’t the reason they behaved that way.

previous day 3

The Conversation

Peter J. Marshall

To crack the job market, internships can be just as key for young people as the degree

To crack the job market, internships can be just as key for young people as the degree

Job preparation through internships matters more than ever for young people amid a precarious and fast-changing job market.

previous day 2

The Conversation

Matthew J. Mayhew

How libraries in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and other Pennsylvania communities evolved from subscription clubs to vital public institutions

How libraries in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and other Pennsylvania communities evolved from subscription clubs to vital public institutions

The nation’s first successful circulating library was established almost 300 years ago by Benjamin Franklin in Philadelphia.

previous day 4

The Conversation

Bernadette A. Lear

We paid college students about $5 a night to sleep at least 7 hours – and their grades quickly improved

We paid college students about $5 a night to sleep at least 7 hours – and their grades quickly improved

Universities and colleges won’t necessarily pay students to sleep. But they can offer other incentives that encourage them to close their eyes...

previous day 2

The Conversation

Osea Giuntella

Why the Supreme Court blocked Trump and the Postal Service from restricting mail‑in voting for the midterms

Why the Supreme Court blocked Trump and the Postal Service from restricting mail‑in voting for the midterms

An election law scholar explains the president’s effort to dramatically limit mail voting ahead of the midterm elections – and why the court...

monday 4

The Conversation

John J. Martin

Why does your brain mix up memories? A new study examines how memories are misplaced in your brain’s filing cabinets

Why does your brain mix up memories? A new study examines how memories are misplaced in your brain’s filing cabinets

Rather than simply forgetting a memory, your brain has likely misplaced it. Aging can make memory confusion worse.

monday 2

The Conversation

Ian McDonough

Physicists zoom into the birth of cosmic rainstorms with new CERN study

Physicists zoom into the birth of cosmic rainstorms with new CERN study

Scientists recreated cosmic rays in a massive underground particle collider.

monday 2

The Conversation

Jesse Liu

AI is supercharging money scams – here’s what you can do to protect yourself

AI is supercharging money scams – here’s what you can do to protect yourself

Good habits by consumers can stymie scams, but US regulations have fallen behind the technology.

monday 2

The Conversation

Pawan Jain

Why so few older Americans get counseling – and how it could help

Why so few older Americans get counseling – and how it could help

Counseling in later life isn’t just for coping with loss and illness – it can help people work through questions of identity and how they seek...

monday 2

The Conversation

Lee Ann Rawlins Williams

Portugal decriminalized drugs 25 years ago, but the real lesson is what it built around this policy

Portugal decriminalized drugs 25 years ago, but the real lesson is what it built around this policy

Portugal’s remarkable public health strides after changing its approach to drugs may not be replicable in other countries absent broader systemic...

monday 2

The Conversation

Karyn Sporer

Shingles can cause severe chronic pain – new research on how exosomes alter neurons offers pathways to treatment

Shingles can cause severe chronic pain – new research on how exosomes alter neurons offers pathways to treatment

The pain of post-herpetic neuralgia can drive people to the point of suicide. Researchers are getting closer to pinpointing its cause – which may...

monday 2

The Conversation

Andrew Bubak

NASA’s Roman Space Telescope will use gravity as a magnifying glass to find distant planets

NASA’s Roman Space Telescope will use gravity as a magnifying glass to find distant planets

Massive objects bend light around them, a quirk that opens up unique opportunities for astronomical surveys.

monday 2

The Conversation

Thomas Fauchez

Why do I talk in my sleep? A sleep psychologist explains

Why do I talk in my sleep? A sleep psychologist explains

It might seem like a weird thing to do, but more than two-thirds of people have talked in their sleep at some point.

monday 3

The Conversation

Michael R. Nadorff

What is Zionism? The different meanings of a contested term

What is Zionism? The different meanings of a contested term

Zionism’s definition may seem simple, but it’s been debated for more than a century. In reality, there are multiple ‘Zionisms,’ not just one.

monday 2

The Conversation

Dov Waxman

School choice proponents say it offers families more options – but those don’t always extend to immigrant students

School choice proponents say it offers families more options – but those don’t always extend to immigrant students

School choice heavily influences immigrant students’ experiences in Charleston schools and can leave them in segregated academic environments, new...

monday 3

The Conversation

William McCorkle

Wildfire strategy doesn’t need a winner – with 3 camps fighting for dominance, the system can’t keep up with the risk

Wildfire strategy doesn’t need a winner – with 3 camps fighting for dominance, the system can’t keep up with the risk

Wildfire strategy tends to break into three distinct camps today, each focusing heavily on one approach over the others. Successful management...

monday 3

The Conversation

Tony Cheng

Your memories of how you heard about 9/11 may well be wrong – we’ve been asking the same people what they remember for 25 years

Your memories of how you heard about 9/11 may well be wrong – we’ve been asking the same people what they remember for 25 years

Memories are dynamic, not fixed. Even if what you’re remembering about your own experience isn’t quite how it all happened, those memories serve...

12.09.2026 5

The Conversation

Elizabeth A. Phelps

How anti‑bribery laws apply to Trump’s promise of $5,000 payments if Republicans keep control of Congress

How anti‑bribery laws apply to Trump’s promise of $5,000 payments if Republicans keep control of Congress

Bribery involves offering money to a particular person, but Trump did not make his $5,000 offer to any single voter or set of voters.

11.09.2026 8

The Conversation

Austin Sarat

Here’s how teachers and parents can collaborate and help Michigan’s 1.4M students succeed

Here’s how teachers and parents can collaborate and help Michigan’s 1.4M students succeed

Inflexible meeting times, transportation and childcare challenges can limit parents or caregivers from getting involved in their children’s education.

11.09.2026 3

The Conversation

Patricia Edwards

How diaspora groups in the US are responding to disasters in Nepal, Colombia, Venezuela and other homelands

How diaspora groups in the US are responding to disasters in Nepal, Colombia, Venezuela and other homelands

While small in scale, these groups are well positioned to respond quickly to disaster relief efforts.

11.09.2026 3

The Conversation

Susan Appe

Security clearances don’t determine whom a president can trust – they reveal risks the president may not know

Security clearances don’t determine whom a president can trust – they reveal risks the president may not know

A report that one of Trump’s aides went a year without routine vetting raises a question a former CIA executive knows well: What is that process for?

11.09.2026 5

The Conversation

Brian O'Neill

Hormuz crisis has forced Japan into rethinking – and domesticating – its energy security needs

Hormuz crisis has forced Japan into rethinking – and domesticating – its energy security needs

Japan is one of the countries most affected by restrictions placed on one of the world’s most important choke points.

11.09.2026 5

The Conversation

John Calabrese

What the settlement left out: Meta can still collect data from kids

What the settlement left out: Meta can still collect data from kids

The settlement calls for changes to Meta’s platforms but does not change the company’s surveillance-based business model

11.09.2026 4

The Conversation

Randolph A Robinson Ii

Why the Trump administration’s bid to end diversity efforts at nonprofit schools is likely to get tied up in court

Why the Trump administration’s bid to end diversity efforts at nonprofit schools is likely to get tied up in court

A proposed Trump administration rule aimed at quashing diversity efforts could jeopardize the nonprofit status of private schools. It could take...

11.09.2026 4

The Conversation

Elizabeth Schmidt

‘The Uprising’ shows how medieval people weren’t so obedient after all

‘The Uprising’ shows how medieval people weren’t so obedient after all

The English Peasants’ Revolt of 1381 wasn’t an isolated outburst. Across medieval Europe, ordinary people challenged the authority of rulers who...

11.09.2026 5

The Conversation

Joelle Rollo-Koster

CDC vs. Pennsylvania: Why conflicting public health messages jeopardize public safety

CDC vs. Pennsylvania: Why conflicting public health messages jeopardize public safety

When state health departments, federal health agencies and medical societies diverge, how is an ordinary person supposed to know whom to trust?

11.09.2026 4

The Conversation

Katrine L. Wallace

How soybeans took over the American diet – without anyone noticing

How soybeans took over the American diet – without anyone noticing

A century ago, Americans barely ate soy. Now it’s everywhere in people’s diets, even in places they don’t look or expect.

11.09.2026 2

The Conversation

Edward D. Melillo

Décadas después del 11 de septiembre, el polvo tóxico y el trastorno de estrés postraumático podrían estar acelerando el envejecimiento cerebral entre los socorristas

Décadas después del 11 de septiembre, el polvo tóxico y el trastorno de estrés postraumático podrían estar acelerando el envejecimiento cerebral entre los socorristas

Desde traumas psicológicos graves hasta la exposición a polvo neurotóxico, los socorristas de la Zona Cero siguen enfrentando riesgos importantes...

10.09.2026 2

The Conversation

Roberto Lucchini

The Pentagon is using polygraphs to hunt leakers, but the tests are more theater than fact

The Pentagon is using polygraphs to hunt leakers, but the tests are more theater than fact

A CIA veteran explains that a polygraph campaign is not likely to eliminate leaks, but it may divert investigative energy from essential security...

10.09.2026 7

The Conversation

Brian O'Neill

How heat on the Tibetan Plateau fuels powerful storms in California, half a world away

How heat on the Tibetan Plateau fuels powerful storms in California, half a world away

A new study connects early winter heat high up on the plateau to the jet stream and, ultimately, storms headed for the US coast. The results could...

10.09.2026 4

The Conversation

Yongkang Xue

2026’s El Niño is shaping up to be a doozy – it’s already affecting global shipping, fish behavior and heat

2026’s El Niño is shaping up to be a doozy – it’s already affecting global shipping, fish behavior and heat

El Niño can affect agriculture, marine life and economies in profound ways, including slowing commerce at the Panama Canal. This El Niño is likely...

10.09.2026 8

The Conversation

Steven Paton

Are too many Americans taking antidepressants?

Are too many Americans taking antidepressants?

Calls to reduce the use of antidepressants highlight valid issues with long-term use and withdrawal, but blanket efforts to discourage their use...

10.09.2026 10

The Conversation

Andrew McLean

The tourism industry is slowly waking up to solo travelers’ needs

The tourism industry is slowly waking up to solo travelers’ needs

More and more travelers want the freedom of going it alone, but with connections and activities with other people.

10.09.2026 7

The Conversation

Peter McGraw