The Conversation

Some states’ populations are very much like the US overall – including 5 key states in the 2024 presidential election

Written by Rogelio Sáenz, Professor of Demography, The University of Texas at San Antonio

Which state best reflects the nation?Lisa-Blue/iStock / Getty Images Plus

Five of the seven states widely expected to be political battlegrounds in the 2024 presidential election have populations very much like that of the U.S. overall, in a range of demographic and socioeconomic measures.

For decades, the presidential selection season has begun...

History says tariffs rarely work, but Biden’s 100% tariffs on Chinese EVs could defy the trend

Written by Tinglong Dai, Bernard T. Ferrari Professor of Business, Johns Hopkins University

Hundreds of BYD vehicles wait at a port in Suzhou, China, to ship out.AFP via Getty Images

In June 2019, then-presidential candidate Joe Biden tweeted: “Trump doesn’t get the basics. He thinks his tariffs are being paid by China. Any freshman econ student could tell you that the American people are paying his tariffs.”

Fast-forward...

What is pasteurization? A dairy expert explains how it protects against foodborne illness, including avian flu

Written by Kerry E. Kaylegian, Associate Research Professor of Food Science, Penn State

Shoppers in a Montebello, Calif., grocery store on Aug. 23, 2022.Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images

Recent reports that the H5N1 avian flu virus has been found in cow’s milk have raised questions about whether the U.S. milk supply is safe to drink. According to the federal Food and Drug Administration, the answer is yes, as long as the...

Newsrooms are experimenting with generative AI, warts and all

Written by Nir Eisikovits, Professor of Philosophy and Director, Applied Ethics Center, UMass Boston

Journalists are using generative AI for tasks such as composing drafts and writing newsletters.Olena Koliesnik/iStock via Getty Images

The journalism industry has been under immense economic pressure over the past two decades, so it makes sense that journalists have started experimenting with generative AI to boost their productivity.

An Associated...

Bats in Colorado face fight against deadly fungus that causes white-nose syndrome

Written by Tanya Dewey, Assistant Professor, Biology, Colorado State University

This northern long-eared bat has visible signs of white-nose syndrome.Steve Taylor/University of Illinois/U.S. Fish and Wildlife, CC BY

Bat populations in Colorado may be headed for a decline that could cause ecological disruptions across the state.

Two bats discovered in Boulder County in late February 2024 were confirmed to have white-nose...

Modi’s anti-Muslim rhetoric taps into Hindu replacement fears that trace back to colonial India

Written by Archana Venkatesh, Assistant Professor of History, Clemson University

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is popular but divisive.Ritesh Shukla/Getty Images

The world’s largest election is currently under way in India, with more than 960 million people registered to vote over a period of six weeks. Spearheading the campaign for his Bharatiya Janata Party, incumbent Prime Minister Narendra Modi is spending that...

You should call House members ‘representatives,’ because that’s what they are − not ‘congressmen’ or ‘congresswomen’

Written by Daniel Wirls, Professor of Politics, University of California, Santa Cruz

Members of the 117th Congress, soon to be known as 'representatives,' take the oath of office on Jan. 3, 2021. Bill Clark/Pool via AP

For most of the nation’s history, members of the U.S. House of Representatives have been addressed as “Congressman” or “Congresswoman.” By contrast, a senator is referred to as, well,...

Biden’s labor report card: Historian gives ‘Union Joe’ a higher grade than any president since FDR

Written by Erik Loomis, Professor of History, University of Rhode Island

President Joe Biden joins striking United Auto Workers on the picket line on Sept. 26, 2023, alongside UAW President Shawn Fain.AP Photo/Evan Vucci

Joe Biden has pledged repeatedly to go further than any of his predecessors with his support for U.S. labor rights.

“I intend to be the most pro-union president leading the most pro-union...

‘Don’t Say Gay’ rules and book bans might have felt familiar in medieval Europe − but queer themes in literature survived nonetheless

Written by Jessica Hines, Visiting Assistant Professor of English, Whitman College

Books whose ideas ran afoul of official church doctrine were sometimes cast into the flames -- and literature with queer themes was no stranger to scrutiny.Pedro Berruguete/Museo del Prado/Wikimedia Commons

Americans have been challenging books at an unprecedented rate. According to the American Library Association, people requested that more than...

Humans have been altering nature for thousands of years – to shape a sustainable future, it’s important to understand that deep history

Written by Todd Braje, Executive Director, Museum of Natural and Cultural History, University of Oregon

An archaeologist takes bog samples in Germany for analysis of past civilizations and what they cultivated. Stefan Puchner/picture alliance via Getty Images

In July 2024, all eyes will turn to Paris for the Summer Olympic Games. Spectators from around the globe will converge on the City of Light to watch athletes compete and to soak in the culture,...