The Conversation

Gerrymandering is unpopular with Florida voters – my recent survey shows why DeSantis pushed it through anyway

Written by Daniel A. Smith, Professor of Political Science, University of Florida

State Rep. Angie Nixon, D-Fla., speaks against mid-decade redistricting during a special session of the Florida Legislature on April 29, 2026.AP Photo/Mike Stewart

The Sunshine State has joined Texas, California and a handful of other states in the battle of mid-decade redistricting.

On April 29, 2026, in a near party-line vote, the Florida...

Three women sit for Israeli Rabbinate’s exam, amid growing recognition for Orthodox Jewish women’s religious leadership

Written by Michal Raucher, Associate Professor of Jewish Studies, Rutgers University

Orthodox Jewish women attend an event celebrating the completion of the 7½-year cycle of daily study of the Talmud, the central text of Jewish law, on Jan. 5, 2020, in Jerusalem.AP Photo/Tsafrir Abayov

When people picture a rabbi, they may imagine a man standing in front of a congregation in a synagogue. But “rabbi” means much...

‘A study showed…’ isn’t enough – scientific knowledge builds incrementally as researchers investigate and revisit questions

Written by Jeffrey A. Lee, Professor of Geography and the Environment, Texas Tech University

When you hear about some new research finding, consider how it fits into the context of other related studies.Jacob Wackerhausen/iStock via Getty Images Plus

Your goofy but lovable cousin just told you that you should stop eating eggs because he read somewhere that a study showed they are bad for you.

How much should you trust your relative on such...

Seeing an eclipse from Earth is awe-inspiring – for astronauts seeing one from space, the scene was even more grand

Written by Deana L. Weibel, Professor of Anthropology, Grand Valley State University

During a total solar eclipse, the Sun is barely visible behind the Moon. Roger Sorensen

The astronauts on Artemis II’s trip to the Moon in April 2026 didn’t just have an amazing journey through space. They also saw something extraordinary. They were the first humans to see a total solar eclipse from space.

A solar eclipse happens when...

Supreme Court ruling: The latest in history of diminishing minority voting rights

Written by Robert D. Bland, Assistant Professor of History and Africana Studies, University of Tennessee

The Supreme Court issued a significant ruling that could limit minority voting rights in states across the country.Bloomberg Creative via Getty Images

Divided along ideological lines, the U.S. Supreme Court on April 29, 2026, issued a ruling that severely weakens a provision of the landmark Voting Rights Act of 1965. That provision, known as...

What Trump’s post as a Jesus-like figure tells us about political messianism

Written by Austin Sarat, William Nelson Cromwell Professor of Jurisprudence and Political Science, Amherst College

President-elect Donald Trump speaks during Turning Point USA's AmericaFest at the Phoenix Convention Center on Dec. 22, 2024, in Arizona. Rebecca Noble/Getty Images

President Donald Trump sparked immediate outcry on April 12, 2026, when he posted an image of himself as a Jesus-like figure. The post, which Trump later said was supposed to depict him...

Warmer temps bring soaring tick populations – here’s how to stay safe from Lyme disease

Written by Lakshmi Chauhan, Associate Professor of Infectious Disease Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus

Exposure to ticks can be a downside to spending time in the woods.skaman306/Moment via Getty Images

Spring’s warmer weather lures people outdoors – and into possible contact with ticks that spread Lyme disease.

Already, the 2026 tick season is booming. On April 23, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned that emergency room...

Supreme Court bolsters donors’ free speech rights in unanimous crisis pregnancy center ruling

Written by Wayne Unger, Associate Professor of Law, Quinnipiac University

State governments have had trouble regulating what crisis pregnancy centers should tell their clients and donors.AP Photo/Mark Zaleski

The U.S. Supreme Court has cleared the way for a chain of crisis pregnancy centers based in New Jersey to challenge a subpoena from New Jersey’s attorney general.

First Choice Women’s Resource Centers...

Universities returning Native American remains and artifacts isn’t just about physical objects – it’s about dignity and justice

Written by Kerri J. Malloy, Assistant Professor of Native American and Indigenous Studies, San José State University

A museum curator removes a rare Native American Chumash basket from California, circa 1800, at the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Mass., in 2003.MediaNews Group/Boston Herald via Getty Images

Many universities and museums in the U.S. have long held Native American burial artifacts, other sacred objects and even human remains.

Most of these...

Americans care more about future generations than many think – and that gap could matter for policy

Written by Kyle Fiore Law, Postdoctoral Research Scholar in Sustainability, Arizona State University

Decisions made now can affect people far into the future.Andriy Onufriyenko/Moment via Getty Images

Caring about future generations means believing that people who will live decades or centuries from now deserve ethical consideration. In practice, that means taking their interests into account when making all kinds of decisions across a range of...