The Conversation

Ecological disruptions are a risk to national security

Written by Bradley J. Cardinale, Professor, Ecosystem Science and Management, Penn State

Illegal deforestation is one way terrorist groups fund their activities.Amaury Falt-Brown/AFP via Getty Images

When the natural environment is stretched beyond its ability to meet basic human needs for food, clean air, drinkable water and shelter, it is not just a humanitarian concern for the world community. Research shows that these crises are a...

Wild marmots’ social networks reveal controversial evolutionary theory in action

Written by Conner Philson, Executive Director, UCSB Natural Reserve System, University of California, Santa Barbara

A small group of wild yellow-bellied marmots near the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory in Colorado.D.T. Blumstein

It probably feels obvious that having a close friend can influence your well-being. But do the groups that you’re a part of also affect your well-being? For example, does the culture of your work colleagues influence your...

Signal is not the place for top secret communications, but it might be the right choice for you – a cybersecurity expert on what to look for in a secure messaging app

Written by Frederick Scholl, Associate Teaching Professor of Cybersecurity, Quinnipiac University

Signal is in the news because of a security failure, but the app itself is quite secure.AP Photo/Kiichiro Sato

When top White House defense and national security leaders discussed plans for an attack on targets in Yemen over the messaging app Signal, it raised many questions about operational security and recordkeeping and national security laws....

Losing your job is bad for your health, but there are things you can do to minimize the harm

Written by Jeffrey Anvari-Clark, Assistant Professor of Social Work, University of North Dakota

Losing your job can hurt you in many ways.Maskot/Getty Images

The Trump administration’s firing and furloughing of tens of thousands of federal workers and contractors have obviously caused economic hardship for Americans employed in national parks, research labs and dozens of government agencies.

As a professor of social work who studies how...

From Greenland to Fort Bragg, America is caught in a name game where place names become political tools

Written by Seth T. Kannarr, PhD Candidate in Geography, University of Tennessee

President Donald Trump re-renamed Denali as Mount McKinley in 2025.Tim Rains/National Park Service, CC BY

Place names are more than just labels on a map. They influence how people learn about the world around them and perceive their place in it.

Names can send messages and suggest what is and isn’t valued in society. And the way that they are...

US swing toward autocracy doesn’t have to be permanent – but swinging back to democracy requires vigilance, stamina and elections

Written by Jennifer Victor, Associate Professor of Political Science, George Mason University

The United States is no longer a democracy.

At least, that’s the verdict of one nonprofit, the Center for Systemic Peace, which measures regime qualities of countries worldwide based on the competitiveness and integrity of their elections, limits to executive authority and other factors.

“The USA is no longer considered a democracy and...

Trump’s tariffs on Canada and Mexico could spell trouble for distilled spirits

Written by Andrew Muhammad, Professor of Agriculture and Resource Economics, University of Tennessee

If all the tariff drama in the news lately has you reaching for a stiff drink, you’re not alone. Unfortunately, those same tariffs might make it harder to get your hands on your favorite brand of tequila.

In early March 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump levied import tariffs of 25% on goods from Canada and Mexico, following through on a...

With Hooters on the verge of bankruptcy, a psychologist reflects on her time spent studying the servers who work there

Written by Dawn Szymanski, Professor of Psychology, University of Tennessee

Servers told researchers that they were instructed to make their male customers feel special.Brian Brainerd/The Denver Post via Getty Images

In 1983, six businessmen got together and opened the first Hooters restaurant in Clearwater, Florida. Hooters of America LLC quickly became a restaurant chain success story.

With its scantily clad servers and...

Mississippi’s education miracle: A model for global literacy reform

Written by Harry Anthony Patrinos, Professor of Education Policy, University of Arkansas

Mississippi's reforms have led to significant gains in reading and math, despite the state being one of the lowest spenders per pupil in the U.S.Klaus Vedfelt/Getty Images

In a surprising turnaround, Mississippi, once ranked near the bottom of U.S. education standings, has dramatically improved its student literacy rates.

As of 2023, the state...

Medetomidine is replacing xylazine in Philly street fentanyl − creating new hurdles for health care providers and drug users

Written by Kory London, Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University

Medetomidine is now a key ingredient in street fentanyl sold in Philly.AP Photo/Matt Rourke

Philadelphia’s street opioid supply – or “dope” market – is constantly changing. As health care workers and researchers who care for people who use drugs in our community, we have witnessed these shifts firsthand.

New adulterants...