The Conversation

Creative life after death − or yes, you can control spinoffs from beyond the grave

Written by Naomi Cahn, Professor of Law, University of Virginia

Michael Crichton, the creator of “ER” and author of “Jurassic Park,” died in 2008. So why is his estate suing Warner Bros. now?

It turns out that when Crichton agreed to develop the “ER” series, he kept the right to approve – or not approve – of any sequels. That right didn’t die with him.

Now...

Sunflowers make small moves to maximize their Sun exposure − physicists can model them to predict how they grow

Written by Chantal Nguyen, Postdoctoral Associate at the BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado Boulder

Sunflowers use tiny movements to follow the Sun's path throughout the day.AP Photo/Charlie Riedel

Most of us aren’t spending our days watching our houseplants grow. We see their signs of life only occasionally – a new leaf unfurled, a stem leaning toward the window.

But in the summer of 1863, Charles Darwin lay ill in bed, with nothing...

Voters’ ‘moral flexibility’ helps them defend politicians’ misinformation − if they believe the inaccurate info speaks to a larger truth

Written by Minjae Kim, Assistant Professor of Management, Jones Graduate School of Business at Rice University

For many people, it's easy to defend misinformation if they think it serves a larger truth.moodboard/Connect Images via Getty Images

Many voters are willing to accept misinformation from political leaders – even when they know it’s factually inaccurate. According to our research, voters often recognize when their parties’ claims...

Wild ginseng is declining, but small-scale ‘diggers’ aren’t the main threat to this native plant − and they can help save it

Written by Justine Law, Associate Professor of Ecology and Environmental Studies, Sonoma State University

Ginseng plant with berries in fall, Whitesville, W.Va.Lyntha Scott Eller/Library of Congress, CC BY-ND

Across Appalachia, September marks the start of ginseng season, when thousands of people roam the hills searching for hard-to-reach patches of this highly prized plant.

Many people know ginseng as an ingredient in vitamin supplements or herbal tea....

Colorado voters weigh a ban on hunting mountain lions as attitudes toward wild predators shift

Written by Kevin Crooks, Professor of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology and Director, Center for Human-Carnivore Coexistence, Colorado State University

In Colorado, many people run, bike and climb in mountain lion habitat.DEA/ C. Dani I. Jeske/De Agostini via Getty Images

Hunting large carnivores is a contentious issue in wildlife management and conservation. It’s on the ballot in fall 2024 in Colorado, where voters will consider Proposition 127, a proposed ban on hunting and trapping of...

Endometriosis pain leads to missed school and work in two-thirds of women with the condition, new study finds

Written by Rasha Al-Lami, Researcher in Women’s Health, Yale University

Endometriosis affects about 10% of reproductive-age women worldwide.Xavier Lorenzo/Moment via Getty Images

More than two-thirds of women with endometriosis missed school or work due to pain from the condition, in a study of more than 17,000 women between the ages of 15 and 44 in the U.S. That is a key finding of new research published in the...

Photographer Louis Carlos Bernal memorialized the barrios at the US-Mexican border

Written by Rebecca Senf, Chief Curator, Center for Creative Photography, University of Arizona

Louis Carlos Bernal, a Chicano photographer born in the Arizona border town of Douglas in 1941, invented a style of art photography that honored his Mexican American culture. In the process, he created an indelible record of life in Southwestern barrios – low-income, primarily Spanish-speaking neighborhoods – in the 1970s and 1980s.

He...

Fujimori’s death won’t end pursuit of justice for Peruvian victims – or stop the strongman’s supporters from revering his legacy

Written by Ñusta Carranza Ko, Associate Professor of Global Affairs and Human Security, University of Baltimore

Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori waves to a crowd in 1992.AP Photo

The death of Alberto Fujimori, the deeply divisive former Peruvian president, comes amid a resurgence of interest in the former strongman – both from supporters and detractors.

And in some regards, the usual customs following the demise of a former leader are being observed.

P...

Kamala Harris effectively baited Donald Trump during the debate, drawing out his insecure white masculinity

Written by Karrin Vasby Anderson, Professor of Communication Studies, Colorado State University

Donald Trump and Kamala Harris are seen on a screen as they debate for the first time in Philadelphia on Sept. 10, 2024. Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

The Sept. 10, 2024, debate between Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump was a referendum on gender and the U.S. presidency –...

Taylor Swift’s endorsement of Kamala Harris shows how big a role music is playing in the 2024 election

Written by Mark Clague, Professor of Musicology, Arts Leadership & Entrepreneurship, University of Michigan

Attendees dance as a band plays during the last day of the 2024 Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images

Music generates passion and emotion, so it’s little surprise that popular tunes have been featured in presidential contests since the days of George Washington and Thomas Jefferson.

But as a...