The Conversation

Giant ground sloths’ fossilized teeth reveal their unique roles in the prehistoric ecosystem

Written by Larisa R. G. DeSantis, Associate Professor of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University

Harlan's ground sloth fossil skeleton excavated and displayed at the La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles.Larisa DeSantis

A two-toed sloth at the Nashville Zoo.Larisa R. G. DeSantis

Imagine a sloth. You probably picture a medium-size, tree-dwelling creature hanging from a branch. Today’s sloths – commonly featured on children’s...

King, pope, Jedi, Superman: Trump’s social media images exclusively target his base and try to blur political reality

Written by Andrew Rojecki, Professor of Communication, University of Illinois Chicago

Two Instagram images put out by the White House.White House Instagram

A grim-faced President Donald J. Trump looks out at the reader, under the headline “LAW AND ORDER.” Graffiti pictured in the corner of the White House Facebook post reads “Death to ICE.” Beneath that, a photo of protesters, choking on tear gas. And...

Trump’s National Guard deployments reignite 200-year-old legal debate over state vs. federal power

Written by Andrea Katz, Associate Professor of Law, Washington University in St. Louis

Demonstrators in Portland, Ore., protest on Oct. 4, 2025, against President Donald Trump's plan to deploy the National Guard to the city.Spencer Platt/Getty Images

If you’re confused about what the law does and doesn’t allow the president to do with the National Guard, that’s understandable.

As National Guard troops landed in...

When it comes to Ukraine peace negotiations, it’s all over the map

Written by Gerard Toal, Professor of Government and International Affairs, Virginia Tech

Donald Trump addresses European leaders on Aug. 18, 2025.The White House

Donald Trump is reportedly “sick” of seeing maps of the front line in Ukraine. Indeed, according to one European official’s account, he tossed aside Ukrainian delegation maps during his latest meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House on...

Gender is not an ideology – but conservative groups know learning about it empowers people to think for themselves

Written by Victoria Pitts-Taylor, Professor of Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies; Sociology; Science and Technology Studies, Wesleyan University

Who is afraid of gender and why?AP Photo/Alastair Grant

Political attacks on teaching about gender in colleges and universities are about more than just gender: They are part of a grander project of eroding civil and human rights, limiting personal freedoms and undermining democracy in the name of “traditional” values.

On the first day of...

Many Colorado homeowners are underinsured − here’s what to do before the next fire

Written by Tony Cookson, Associate Professor of Finance, University of Colorado Boulder

Many people who lost their homes in the Marshall Fire were underinsured. The Washington Post/GettyImages

Most Colorado homeowners do not have enough insurance coverage to rebuild their house after a total loss. That’s according to our new research examining whether homes destroyed in Colorado’s Marshall Fire — which burned more...

Even before they can read, young children are visualizing letters and other objects with the same strategies adults use

Written by Shannon Pruden, Professor of psychology, Florida International University

A student looks at different images, as eye-tracking technology monitors how she is visualizing the objects. Chris Necuze/FIU, CC BY

What do puzzles, gymnastics, writing and using maps all have in common?

They all rely on people’s ability to visualize objects as they spin, flip or turn in space, without physically moving them. This is a...

Trump’s words aren’t stopping China, Brazil and many other countries from setting higher climate goals, but progress is slow

Written by Shannon Gibson, Professor of Environmental Studies, Political Science and International Relations, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences

Sea walls now ring much of the Marshall Islands' capital, Majuro, as the ocean rises.Lt. Anna Maria Vaccaro/U.S. Coast Guard

In the Marshall Islands, where the land averages only 7 feet (2 meters) above sea level, people are acutely aware of climate change.

Their ancestors have lived on this string of Pacific islands for thousands of years. But as se...

Does the full moon make us sleepless? A neurologist explains the science behind sleep, mood and lunar myths

Written by Joanna Fong-Isariyawongse, Associate Professor of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh

How much does the moon cycle affect sleep? Probably less than your screen time at night. Muhammad Khazin Alhusni/iStock via Getty Images Plus

Have you ever tossed and turned under a full moon and wondered if its glow was keeping you awake? For generations, people have believed that the Moon has the power to stir up sleepless nights and strange...

Rethinking polygamy – new research upends conventional thinking about the advantages of monogamous marriage

Written by David W. Lawson, Professor of Anthropology, University of California, Santa Barbara

Most polygamous marriages are "polygynous," a union between one husband and multiple wives.HerminUtomo/iStock via Getty Images Plus

In July 2025, Uganda’s courts swiftly dismissed a petition challenging the legality of polygamy, citing the protection of religious and cultural freedom. For most social scientists and policymakers who have long...