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Foreign countries are helping autocracies repress exiled dissidents in return for economic gain

  • Written by Rebecca Cordell, Assistant Professor of Political Science, University of Pittsburgh

Governments, even democratic ones, are willing to aid autocracies in silencing exiled dissidents if the host nation thinks it’s in its economic interest.

That is what we found when looking into cases of transnational repression – the act of governments reaching across their national border to repress diasporas and exiles – from...

Read more: Foreign countries are helping autocracies repress exiled dissidents in return for economic gain

Horror movies are as much a mainstay of Halloween as trick or treat − but why are they so bloody?

  • Written by James Francis, Jr., Instructional Associate Professor, Texas A&M University

Horror movies are plentiful in 2024, and plenty bloody. The year has seen the release of films awash in blood, such as “Immaculate,” “The First Omen” and “The Strangers.” With Halloween on the way, bloody offerings are streaming, in theaters and running in marathons on cable.

Watch them, and you’ll likely...

Read more: Horror movies are as much a mainstay of Halloween as trick or treat − but why are they so bloody?

Why is Halloween spending growing when Americans are supposedly cutting back?

  • Written by Jay L. Zagorsky, Associate Professor of Markets, Public Policy and Law, Boston University
imageOf course you can buy an evil clown at Home Depot.Frederic J. Brown/AFP/Getty Images

Halloween was once a time of both tricks and treats. Lately, Halloween has become one big treat for businesses, with consumers spending an estimated US$11.6 billion on this one-night holiday. That’s roughly the same amount of money as Americans spend on...

Read more: Why is Halloween spending growing when Americans are supposedly cutting back?

Florida’s new condo laws recognize the total price of living on the beach

  • Written by Bill Hughes, Research Director, Kelley A. Bergstrom Real Estate Center, University of Florida
imageRepairing high-rise condos like this one in Miami Beach can cost millions.Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Nearly a million Florida condo owners face an important deadline at the end of the year. That’s when a law passed in 2022 requires most Florida condo associations to submit inspection reports for their buildings...

Read more: Florida’s new condo laws recognize the total price of living on the beach

Doctors are preoccupied with threats of criminal charges in states with abortion bans, putting patients’ lives at risk

  • Written by Sophie Bjork-James, Assistant Professor of Anthropology, Vanderbilt University
imageThe study took place in Tennessee, a state that has had a near-total ban on abortions since 2022.Anchiy/E+ via Getty Images

Abortion bans are intended to reduce elective abortions, but they are also affecting the way physicians practice medicine.

That is the key finding from our recently published article in the journal Social Science & Medicine...

Read more: Doctors are preoccupied with threats of criminal charges in states with abortion bans, putting...

Expanding abortion access strengthens democracy, while abortion bans signal broader repression − worldwide study

  • Written by Alison Brysk, Professor of Political Science and Global Studies, University of California, Santa Barbara

Abortion is on the agenda not just in the United States but worldwide.

A majority of people in developed democracies increasingly favor abortion rights and self-determination. And, in most places, laws are shifting to reflect public opinion. Since 2020, Argentina, Colombia and Mexico, among others, have legalized abortion. In 2024, France adopted...

Read more: Expanding abortion access strengthens democracy, while abortion bans signal broader repression −...

Is America ready for a woman president? Voters’ attitudes to women politicians are radically different from a decade ago

  • Written by Angela L. Bos, Dean and Professor, School of Public Service, Boise State University, Boise State University
imageVoters hold clear and positive stereotypes of women politicians − while they don't think as positively about men in politics. Artis777/iStock/Getty Images

If U.S. voters elect Kamala Harris – a Black, Asian American woman – president, it would be historic on multiple levels. This is now a real possibility due to voters’...

Read more: Is America ready for a woman president? Voters’ attitudes to women politicians are radically...

Your politics can affect whether you click on sponsored search results, new research shows

  • Written by Alexander Davidson, Associate Professor of Marketing, Wayne State University
imageGood news for digital marketers.Boy Wirat/Getty Images

American businesses spend close to US$100 billion each year to secure top advertising spots in search engine results – even though it’s not exactly a secret that most online shoppers scroll right past them.

In fact, organic links – results that aren’t sponsored...

Read more: Your politics can affect whether you click on sponsored search results, new research shows

Your next favorite story won’t be written by AI – but it could be someday

  • Written by Haoran Chu, Assistant Professor of Communications, University of Florida
imageAI language models are getting pretty good at writing – but not so much at creative storytelling.Moor Studio/DigitalVision Vectors via Getty Images

Stories define people – they shape our relationships, cultures and societies. Unlike other skills replaced by technology, storytelling has remained uniquely human, setting people apart from...

Read more: Your next favorite story won’t be written by AI – but it could be someday

Tiny airborne particles within air pollution could be a silent killer – new study uncovers hidden risks and reveals who’s most at risk in New York state

  • Written by Shao Lin, Professor of Public Health, University at Albany, State University of New York
imageUltrafine particles stem from a variety of natural and human-made sources, including vehicle exhaust. Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Long-term high ultrafine particle concentrations in New York state neighborhoods are linked to higher numbers of deaths. That is the key finding of our new research, published in the Journal of Hazardous Materials.

Our study...

Read more: Tiny airborne particles within air pollution could be a silent killer – new study uncovers hidden...

More Articles ...

  1. Proof that immigrants fuel the US economy is found in the billions they send back home
  2. For many Latter-day Saints, America has a special relationship with God − but Christian nationalism is a step too far
  3. Colorado’s Amendment 80 wants to make school choice ‘a right’ when it already is – an expert in educational policy explains the disconnect
  4. Having the ‘right’ friends may hold the secret to building wealth, according to new study on socioeconomic ties
  5. Harris and Trump differ widely on gun rights, death penalty and other civil liberties questions
  6. What’s in a pantsuit? Kamala Harris’ and Donald Trump’s fashion choices say a lot about their personalities − and vision for the future
  7. North Carolina is not really a red or blue state − and that makes political predictions much more difficult
  8. This Atlanta neighborhood hired a case manager to address rising homelessness − and it’s improving health and safety for everyone
  9. Many wealthy members of Congress are descendants of rich slaveholders − new study demonstrates the enduring legacy of slavery
  10. Both Harris and Trump have records on space policy − an international affairs expert examines where they differ when it comes to the final frontier
  11. Why the margin of error matters more than ever in reading 2024 election polls – a pollster with 30 years of experience explains
  12. How beef became a marker of American identity
  13. Americans use the Book of Revelation to talk about immigration – and always have
  14. Halloween candy binges can overload your gut microbiome – a gut doctor explains how to minimize spooking your helpful bacteria
  15. As more Americans go ‘no contact’ with their parents, they live out a dilemma at the heart of Shakespeare’s ‘King Lear’
  16. How pollsters have adapted to changing technology and voters who don’t answer the phone
  17. Florida and North Carolina are making it easier for people to vote after the hurricanes – but some risks remain
  18. Colonialism’s legacy has left Caribbean nations much more vulnerable to hurricanes
  19. Women are at a higher risk of dying from heart disease − in part because doctors don’t take major sex and gender differences into account
  20. Victorian ghost photographs amused viewers with spooky thrills
  21. Civilian support for military coups isn’t a bug – it’s a feature
  22. On Ukraine, candidate Trump touts his role as dealmaker while Harris sticks with unwavering support
  23. Don’t panic reading ‘electoral process porn’: There are plenty of safeguards to make sure voters’ wishes are respected
  24. Nebraska Democrats hope Omaha will be a ‘blue dot’ on the state’s red electoral map − and their lawn sign is a vibe
  25. The whip-poor-will has been an omen of death for centuries − what happened to this iconic bird of American horror?
  26. Tim Walz’s candidacy for vice president underscores the political power of teachers
  27. Presidential election could help decide fate of the 70,000 Afghans living temporarily in the US
  28. Aurora and Springfield aren’t the first cities to become flash points in US immigration debate − here’s what happened in other places used as political soapboxes
  29. Election officials are hard at work to deliver fair, secure and accurate elections – despite a constant flow of attacks
  30. ‘Childless cat ladies’ have long contributed to the welfare of American children − and the nation
  31. Wild animals can experience trauma and adversity too − as ecologists, we came up with an index to track how it affects them
  32. More kids than ever need special education, but burnout has caused a teacher shortage
  33. Tracking vampire worms with machine learning − using AI to diagnose schistosomiasis before the parasites causing it hatch in your blood
  34. Could fungi actually cause a zombie apocalypse?
  35. Some people love to scare themselves in an already scary world − here’s the psychology of why
  36. During the American Revolution, Brits weren’t just facing off against white Protestant Christians − US patriots are diverse and have been since Day 1
  37. Hemingway, after the hurricane
  38. What the history of blasphemy laws in the US and the fight for religious freedom can teach us today
  39. AI, cryptocurrencies and data privacy: Comparing the Trump and Harris records on technology regulation
  40. To make nuclear fusion a reliable energy source one day, scientists will first need to design heat- and radiation-resilient materials
  41. MicroRNA − a new Nobel laureate describes the scientific process of discovering these tiny molecules that turn genes on and off
  42. Microplastic pollution is everywhere, even in the exhaled breath of dolphins – new research
  43. Aquaculture could harm animal welfare or protect it, depending on what species the farms raise
  44. Black Myth: Wukong – how China’s gaming revolution is fueling its tech power
  45. Bouncing between war-torn countries: Displacement in Lebanon and Syria highlights cyclical nature of cross-border refuge
  46. What is Chabad-Lubavitch? A Jewish studies scholar explains
  47. Overseas US voters get ignored by political campaigns − but could be crucial supporters
  48. Philly hospitals test new strategy for ‘tranq dope’ withdrawal – and it keeps patients from walking out before their treatment is done
  49. How to be a boss at giving performance reviews
  50. Coastal cities have a hidden vulnerability to storm-surge and tidal flooding − entirely caused by humans