The Conversation

Vaccines hold tantalizing promise in the fight against dementia

Written by Anand Kumar, Professor and Department Head of Psychiatry, University of Illinois Chicago

Researchers are in the earliest phase of piecing together how the shingles vaccine could play a role in lowering the risk of dementia.PM Images/DigitalVision via Getty Images

Over the past two centuries, vaccines have been critical for preventing infectious diseases. The World Health Organization estimates that vaccination prevents between 3...

Teen drivers face unique challenges during ‘100 deadliest days’ of summer, but safety measures can make a difference

Written by Shannon Roberts, Associate Professor of Industrial Engineering, UMass Amherst

Summer is the riskiest time of year for teenage drivers.Martin Novak/Moment via Getty Images

The last few weeks of summer, heading into Labor Day weekend, can sometimes mean vacations and driving more miles on the road for all people, including teens.

Traffic crashes are the No. 1 cause of death for teens, and the crash rate for teen drivers is...

As the Colorado River slowly dries up, states angle for influence over future water rights

Written by Sarah Porter, Director of the Kyl Center for Water Policy, ASU Morrison Institute for Public Policy, Arizona State University

Lake Mead, impounded by Hoover Dam, contains far less water than it used to.Kevin Carter/Getty Images

The Colorado River is in trouble: Not as much water flows into the river as people are entitled to take out of it. A new idea might change that, but complicated political and practical negotiations stand in the way.

The river and its tributaries...

‘KPop Demon Hunters’ is attracting huge audiences worldwide – young Philadelphians told us K-pop culture inspires innocence, joy and belonging

Written by A. Stefanie Ruiz, Assistant Professor in Nonprofit Leadership, College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences, Clemson University

'KPop Demon Hunters,' released June 20, 2025, is Netflix’s most-watched original animated film ever. Netflix

“Born with voices that could drive back the darkness,” the character Celine, a former K-pop idol, narrates at the start of Netflix’s new release “KPop Demon Hunters.” “Our music ignites the soul and...

Understanding key terms swirling around Alligator Alcatraz and immigration enforcement in the US

Written by Mark Schlakman, Senior Program Director, Center for the Advancement of Human Rights, Florida State University

The right terms can help you properly express your views about Alligator Alcatraz.Chandan Khanna/AFP via Getty Images

A July 2025 CBS/YouGov poll asked Americans, “Do you approve or disapprove of the Trump administration’s program to find and deport immigrants who are in the U.S. illegally?”

The respondents were divided, with 49%...

Transgender, nonbinary and disabled people more likely to view AI negatively, study shows

Written by Oliver L. Haimson, Assistant Professor of Information, University of Michigan

Transgender and nonbinary people report negative attitudes toward AI.alvaro gonzalez/Moment via Getty Images

AI seems to be well on its way to becoming pervasive. You hear rumbles of AI being used, somewhere behind the scenes, at your doctor’s office. You suspect it may have played a role in hiring decisions during your last job search....

A toxicologist’s guide to poison ivy’s itch and bee stings’ burning pain – 2 examples of nature’s chemical warfare

Written by Christopher P. Holstege, Professor of Emergency Medicine and Pediatrics, University of Virginia

There's a lot to explore out there. aldomurillo/E+ via Getty Images

Enjoying the outdoors carries the danger of running into nature’s less-friendly side: toxic plants and animals.

As toxicologists at the University of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Poison Center, we see many patients each year suffering from itchy rashes from poison ivy and...

Wildfire season is starting weeks earlier in California – a new study shows how climate change is driving the expansion

Written by Gavin D. Madakumbura, Postdoctoral Researcher, University of California, Los Angeles

Firefighters battle in Pacific Palisades, Calif., on Jan. 7, 2025David Swanson/AFP via Getty Images

Fire season is expanding in California, with an earlier start to wildfire activity in most of the state. In parts of the northern mountains, the season is now starting more than 10 weeks earlier than it did in the 1990s, a new study shows.

Atmospheric...

Trump has promised to eliminate funding to schools that don’t nix DEI work – but half of the states are not complying

Written by Hilary Lustick, Associate Professor of Education, UMass Lowell

While other presidential administrations have issued 'Dear Colleague' letters to schools, the Trump administration is the first to treat the letter like a law that mandates action. iStock/Getty Images Plus

It’s been about six months since the U.S. Department of Education sent a “Dear Colleague” letter to all schools that receive...

How states are placing guardrails around AI in the absence of strong federal regulation

Written by Anjana Susarla, Professor of Information Systems, Michigan State University

The California State Capitol has been the scene of numerous efforts to regulate AI.AP Photo/Juliana Yamada

U.S. state legislatures are where the action is for placing guardrails around artificial intelligence technologies, given the lack of meaningful federal regulation. The resounding defeat in Congress of a proposed moratorium on state-level AI...