The Conversation

Vagus nerve stimulation shows promise as a way to counter Alzheimer’s disease- and age-related memory loss

Written by Elizabeth Riley, Lecturer in Psychology, Cornell University

The vagus nerve, which carries information between the brain and heart, lungs and other organs, might regulate the activity of a tiny brain region called the locus coeruleus.Sebastian Kaulitzki/Science Photo Library via Getty Images

Most people think of Alzheimer’s disease as an illness of aging. But in fact, the brain changes that...

College students are writing with AI – but a pilot study finds they’re not simply letting it write for them

Written by Jeanne Beatrix Law, Professor of English, Kennesaw State University

Debates about generative AI in higher education have been informed by studies of completed student papers, or self-reported survey data. Research shows that artificial intelligence tools can support learning, but also has raised concerns, including students’ overreliance, cheating, and the potential degradation of critical thinking and...

Scientists may be overestimating the amount of microplastics in the environment – and the culprit is lab gloves

Written by Anne McNeil, Professor of Chemistry and Macromolecular Science and Engineering, University of Michigan

Gloves used in the laboratory that led to microplastic overestimation.Madeline Clough

It seems like every day a new study finds tiny plastic particles called microplastics where they should not be: in our bodies and our food, water and air.

Yet finding and identifying microplastics is extremely challenging, especially given their small size. One...

Supreme Court’s tariff decision still leaves a ‘mess’ for companies trying to grab refunds

Written by Peter R. Crabb, Professor of Finance and Economics, Northwest Nazarene University; Institute for Humane Studies

Containers are stacked up in a cargo terminal in Frankfurt, Germany. AP Photo/Michael Probst

U.S. companies stung by President Donald Trump’s emergency tariffs had hoped for relief when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in February 2026 in their favor. But settling on a remedy – namely, rebate checks from the government – may be an...

Soaring gas prices and disrupted supply chains will ripple out to increase costs in every store and sector of the economy

Written by Vidya Mani, Associate Professor of Business Administration, University of Virginia; Cornell University

Americans are already seeing higher gas prices, but that's just the beginning.AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster

The disruptions from the U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran spread quickly to commercial aircraft, shipping lanes and the world’s energy supply. Those repercussions have already hit fuel costs, including for motorists, truckers and fishermen,...

2026’s historic snow drought brings worries about water, wildfires and the future in the West

Written by Alejandro N. Flores, Professor of Geoscience, Boise State University

The snow drought was evident in Park City, Utah, on Feb. 9, 2026. This golf course is normally used for cross-country skiing in winter.Mario Tama/Getty Images

Across much of the Western United States, winter 2026 was the year the snow never came. Many ski resorts got by with snowmaking but shut down their winter operations early. Fire officials and...

What the historic snow drought means for water, wildfires and the future of the West

Written by Alejandro N. Flores, Professor of Geoscience, Boise State University

The snow drought was evident in Park City, Utah, on Feb. 9, 2026. This golf course is normally used for cross-country skiing in winter.Mario Tama/Getty Images

Across much of the Western United States, winter 2026 was the year the snow never came. Many ski resorts got by with snowmaking but shut down their winter operations early. Fire officials and...

On Passover, some Sephardic Jews revisit not only the story of their ancestors, but also their Ladino language

Written by Bryan Kirschen, Associate Professor of Spanish and Linguistics, Binghamton University, State University of New York

Decorated 'guevos haminados,' or slow-cooked eggs, are a common Passover food for Sephardic Jewish families.sbossert/iStock via Getty Images Plus

When Passover arrives each spring, Jewish families around the world gather at their tables to retell a story passed down for thousands of years. At ritual dinners known as Seders, they recount the Exodus,...

Teens are driving the demand for online abortion pills via telehealth – new research

Written by Dana Johnson, Postdoctoral Fellow in Health Disparities Research, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Abortion pills have been shown to be safe and effective.MementoJpeg/Moment via Getty Images

Teens in the U.S. are obtaining medication abortion pills through telehealth, and young people age 18 to 24 are ordering medication abortion at much higher rates than older adults.

Those are the key findings of a new study that my colleagues and I published...

New federal student loan limits affect social work graduate students, with impacts for survivors of domestic violence in Colorado and elsewhere

Written by Kaitlyn M. Sims, Assistant Professor of Public Policy, University of Denver; Institute for Humane Studies

The status change cuts the amount of federal student aid by half.Royalty-free/Getty Images

As of July 2026, graduate degree programs in nursing, public health, social work, public policy and more will no longer be defined as professional degrees by the Department of Education.

The change limits how much federal financial aid students in those...