The Conversation

The rise of the autistic detective – why neurodivergent minds are at the heart of modern mysteries

Written by Soohyun Cho, Assistant Professor at the Center for Integrative Studies in the Arts & Humanities, Michigan State University

There never seems to be a shortage of good crime shows on TV, and network television is teeming with detectives who think – and act – differently.

This fall, new seasons of “Elsbeth,” “High Potential,” “Patience” and “Watson” have aired, and they all feature leads who share similar...

The shutdown has ended – but this economist isn’t rejoicing quite yet

Written by Amitrajeet A. Batabyal, Distinguished Professor, Arthur J. Gosnell Professor of Economics, & Head, Department of Sustainability, Rochester Institute of Technology

After 43 days, the U.S. government shutdown finally came to an end late on Nov. 12, 2025, when Congress voted through a long-overdue funding bill, which President Donald Trump promptly signed.

But the prolonged gap in government-as-usual has come at a cost to the economy.

The Conversation spoke with RIT economist Amitrajeet A. Batabyal on the short-...

What is Fusarium graminearum, the fungus a Chinese scientist pleaded guilty to smuggling into the US?

Written by Tom W. Allen, Associate Research Professor of Plant Pathology, Mississippi State University

Wheat infected by *_Fusarium_*, a toxic fungus, has kernels that appear white with orange at the base.Klaus-Dietmar Gabbert/picture alliance via Getty Images

A Chinese plant scientist at the University of Michigan who drew national attention in June 2025 when she was arrested and accused along with another Chinese scientist of smuggling a...

No time to recover: Hurricane Melissa and the Caribbean’s compounding disaster trap as the storms keep coming

Written by Farah Nibbs, Assistant Professor of Emergency and Disaster Health Systems, University of Maryland, Baltimore County

Hurricane Melissa tore off roofs and stripped trees of their leaves, including in many parts of Jamaica hit by Hurricane Beryl a year earlier.Ricardo Makyn/AFP via Getty Images

Headlines have been filled with talk of the catastrophic power of Hurricane Melissa after the Category 5 storm devastated communities across Jamaica, Cuba and Haiti in...

New technologies like AI come with big claims – borrowing the scientific concept of validity can help cut through the hype

Written by Kai R. Larsen, Professor of Information Systems, University of Colorado Boulder

Closely examining the claims companies make about a product can help you separate hype from reality.Flavio Coelho/Moment via Getty Images

Technological innovations can seem relentless. In computing, some have proclaimed that “a year in machine learning is a century in any other field.” But how do you know whether those advancements are...

What is time? Rather than something that ‘flows,’ a philosopher suggests time is a psychological projection

Written by Adrian Bardon, Professor of Philosophy, Wake Forest University

Time isn't an illusion, unlike optical illusions that trick your eyes. There's nothing to 'trick' because it has no physical basis.BSIP/UIG Via Getty Image

“Time flies,” “time waits for no one,” “as time goes on”: The way we speak about time tends to strongly imply that the passage of time is some sort of real...

Turn shopping stress into purposeful gift giving by cultivating ‘consumer wisdom’ during the holidays

Written by Michael Luchs, JS Mack Professor of Business, William & Mary

The most meaningful gifts reflect the recipient’s values and identity – and the giver’s, too.Halfpoint images/Moment via Getty Images

Every fall I anticipate the winter holidays with almost childlike joy. I look forward to familiar traditions with friends and family, eggnog in my coffee, and the sense that everyone is feeling a...

Community health centers provide care for 1 in 10 Americans, but funding cuts threaten their survival

Written by Jennifer Spinghart, Clinical Assistant Professor of Biomedical Sciences, University of South Carolina

Community health clinics provide primary care to 1 in 10 people in the U.S., but they often operate on razor-thin margins.Ariel Skelley/Photodisc via Getty Images

Affordable health care was the primary point of contention in the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, which hit 43 days on Nov. 12, 2025.

This fight highlights a persistent...

Bad Bunny is the latest product of political rage — how pop culture became the front line of American politics

Written by Adam G. Klein, Associate Professor of Communication and Media Studies, Pace University

Bad Bunny performs in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on July 11, 2025.Kevin Mazur/Getty Images

When the NFL in September 2025 announced that Bad Bunny would headline the next Super Bowl halftime show, it took only hours for the political outrage machine to roar to life.

The Puerto Rican performer, known for mixing pop stardom with outspoken politics, was...

Sulfur-based batteries could offer electric vehicles a greener, longer-range option

Written by Golareh Jalilvand, Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering, University of South Carolina

Sulfur is abundant and inexpensive, making it an attractive ingredient for making batteries.Alanna Dumonceaux/Design Pics Editorial/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Picture an electric car that could go 600, 700 or even 1,000 miles on a single charge. That’s much farther than the longest-range electric vehicles on the U.S. market,...