The Conversation

Columbia’s $200M deal with Trump administration sets a precedent for other universities to bend to the government’s will

Written by Brendan Cantwell, Associate Professor of Higher, Adult, and Lifelong Education, Michigan State University

Students at Columbia University in New York City on April 14, 2025. Charly Triballeau/AFP via Getty Images

Columbia University agreed on July 23, 2025, to pay a US$200 million fine to the federal government and to settle allegations that it did not create a safe environment for Jewish students during Palestinian rights protests in 2024.

The deal...

We tracked illegal fishing in marine protected areas – satellites and AI show most bans are respected, and could help enforce future ones

Written by Jennifer Raynor, Assistant Professor of Natural Resource Economics, University of Wisconsin-Madison

A school of bigeye trevally swims near Bikar Atoll.Enric Sala/National Geographic Pristine Seas

Marine protected areas cover more than 8% of the world’s oceans today, but they can get a bad rap as being protected on paper only.

While the name invokes safe havens for fish, whales and other sea life, these areas can be hard to monitor....

Why 2025 became the summer of flash flooding in America

Written by Jeffrey Basara, Professor of Meteorology, UMass Lowell

Rescuers searched for survivors after a flash flood in Texas Hill Country on July 4, 2025, that killed more than 130 people. Jim Vondruska/Getty Images

The National Weather Service has already issued more than 3,600 flash flood warnings across the United States in 2025, and that number is increasing as torrential downpours continue in late July....

Is ChatGPT making us stupid?

Written by Aaron French, Assistant Professor of Information Systems, Kennesaw State University

Back in 2008, The Atlantic sparked controversy with a provocative cover story: Is Google Making Us Stupid?

In that 4,000-word essay, later expanded into a book, author Nicholas Carr suggested the answer was yes, arguing that technology such as search engines were worsening Americans’ ability to think deeply and retain knowledge.

At the core...

As Mexico’s LGBTQ+ community battles for inclusion, two drag performers have become internet stars – with more than 2 million TikTok followers

Written by Francisco Tijerina, PhD Candidate in Hispanic Studies, Washington University in St. Louis

Turbulence Queen, left, and Burrita Burrona perform at the Mexico City Pride Parade in June 2024.Jaime Nogales/Medios y Media via Getty Images News

In January 2022, Erick Martínez, also known as Turbulence Queen, introduced a guest on his YouTube channel: Ivan “Momo” Guzmán, with the stage name Burrita Burrona, a drag...

Why do MAGA faithful support Trump if his ‘big beautiful bill’ will likely hurt many of them?

Written by Alex Hinton, Distinguished Professor of Anthropology; Director, Center for the Study of Genocide and Human Rights, Rutgers University - Newark

Supporters of President Donald Trump demonstrate near his Mar-a-Lago home in Palm Beach, Fla., on July 17, 2025. Joe Raedle/Getty Images

President Donald Trump signed the wide-ranging One Big Beautiful Bill Act into law on July 4, 2025. It focuses on cutting taxes, mainly for households that earn US$217,000 or more each year, as well as increasing...

Yellowstone has been a ‘sacred wonderland’ of spiritual power and religious activity for centuries – and for different faith groups

Written by Thomas S. Bremer, Professor Emeritus of Religious Studies, Rhodes College

Beehive Geyser, in the Upper Geyser Basin of Yellowstone National Park.Thomas S. Bremer

Nearly 5 million travelers come to Wyoming to visit Yellowstone National Park each year, most in the summer months. They come for the geysers, wildlife, scenery and recreational activities such as hiking, fishing and photography.

However, few realize that...

Immigration courts hiding the names of ICE lawyers goes against centuries of precedent and legal ethics requiring transparency in courts

Written by Cassandra Burke Robertson, Professor of Law and Director of the Center for Professional Ethics, Case Western Reserve University

Some immigration courts have allowed ICE attorneys to conceal their names during proceedings.Jacob Wackerhausen/iStock via Getty Images

Something unusual is happening in U.S. immigration courts. Government lawyers are refusing to give their names during public hearings.

In June 2025, Immigration Judge ShaSha Xu in New York City reportedly told lawye...

Caution in the C-suite: How business leaders are navigating Trump 2.0

Written by Erran Carmel, Professor of Business, American University Kogod School of Business

In the first months of Donald Trump’s second term as president, his policies – from sweeping tariffs and aggressive immigration enforcement to attacks on diversity, equity and inclusion – have thrown U.S. businesses into turmoil, leading to a 26-point decline in CEO confidence.

Yet despite this volatility, many American...

How germy is the public pool? An infectious disease expert weighs in on poop, pee and perspiration – and the deceptive smell of chlorine

Written by Lisa Cuchara, Professor of Biomedical Sciences, Quinnipiac University

A 2023 CDC report tracked more than 200 pool-associated outbreaks over a four-year period. But a few basic precautions can ward off these dangers.Maria Korneeva/Moment via Getty Images

On hot summer days, few things are more refreshing than a dip in the pool. But have you ever wondered if the pool is as clean as that crystal blue water appears?

As...