The Conversation

Tiny laboratories that fit in your hand can rapidly identify pathogens using electricity

Written by Blanca H. Lapizco-Encinas, Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Rochester Institute of Technology

Microfluidics makes use of tiny channels to speed up analyses of biomolecules such as DNA and proteins.Thom Leach/Science Photo Library via Getty Images

When you think of electric fields, you likely think of electricity – the stuff that makes modern life possible by powering everything from household appliances to cellphones. Researchers have...

Gen Z heads home: How to navigate the evolving parent-child relationship as kids become adults

Written by Amy Root, Professor of Applied Human Sciences, West Virginia University

Emerging adult children and their parents can experience growing pains as they navigate a changing relationship.AJ_Watt/E+ via Getty Images

As a professor of child development and family science, every year I witness college students heading home for the holidays after a few months of relative independence. Anecdotally, most students express...

In a world where political polarization and disengagement are denting democracy, does Botswana’s ‘kgotla’ system hold the key?

Written by Bernd Reiter, Professor of Political Science, Texas Tech University

Residents in Modipane, Botswana, attend a kgotla.Author supplied/Bernd Reiter, CC BY-SA

In late October, more than 80% of Botswana’s electorate went to the polls and voted out the incumbent government. The unexpected result was accepted by all parties, and the outgoing president immediately announced his plans for a smooth transition of power....

Opioid-free surgery treats pain at every physical and emotional level

Written by Heather Margonari, Lead Coordinator for the Opioid Free Pathway, University of Pittsburgh

Opioids have been an essential part of anesthesia, but they aren't the only way to manage pain.Hispanolistic/E+ via Getty Images

The opioid crisis remains a significant public health challenge in the United States. In 2022, over 2.5 million American adults had an opioid use disorder, and opioids accounted for nearly 76% of overdose deaths.

Some...

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ case raises questions about the many observers who might have ignored his alleged crimes

Written by Zoe D. Peterson, Director of the Sexual Assault Research Initiative at the Kinsey Institute and Professor of Applied Psychology in Education and Research Methodology, Indiana University

Sean Combs attends an event in Atlanta in August 2023. Paras Griffin/Getty Images

The billionaire hip-hop producer Sean Combs was charged in September 2024 with sex trafficking and a range of other offenses – and continues to be hit with lawsuits from alleged victims.

Perhaps one of the most stunning aspects of the unfolding case is the...

As Trump touts plans for immigrant roundup, militias are standing back, but standing by

Written by Amy Cooter, Director of Research, Academic Development, and Innovation at the Center on Terrorism, Extremism, and Counterterrorism, Middlebury

Civilian paramilitaries, like these pictured in 2016, patrol areas of the U.S.-Mexico border searching for immigrants and drug smugglers.John Moore/Getty Images

President-elect Donald Trump has reaffirmed that once he takes office he plans to declare a national emergency and use the military on American streets to accomplish his promises to round...

AI has been a boon for marketing, but the dark side of using algorithms to sell products and brands is little studied

Written by Lauren Labrecque, Professor of Marketing, University of Rhode Island

AI can tailor marketing to fit you, but at what cost?Yuichiro Chino/Getty Images

Artificial intelligence is revolutionizing the way companies market their products, enabling them to target consumers in personalized and interactive ways that not long ago seemed like the realm of science fiction.

Marketers use AI-powered algorithms to scour vast...

Meat has a distinct taste, texture and aroma − a biochemist explains how plant-based alternatives mimic the real thing

Written by Julie Pollock, Associate Professor of Chemistry, University of Richmond

Lots of restaurants and food manufacturers offer plant-based meat alternatives.istetiana/Moment via Getty Images

When you bite into a juicy hamburger, slice into the perfect medium-rare steak or gobble down a plateful of chicken nuggets, your senses are most likely responding to the food’s smell, taste, texture and color. For a long time,...

Is it possible to dig all the way through the Earth to the other side?

Written by Andrew Gase, Assistant Professor of Geoscience, Boise State University

Workers at the drilling site for a geothermal energy plant in Neustadt-Glewe, Germany.Jens Büttner/picture alliance via Getty Images

Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to curiouskidsus@theconversation.com.

Is it possible to dig all the way through the Earth to...

How the first Pilgrims and the Puritans differed in their views on religion and respect for Native Americans

Written by Michael Carrafiello, Professor of History, Miami University

A sketch from 1877 illustrating the landing of the Pilgrims, by artist Albert Bobbett.The Print Collector/Hulton Archives via Getty Images

Every November, numerous articles recount the arrival of 17th-century English Pilgrims and Puritans and their quest for religious freedom. Stories are told about the founding of Massachusetts Bay Colony and the...