The Conversation

The power of friendship: How a letter helped create an American bestseller about antisemitism

Written by Rachel Gordan, Assistant Professor of Religion and Jewish Studies, University of Florida

The novel about reporter Phil Green, which was soon made into a film, put prejudice and hypocrisy in the spotlight.John Springer Collection/Corbis via Getty Images

Eighty years ago, the Jewish American novelist Laura Z. Hobson was contemplating her next writerly move and was seeking a little help from her friends.

“Gentleman’s Agreement,&...

Vaccine hesitancy among pet owners is growing – a public health expert explains why that matters

Written by Simon F. Haeder, Associate Professor of Public Health, Texas A&M University

Pet owners, too, are starting to become concerned about the side effects of vaccines.Noah Seelam/AFP via Getty Images

When most people think about vaccines, they typically think about humans: Experts warn that when large numbers of people are unvaccinated, it can lead to severe consequences, including disease outbreaks and higher rates of illness...

A brief history of presidential inaugural speeches, from George Washington to today

Written by Claire Jerry, Political History Curator, Smithsonian Institution

Abraham Lincoln's first inauguration on March 4, 1861.Bettmann/Getty Images

The only constitutionally mandated event on Inauguration Day is for the president-elect to take the oath of office. But on the first Inauguration Day, in 1789, George Washington did something else.

He gave a speech.

Every president since has followed his example and...

Larry Krasner, Kensington, the scrapped Sixers arena − and other key concerns that will shape Philly politics in 2025

Written by Richardson Dilworth, Professor of Politics, Drexel University

Philadelphia's City Council approved the proposed Sixers arena on the last day of its 2024 legislative session.AP Photo/Matt Slocum

Campus protests. Homeless encampment clearings. Significant decreases in shootings, homicides and overdose deaths. Protests to “Save Chinatown.” A mass shooting at a SEPTA bus stop. Illegal car meetups....

Lightning strikes make collecting a parasitic fungus prized in traditional Chinese medicine a deadly pursuit

Written by Daile Zhang, Assistant Professor of Atmospheric Sciences, University of North Dakota

Collecting the fungus is a high-risk, high-reward proposition.Kevin Frayer/Getty Images News via Getty Images

In the remote Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, a rare fungus grows inside dead caterpillars. In traditional Chinese medicine, this parasitic fungus is prized for its purported medicinal effects. Known as Ophiocordyceps sinensis –...

LA fires: Why fast wildfires and those started by human activities are more destructive and harder to contain

Written by Virginia Iglesias, Interim Earth Lab Director, University of Colorado Boulder

A home burns in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles on Jan. 7, 2025. AP Photo/Ethan Swope

Investigators are trying to determine what caused several wind-driven wildfires that have destroyed thousands of homes across the Los Angeles area in January 2025. Given the fires’ locations, and lack of lightning at the time, it’s...

LA fires: Why fast-moving wildfires and those started by human activities are more destructive and harder to contain

Written by Virginia Iglesias, Interim Earth Lab Director, University of Colorado Boulder

A home burns in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles on Jan. 7, 2025. AP Photo/Ethan Swope

US secretary of state has an expansive job that could make or break peace deals and key foreign alliances

Written by Monica Duffy Toft, Professor of International Politics and Director of the Center for Strategic Studies, The Fletcher School, Tufts University

The secretary of state wears several hats, including managing the day-to-day at the U.S. Department of State.Greg Mathieson/Mai/Getty Images

U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, Donald Trump’s nominee for secretary of state, will testify before the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee as part of his confirmation process on Jan. 15, 2025.

Rubio...

When presidents would send handwritten lists of their nominees to the Senate, things were a lot different

Written by Peter Kastor, Professor of History & American Culture Studies, Associate Vice Dean of Research, Washington University in St. Louis

President George Washington, left, and his Cabinet: Henry Knox, secretary of war; Alexander Hamilton, secretary of the Treasury; Thomas Jefferson, secretary of state; and Edmund Randolph, attorney general. Currier and Ives/Bettmann - Getty Images

The new U.S. Senate is getting down to business, and one of its first tasks will be to consider Donald...

Firefighting planes are dumping ocean water on the Los Angeles fires − why using saltwater is typically a last resort

Written by Patrick Megonigal, Associate Director of Research, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Smithsonian Institution

A firefighting plane dumps water on one of the fires in the Los Angeles area in January 2025.Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

Firefighters battling the deadly wildfires that raced through the Los Angeles area in January 2025 have been hampered by a limited supply of freshwater. So, when the winds are calm enough, skilled...