The Conversation

In its hunt for critical minerals, the US is misconstruing what is and is not America’s

Written by Coalter G Lathrop, Senior Lecturing Fellow in International Law, Duke University

A metal claw reaches for an iron and manganese nodule on the seabed for testing.USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center

Americans have a reputation for being bad at world geography, and the current U.S. administration is no exception, particularly when it comes to correctly identifying what is – and is not – part of the United...

Young Latinos – and their commitment to social justice – are shaping the future of the Catholic Church

Written by Hosffman Ospino, Professor of Hispanic Ministry and Religious Education, Boston College

A protester holds up a candle with the image of La Virgen de Guadalupe while marching in Los Angeles during a January 2026 vigil in solidarity with immigrants facing raids in Minneapolis.Ronaldo Bolaños/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

On Ash Wednesday, 2026, two Roman Catholic priests and a religious sister entered an Immigration and...

When GPS lies at sea: How electronic warfare is threatening ships and their crews

Written by Anna Raymaker, Ph.D. Candidate in Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology

Cyberattacks like GPS spoofing threaten oil supertankers and cargo ships at sea.Ping Shu/Moment via Getty Images

The war in Iran has dominated headlines with reports of airstrikes and escalating military activity. But beyond the immediate devastation, the conflict has also illuminated a quieter and rapidly growing danger: the vulnerability of...

Iran’s ruling structure explained

Written by Eric Lob, Associate Professor of Politics and International Relations, Florida International University

People gather in a rally to support Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, the successor to his late father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as supreme leader, in Tehran, Iran, on March 9, 2026. AP Photo/Vahid Salemi, File

Iran’s new ruler is already a marked man.

U.S. President Donald Trump has said Mojtaba Khamenei, who replaced his slain father, Ayatollah Ali...

‘Hamnet’ is making audiences break down in tears – and upending beliefs about male grief

Written by Jeanette Tran, Associate Professor of English, Drake University

Paul Mescal as William Shakespeare in Chloé Zhao’s film 'Hamnet.'Focus Features

Did you cry during “Hamnet”?

On social media, many viewers shared the overwhelming emotions elicited by the film, which has been nominated for eight Academy Awards.

One viewer commented on Reddit that the movie was an “out of body experience....

Federal benefits cuts are looming – here’s how Colorado is trying to protect families with children

Written by Stephen Roll, Assistant Professor of Social Policy, Washington University in St. Louis

Colorado is leveraging its tax code to reduce child poverty. Royalty-free/Getty Images

Childhood poverty in the U.S. fell to its lowest level in history in 2021. The fall was largely due to the expanded child tax credit and other COVID-19 pandemic supports that put cash directly in the hands of parents and lifted millions of children out of poverty....

A successful USDA program that has supported more than 533,000 affordable rental homes in rural America is getting phased out

Written by Brian Y. An, Co-Director of Center for Urban Research, Director of Master of Science in Public Policy Program, & Assistant Professor of Public Policy, Georgia Institute of Technology

Low-income Americans in rural areas can struggle to pay market-rate rents.mphillips007/iStock via Getty Images Plus

The high cost of renting and buying homes in U.S. cities is no secret. But this affordability problem isn’t limited to urban regions – it affects rural areas as well.

Rural areas, home to about 25% of Americans, benefit...

Kurdish gains in Syria could disappear without international support − just as they did in Iraq decades ago

Written by Lily Hindy, PhD Candidate in History, University of California, Los Angeles

Kurdish fighters welcome Syrian government forces to the Kurdish-majority city of Qamishli, Syria, on Feb. 3, 2026. Delil Souleiman/AFP via Getty Images

Days into the United States and Israel’s war against Iran, Trump officials and Kurdish leaders began openly musing about whether Iran’s Kurdish minority should seize on the dire...

Not just Patriot interceptors: A defense expert explains the various weapons US and allies use to defend against missiles and drones

Written by Iain Boyd, Director of the Center for National Security Initiatives and Professor of Aerospace Engineering Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder

An Israeli air defense system fires interceptor missiles at missiles launched from Iran on March 1, 2026.AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean

Patriot missile batteries have been the iconic air defense system in the United States’ arsenal for several decades, but evolving threats – from cheap rockets to even cheaper drones – have forced the...

Constant technology changes throw seniors a curve – and add to caregivers’ load

Written by Debaleena Chattopadhyay, Assistant Professor of Computer Science, University of Illinois Chicago

Shifting interfaces and frequent updates challenge elders and increase the burdens on people who try to help them.Maskot via Getty Images

This past Christmas, I helped my parents choose a water filter. The latest “smart” models all came with a smartphone app that promised to monitor filter life, track water quality and automatically...