The Conversation

Ferns’ ability to evolve ‘backward’ offers insights into the meandering path of evolution

Written by Jacob S. Suissa, Assistant Professor of Plant Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee

Unfurling fiddlehead of the Christmas fern (_Polystichum acrostichoides_).Jacob S. Suissa, CC BY-ND

Imagine a photograph of your great-grandparents, grandparents and parents side by side. You’d see a resemblance, but each generation would look distinct from its predecessors. This is the process of evolution in its simplest form: descent with...

Response to CEO killing reveals antipathy toward health insurers − but entire patchwork system is to blame for ill feeling

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

The killing of a UnitedHealthcare executive has prompted a closer look at the health insurance industry.AP Photo/Jim Mone

The U.S. health care system leaves much to be desired.

It is convoluted, fragmented, complex and confusing. Experts have also raised concerns about quality, and disparities are rampant. And, of course, it is excessively costly &nd...

Why ‘A Charlie Brown Christmas’ almost didn’t air − and why it endures

Written by Stephen Lind, Associate Professor of Clinical Business Communication, University of Southern California

In 2024, the beloved special is streaming on Apple TV+.Apple TV+

It’s hard to imagine a holiday season without “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” The 1965 broadcast has become a staple – etched into traditions across generations like decorating the tree or sipping hot cocoa.

But this beloved TV special almost didn’t make it...

Brain inflammation may be the reason behind muscle fatigue after infection and injury

Written by Diego E. Rincon-Limas, Associate Professor of Neurology, University of Florida

Neuroinflammation is a result of your central nervous system's immune response.nopparit/E+ via Getty Images

Infectious or chronic diseases such as long COVID, Alzheimer’s disease and traumatic brain injury can cause inflammation in the brain, or neuroinflammation, that weakens muscles. While scientists are aware of this link between...

We developed a way to use light to dismantle PFAS ‘forever chemicals’ – long-lasting environmental pollutants

Written by Arindam Sau, Ph.D. Candidate in Chemistry, University of Colorado Boulder

PFAS can contaminate the environment – their chemical structure makes them difficult to remove. George Pachantouris/Moment via Getty Images

Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, have earned the nickname of forever chemicals from their extraordinary ability to stick around in the environment long after they’ve been...

Stop and think: An undervalued approach in a world that short-circuits thoughtful political judgment

Written by Robert B. Talisse, W. Alton Jones Professor of Philosophy, Vanderbilt University

Which serves democracy better, the conformist, quick-take answer or the independent, thoughtful one?Levi Meir Clancy/iStock via Getty Images Plus

When’s the last time you saw a pundit pause?

When President Joe Biden pardoned his son Hunter, who was convicted of three felony charges, the pardon was startling because Biden repeatedly pledged befo...

Why Quincy Jones should be prominently featured in US music education − his absence reflects how racial segregation still shapes American classrooms

Written by Philip Ewell, Professor of Music Theory, Hunter College

Quincy Jones, who died on Nov. 3, 2024, at the age of 91, was one of the most influential musicians in U.S. history.

You might think such a notable figure would factor prominently in American music classrooms. Yet my research shows that Jones, who was Black, is rarely mentioned in mainstream U.S. music curricula.

As a Black music professor, I...

Santa, maybe? Why we have different names for who ‘hurries down the chimney’ on Christmas

Written by Valerie M. Fridland, Professor of Linguistics, University of Nevada, Reno

A trade card promoting a holiday sale at the 'Bee Hive' store on Dec. 10, 1879, in New York City. Transcendental Graphics/Getty Images

Everyone has heard of Santa Claus, that chubby, white-bearded, red-suited guy who delivers Christmas presents via a reindeer-powered sleigh.

But have you never wondered how he became a man of so many names? From...

South Korea shook a presidential power grab – failure to impeach now risks damaging democracy

Written by Myunghee Lee, Assistant Professor, Michigan State University

A protester holds up an image of President Yoon Suk Yeol with the words 'Leader of insurgents,' Philip Fong/AFP via Getty Images

Days after announcing – and then rescinding – martial law in South Korea, President Yoon Suk Yeol’s future remains uncertain.

Immediate efforts to impeach the president over the attempted power grab have...

NASA’s crew capsule had heat shield issues during Artemis I − an aerospace expert on these critical spacecraft components

Written by Marcos Fernandez Tous, Assistant Professor of Space Studies, University of North Dakota

Off the coast of Baja California in December 2022, sun sparkled over the rippling sea as waves sloshed around the USS Portland dock ship. Navy officials on the deck scrutinized the sky in search of a sign. The glow appeared suddenly.

A tiny spot at first, it gradually grew to a round circle falling at a great speed from the fringes of space. It...