The Conversation

How we discovered that people who are colorblind are less likely to be picky eaters

Written by Isabel Gauthier, David K. Wilson Professor of Psychology, Vanderbilt University

Watching Julia Child in color or black and white could influence how appetizing the food looks to some audience members.AP Photo

The seventh season of Julia Child’s “The French Chef,” the first of the television series to air in color, revealed how color can change the experience of food. While Child had charmed audiences in...

A college course that’s a history of the future

Written by Adam Jortner, Goodwin Philpott Eminent Professor of Religion, Auburn University

Sources of culture and thought can be found in literature and art that was considered lowbrow.Forrest J. Ackerman Collection/Corbis via Getty Images

Uncommon Courses is an occasional series from The Conversation U.S. highlighting unconventional approaches to teaching.

Title of course:

Science Fiction as Intellectual History

What prompted the idea for...

Medieval theology has an old take on a new problem − AI responsibility

Written by David Danks, Professor of Data Science, Philosophy, & Policy, University of California, San Diego

Ethicists wrestling with AI's responsibility for its actions, vis-a-vis its creators' responsibility, could learn a few things from theology.'The Creation of Adam' from the Sistine Chapel, by Michelangelo/Wikimedia Commons

A self-driving taxi has no passengers, so it parks itself in a lot to reduce congestion and air pollution. After being hailed,...

Elon Musk’s feud with Brazilian judge is much more than a personal spat − it’s about national sovereignty, freedom of speech and the rule of law

Written by Yasmin Curzi de Mendonça, Research associate, University of Virginia

Brazil's Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes faces off against X's Elon Musk.Ton Molina/NurPhoto via Getty Images / AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth

It is easy to get distracted by the barbs, swipes and bluster of the ongoing and very public spat between the world’s richest man and a fierce justice on Brazil’s highest court. Elon...

Bobbleheads, Magic 8 Balls, chairs and other artifacts in the Smithsonian reveal the historical significance of presidential debates

Written by Claire Jerry, Political History Curator, Smithsonian Institution

Donald Trump and Kamala Harris will face off in their first presidential debate on Sept. 10, 2024.AP Photo

Even though debates have been some of the most eagerly anticipated events in presidential campaigns, audiences and candidates have long wondered whether they matter.

The political history collections at the National Museum of American History,...

Politicians often warn of American decline – and voters often buy it

Written by Jonathan Schulman, Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Pennsylvania

While Donald Trump regularly discusses the risk of the U.S. losing its powerful standing in the world, Kamala Harris has taken a different approach that also hinges on emotion. altmodern/Getty Images

Presidential candidates talk about national decline while campaigning. A lot. This was front and center during the June 2024 debate between former...

How Democrats are making a mistake in rural America – by not showing up

Written by Jeff Bloodworth, Professor of History, Gannon University

Voting signs are seen in Jackson, Miss., during the 2023 governor's race. Brandon Bell/Getty Images

Rickey Cole, 58, is a farmer and the former two-term chair of Mississippi’s Democratic Party. If anyone understands rural Mississippi voters – and their shift from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party – it’s Cole.

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Found dead in the snow − how microbes can help pinpoint time of death for forensic investigations in frigid conditions

Written by Noemi Procopio, Senior Research Fellow, School of Law and Policing, University of Central Lancashire

Extreme weather conditions can make reconstructing the scene of a crime more difficult.Nick Thompson/iStock via Getty Images Plus

What happens to a dead body in an extremely cold environment? Does it decompose? How do these conditions affect how forensic scientists understand when the person died?

Estimating time of death, also called the post-mortem...

Neutral news sources could exploit today’s polarized mediascape to boost revenue − here’s why they may choose not to

Written by Abhishek Ray, Assistant Professor of Information Systems and Operations Management, George Mason University

Increasingly, Americans are interested only in news that confirms their political beliefs.Stock/Getty

Even news outlets perceived as politically neutral can benefit from today’s polarized media environment.

The past decade has seen a surge in partisan online news sites that patently skew toward one side of the American political spectrum, from...

How Russia employs ‘hard soft power’ to influence overseas media and sow dissent and fear among foreign populations

Written by Catherine Luther, Professor of Journalism & Media, University of Tennessee

Inside the studio during an RT broadcast.Misha Friedman/Getty Images

Public diplomacy – the art of rallying a foreign audience behind a nation’s interests – used to be about attracting support through charm, values and cultural exports. It is what political scientist Joseph Nye first referred to as “soft power.”

But our...