The Conversation

Typhoon leaves flooded Alaska villages facing a storm recovery far tougher than most Americans will ever experience

Written by Rick Thoman, Alaska Climate Specialist, University of Alaska Fairbanks

A Coast Guard helicopter flies over flooded homes in Kipnuk, Alaska, on Oct. 12, 2025.U.S. Coast Guard

Remnants of a powerful typhoon swept into Western Alaska’s Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta on Oct. 12, 2025, producing a storm surge that flooded villages as far as 60 miles up the river. The water pushed homes off their foundations and set some afloat...

What the First Amendment doesn’t protect when it comes to professors speaking out on politics

Written by Neal H. Hutchens, University Research Professor of Education, University of Kentucky

Employees at public and private colleges do not have the same First Amendment rights. dane_mark/Royalty-free

American colleges and universities are increasingly firing or punishing professors and other employees for what they say, whether it’s on social media or in the classroom.

After the Sept. 10, 2025, killing of conservative activist...

The limits of free speech protections in American broadcasting

Written by Michael J. Socolow, Professor of Communication and Journalism, University of Maine

FCC Chairman Brendan Carr testifies in Washington on May 21, 2025.Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Image

The chairman of the Federal Communications Commission is displeased with a broadcast network. He makes his displeasure clear in public speeches, interviews and congressional testimony.

The network, afraid of the regulatory agency’s power...

Industrial facilities owned by profitable companies release more of their toxic waste into the environment

Written by Mahelet G Fikru, Professor of Economics, Missouri University of Science and Technology

Toxic chemical pollution can come in many forms, including compounds that float on top of water.Brett Hondow/iStock / Getty Images Plus

How much pollution a facility engaged in production or resource extraction emits isn’t just based on its location, its industry or the type of work it does. That’s what our team of environmental and...

Starbucks wants you to stay awhile – but shuttering its mobile-only pickup locations could be a risky move

Written by Vivek Astvansh, Associate Professor of Quantitative Marketing and Analytics, McGill University

When Starbucks announced that it would phase out its mobile-order pickup-only locations beginning in 2026, it raised a question: Why abandon a format seemingly built for speed and efficiency?

As Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol explained the decision in an earnings call, the pickup-only stores had a “transactional” feel, lacking “the...

In defense of ‘surveillance pricing’: Why personalized prices could be an unexpected force for equity

Written by Aradhna Krishna, Dwight F. Benton Professor of Marketing, University of Michigan

Surveillance pricing has dominated headlines recently. Delta Air Lines’ announcement that it will use artificial intelligence to set individualized ticket prices has led to widespread concerns about companies using personal data to charge different prices for identical products. As The New York Times reported, this practice involves...

New student loan limits could change who gets to become a professor, doctor or lawyer

Written by Rodney Coates, Professor of Critical Race and Ethnic Studies, Miami University

As millions of student loan borrowers settle into the school year, many are stressed about how they’ll pay for their degrees. These students may find that the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the big tax and spending bill that President Donald Trump signed into law over the summer, could limit how much they can borrow.

Until recently, graduate...

Supreme Court redistricting ruling could upend decades of voting rights law – and tilt the balance of power in Washington

Written by Sam D. Hayes, Assistant professor of politics and policy, Simmons University

Black Louisiana voters and civil rights advocates ask U.S. Supreme Court justices to uphold a fair and representative congressional map in Louisiana v. Callais on March 24, 2025. Jemal Countess/Getty Images

On Oct. 15, 2025, the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in one of the most anticipated cases of the 2025-2026 term, Louisiana v. Callais,...

‘Space tornadoes’ could cause geomagnetic storms – but these phenomena, spun off ejections from the Sun, aren’t easy to study

Written by Mojtaba Akhavan-Tafti, Associate Research Scientist, University of Michigan

Flux ropes (simulated, right) are structures made up of magnetic field lines wrapping around each other like a rope, that look similar to tornadoes on Earth.NOAA, Mojtaba Akhavan-Tafti and Chip Manchester

Weather forecasting is a powerful tool. During hurricane season, for instance, meteorologists create computer simulations to forecast how these...

Far fewer Americans support political violence than recent polls suggest

Written by Ryan Kennedy, Timashev Chair of Data Analytics and Professor of Political Science, The Ohio State University

Some surveys have reported that a large number of Americans are willing to support the use of force for political ends.stellalevi, DigitalVision Vectors/Getty Images

A series of recent events has sparked alarm about rising levels of political violence in the U.S. These episodes include the assassination of political activist Charlie Kirk on Sept....