The Conversation

Indonesia president’s diplomatic dash takes in China and US − but a Trump presidency may see the aspiring regional powerhouse tilt more toward Beijing

Written by Angguntari Ceria Sari, Lecturer in International Relations, Universitas Katolik Parahyangan

President of Indonesia Prabowo Subianto meets his U.S. counterpart. But is the distance between the two countries set to widen?by Alex Wong/Getty Images

It’s been a whirlwind week for Indonesian president Prabowo Subianto. On Nov. 9, he was breaking bread with Chinese leader Xi Jinping; three days later he was sitting down with President Joe...

Untreated sewage and fertilizer runoff threaten the Florida manatee’s main food source, contributing to malnutrition

Written by Aarin-Conrad Allen, Ph.D. Candidate in Marine Sciences, Florida International University

Researchers believe a decline in seagrass is leaving manatees malnourished.Dave Fleetham/Design Pics Editorial/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

The gentle, slow-moving Florida manatee has no natural predators.

And yet, these charismatic mammals face numerous threats.

Manatees are struck by vessels in busy waterways across the state, and a majo...

Campuses are ground zero in debates about antisemitism − but that’s been true for 100 years

Written by Jonathan Krasner, Associate Professor of Jewish Education Research, Brandeis University

Members of Mu Beta Chi, a Jewish fraternity, at the University of Minnesota in 1936. Upper Midwest Jewish Archives, University of Minnesota, CC BY-ND

When Eliza arrived on her West Coast college campus in the fall of 2020, building community was difficult due to the raging COVID-19 pandemic. Yet over time she forged a network of friends, anchored...

Republican lawmakers will reshape tax policy in 2025 — a tax expert explains what to expect

Written by Jim Franklin, Director of Academic Programs, Western Governors University School of Business

Although coverage of the 2024 election was dominated by the economy, taxes didn’t get much attention in the run-up to the vote. That’s a bit of a surprise, since 2025 will be a major year for America’s tax system – in fact, the fate of the most significant tax reform in three decades hangs in the balance.

That would be the...

3 innovative ways to help countries hit by climate disasters, beyond a loss and damage fund

Written by Erin Coughlan de Perez, Professor of Climate Risk Management, Tufts University

People climb to the top of a bridge damaged when Cyclone Idai hit Mozambique in 2019.Andrew Renneisen/Getty Images

These days, it’s hard to escape news stories discussing how climate change is contributing to extreme weather disasters, including the recent U.S. hurricanes. Aid agencies are increasingly worried about the widespread damage.

A...

Hundreds of 19th-century skulls collected in the name of medical science tell a story of who mattered and who didn’t

Written by Pamela L. Geller, Associate Professor of Anthropology, University of Miami

Illustration of just one of almost a thousand skulls Morton and colleagues collected.Crania Americana by Samuel Morton, CC BY

When I started my research on the Samuel George Morton Cranial Collection, a librarian leaned over my laptop one day to share some lore. “Legend has it,” she said, “John James Audubon really collected the...

Federal judge rules that Louisiana shalt not require public schools to post the Ten Commandments

Written by Charles J. Russo, Joseph Panzer Chair in Education and Research Professor of Law, University of Dayton

Controversy over displays of the Ten Commandments on government property is nothing new, but only one case about schools has reached the Supreme Court.AP Photo/Dave Martin

Do the Ten Commandments have a valid place in U.S. classrooms? Louisiana’s Legislature and governor insist the answer is “yes.” But on Nov. 12, 2024, a federal...

Poor teacher training partly to blame for stalled engineering diversity goals

Written by Lisa Bosman, Associate Professor of Industrial Engineering, Purdue University

Black students remain significantly underrepresented in engineering. Tara Moore/DigitalVision via Getty Images

Diversifying the science, technology, engineering and math fields has long been a top priority of many universities and tech companies. It’s also a goal of the National Science Foundation, the biggest funder of university-led...

Asking ChatGPT vs Googling: Can AI chatbots boost human creativity?

Written by Jaeyeon Chung, Assistant Professor of Business, Rice University

AI chatbots can give helpful suggestions.Carol Yepes/Moment via Getty Images

Think back to a time when you needed a quick answer, maybe for a recipe or a DIY project. A few years ago, most people’s first instinct was to “Google it.” Today, however, many people are more likely to reach for ChatGPT, OpenAI’s conversational AI,...

Brain-training games remain unproven, but research shows what sorts of activities do benefit cognitive functioning

Written by Ian McDonough, Associate Professor of Psychology, Binghamton University, State University of New York

Brain-training games sell themselves as a way to maintain cognitive function, but the evidence isn't there yet.Eva-Katalin/E+ via Getty Images

Some 2.3 million of U.S. adults over 65 – more than 4% – have a diagnosis of dementia. But even without a diagnosis, a certain amount of cognitive decline is normal as age sets in.

And whether...