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The Conversation

Birkin handbags, Walmart’s ‘Wirkin’ and the meme-ification of class warfare

  • Written by Aarushi Bhandari, Assistant Professor of Sociology, Davidson College

In previous eras of internet culture, mockery of the rich and famous was usually relegated to far-left forums.

But as 2025 begins, ridiculing the rich appears to have gone mainstream.

Look no further than the Walmart handbag that mimics the look of Hermès’ iconic, exclusive and uber-expensive Birkin bag.

The cost of the Birkin bag can...

Read more: Birkin handbags, Walmart’s ‘Wirkin’ and the meme-ification of class warfare

Trees ‘remember’ wetter times − never having known abundant rain could buffer today’s young forests against climate change

  • Written by Alana Chin, Assistant Professor of Plant Physiology, Cal Poly Humboldt
imageTrees killed by drought and an outbreak of bark beetles in California's Tahoe National Forest in 2023.AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez

What does the future hold for forests in a warmer, drier world? Over the past 25 years, trees have been dying due to effects of climate change around the world. In Africa, Asia, NorthAmerica, South America and Eu...

Read more: Trees ‘remember’ wetter times − never having known abundant rain could buffer today’s young...

I study modern-day slavery − and here’s what I’ve learned about how enslavers try to justify their actions

  • Written by Monti Datta, Associate Professor of Political Science, University of Richmond

Several high-profile celebrities were slapped with human-trafficking charges in late 2024, from music mogul Sean Combs, known as P. Diddy, to Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries. Neither has been tried yet, but in 2022 the R&B superstar R. Kelly was convicted of sex-trafficking crimes that dated back decades. He was sentenced to 30 years....

Read more: I study modern-day slavery − and here’s what I’ve learned about how enslavers try to justify their...

3 myths about rural education that are holding students back

  • Written by Sheneka Williams, Professor and Department Chair of Educational Administration, Michigan State University
imageStudents in rural areas achieve just as much as their peers elsewhere. skynesher/E+ via Getty Images

Much has been written about the potential consequences of getting rid of the Department of Education, one of President-elect Donald Trump’s campaign promises.

Little of the discussion that we’ve seen has focused on the impact on rural...

Read more: 3 myths about rural education that are holding students back

How the world fell in love with plastic without thinking through the consequences – podcast

  • Written by Gemma Ware, Host, The Conversation Weekly Podcast, The Conversation
imageJoaquin Traverso Traverso/Shutterstock

Every year, 400 million tons of plastic are produced worldwide, and every year, approximately 57 million tons of plastic pollution is created. And yet in November, the latest round of negotiations on the first legally binding international treaty on plastics pollution ended without an agreement.

Oil-producing...

Read more: How the world fell in love with plastic without thinking through the consequences – podcast

How Santa Ana winds fueled the deadly fires in Southern California

  • Written by Jon Keeley, Research Ecologist, USGS; Adjunct Professor, University of California, Los Angeles
imageOver 1,000 structures burned in the span of two days, Jan 7-8, 2025, near Los Angeles.AP Photo/Ethan Swope

Powerful Santa Ana winds, near hurricane strength at times, swept down the mountains outside Los Angeles and pushed wildfires into several neighborhoods starting Jan. 7, 2025. Well over 1,000 homes and several schools had burned by Jan. 8, and...

Read more: How Santa Ana winds fueled the deadly fires in Southern California

Trump won’t rule out force to take Greenland – a country with a complex colonial history

  • Written by Darius von Guttner Sporzynski, Historian, Australian Catholic University

Donald Trump has long been interested in Greenland becoming part of the United States. Yesterday, he told reporters he would not rule out using military force to acquire the Danish territory, saying “we need” it for the “economic security” of the United States. As he spoke, his son Donald Jr was in Greenland, on what is...

Read more: Trump won’t rule out force to take Greenland – a country with a complex colonial history

Trump’s push to control Greenland echoes US purchase of Alaska from Russia in 1867

  • Written by William L. Iggiagruk Hensley, Visiting Distinguished Professor, University of Alaska Anchorage
imageThe U.S. bought Alaska and its significant natural resources and beautiful scenery for what amounts to a steal. AP Photo/Mark Thiessen

President-elect Donald Trump is again signaling his interest in Greenland through a series of provocative statements in which he’s mused about the prospect of the U.S. taking ownership – perhaps by force...

Read more: Trump’s push to control Greenland echoes US purchase of Alaska from Russia in 1867

Want to quit vaping this year? Here’s what the evidence shows so far about effective strategies

  • Written by Jamie Hartmann-Boyce, Assistant Professor of Health Promotion and Policy, UMass Amherst
imageResearch into how to quit vaping is still in its infancy.Massimiliano Finzi/Moment via Getty Images

Lots of people who vape want to quit, but there’s very little guidance on how best to do so.

In the U.S., recent reports estimate that 5.9% of youth and 4.5% of adults currently vape. This proportion varies worldwide, however. In Britain, an...

Read more: Want to quit vaping this year? Here’s what the evidence shows so far about effective strategies

More Articles ...

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  7. Who owns that restaurant? The answer can affect food safety in unexpected ways, researchers find
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  29. Tech law in 2025: a look ahead at AI, privacy and social media regulation under the new Trump administration
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