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What I teach Harvard Law School students about opening arguments

  • Written by Ronald S. Sullivan Jr., Professor of Law, Harvard University
imageFormer U.S. President Donald Trump appears in Manhattan Criminal Court on April 19, 2024.Sarah Yenesel - Pool/Getty Images

Though Hollywood movies about courtroom dramas often glamorize the closing arguments given by lawyers, in reality the opening statement is likely the most important single event of a trial.

Lawyers in the hush money case...

Read more: What I teach Harvard Law School students about opening arguments

Cannabis legalization has led to a boom in potent forms of the drug that present new hazards for adolescents

  • Written by Ty Schepis, Professor of Psychology, Texas State University
imageMany of today's cannabis products barely resemble the 'weed' that most middle-aged adults grew up with. VladK213/iStock via Getty Images

Eventually, most adults reach a point where we realize we are out of touch with those much younger than us.

Perhaps it is a pop culture reference that sparks the realization. For me, this moment happened when I...

Read more: Cannabis legalization has led to a boom in potent forms of the drug that present new hazards for...

Chemical pollutants can change your skin bacteria and increase your eczema risk − new research explores how

  • Written by Ian Myles, Chief, Epithelial Therapeutics Unit, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
imageCertain chemicals in synthetic fabrics such as spandex, nylon and polyester can alter the skin microbiome.SBenitez/Moment via Getty Images

“We haven’t had a full night’s sleep since our son was born eight years ago,” said Mrs. B, pointing to her son’s dry, red and itchy skin.

Her son has had eczema his entire life....

Read more: Chemical pollutants can change your skin bacteria and increase your eczema risk − new research...

Transporting hazardous materials across the country isn’t easy − that’s why there’s a host of regulations in place

  • Written by Michael F. Gorman, Professor of Business Analytics and Operations Management, University of Dayton
imageHazardous materials regulations make sure that the vehicles carrying them have the right labels. Miguel Perfectti/iStock via Getty Images Plus

Ever wonder what those colorful signs with symbols and numbers on the backs of trucks mean? They’re just one visible part of a web of regulations that aim to keep workers and the environment safe while...

Read more: Transporting hazardous materials across the country isn’t easy − that’s why there’s a host of...

What cities can learn from Seattle’s racial and social justice law

  • Written by Serin Houston, Associate Professor of Geography and International Relations, Mount Holyoke College
imageThe Seattle skyline with Mt. Rainier in the background. Wolfgang Kaehler/LightRocket via Getty Images

The right-wing political campaign against diversity, equity and inclusion policies taking place in several states across the U.S. has called into question the nation’s commitment to achieving racial equality.

In this landscape, Seattle is...

Read more: What cities can learn from Seattle’s racial and social justice law

The Anglican Communion has deep differences over homosexuality – but a process of dialogue, known as ‘via media,’ has helped hold contradictory beliefs together

  • Written by Lisa McClain, Professor of History and Gender Studies, Boise State University
imageMembers of the Church of England's Synod, at Church House in central London, on Feb. 9, 2023. James Manning/PA Images via Getty Images

In recent years, churches in many Christian denominations have split over LGBTQ+ issues.

In the past six months, hundreds of congregations voted to leave the United Methodist Church over same-sex marriage and...

Read more: The Anglican Communion has deep differences over homosexuality – but a process of dialogue, known...

Death of Marine commander scarred by 1983 Beirut bombing serves as reminder of risks US troops stationed in Middle East still face

  • Written by Mireille Rebeiz, Chair of Middle East Studies & Associate Professor of Francophone & Women's, Gender & Sexuality Studies, Dickinson College

Gen. Alfred M. Gray Jr., who died on March 20, 2024, at the age of 95, was seen as a legend for his heroism in combat.

But despite his military success, Gray, who went on to serve as the 29th commandant of the Marine Corps from 1987 to 1991, will always be associated with one of the darkest days in U.S. military history: the Beirut barracks bombing...

Read more: Death of Marine commander scarred by 1983 Beirut bombing serves as reminder of risks US troops...

EU migration overhaul stresses fast-track deportations and limited appeal rights for asylum seekers

  • Written by Nicholas R. Micinski, Assistant Professor of Political Science and International Affairs, University of Maine
imageA 'hotspot' detention center on the Greek island of Lesbos.Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto via Getty Images

The European Parliament adopted its Pact on Migration and Asylum on April 10, 2024, clearing a major hurdle on its way to becoming European Union law. The package of regulations and directives seeks to update EU policies on migrants and refugees.

The...

Read more: EU migration overhaul stresses fast-track deportations and limited appeal rights for asylum seekers

Are race-conscious scholarships on their way out?

  • Written by Jeffrey C. Sun, Distinguished University Professor of Higher Education and Law, University of Louisville
imageSome colleges and universities have put race-based scholarships on hold.Carlos Barquero via Getty Images

The fate of hundred of millions of dollars in scholarship money is up in the air in Ohio after seven state universities put race-conscious programs on hold to check their legality. The review comes after Dave Yost, the state’s attorney...

Read more: Are race-conscious scholarships on their way out?

Why don’t female crickets chirp?

  • Written by Floyd W. Shockley, Entomologist and Collections Manager, Smithsonian Institution
imageI feel a song coming on ...Paul Starosta/Stone via Getty imagesimage

Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to curiouskidsus@theconversation.com.

Why don’t female crickets chirp? – Avery, age 8, Los Angeles

Insects communicate in lots of different ways, for many...

Read more: Why don’t female crickets chirp?

More Articles ...

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  2. TikTok fears point to larger problem: Poor media literacy in the social media age
  3. From sumptuous engravings to stick-figure sketches, Passover Haggadahs − and their art − have been evolving for centuries
  4. South Korean President Yoon faces foreign policy challenges after the National Assembly election
  5. How Trump is using courtroom machinations to his political advantage
  6. Are tomorrow’s engineers ready to face AI’s ethical challenges?
  7. Getting a good night’s rest is vital for neurodiverse children – pediatric sleep experts explain why
  8. Caring for older Americans’ teeth and gums is essential, but Medicare generally doesn’t cover that cost
  9. Wild turkey numbers are falling in some parts of the US – the main reason may be habitat loss
  10. The tragedy of sudden unexpected infant deaths – and how bedsharing, maternal smoking and stomach sleeping all contribute
  11. Graduation rates for low-income students lag while their student loan debt soars
  12. Columbia president holds her own under congressional grilling over campus antisemitism that felled the leaders of Harvard and Penn
  13. 3 things to learn about patience − and impatience − from al-Ghazali, a medieval Islamic scholar
  14. Why luck plays such a big role in hockey
  15. Billions of cicadas are about to emerge from underground in a rare double-brood convergence
  16. The luck of the puck in the Stanley Cup – why chance plays such a big role in hockey
  17. Cities with Black women police chiefs had less street violence during 2020’s Black Lives Matter protests
  18. 5 years after the Mueller report into Russian meddling in the 2016 US election on behalf of Trump: 4 essential reads
  19. AI chatbots refuse to produce ‘controversial’ output − why that’s a free speech problem
  20. Oman serves as a crucial back channel between Iran and the US as tensions flare in the Middle East
  21. Ireland at the crossroads: Can the ancient Brehon laws guide the republic away from anti-immigrant sentiment?
  22. Removing PFAS from public water systems will cost billions and take time – here are ways you can filter out harmful ‘forever chemicals’ at home
  23. Saturn’s ocean moon Enceladus is able to support life − my research team is working out how to detect extraterrestrial cells there
  24. Fermented foods sustain both microbiomes and cultural heritage
  25. Native American voices are finally factoring into energy projects – a hydropower ruling is a victory for environmental justice on tribal lands
  26. Reagan’s great America shining on a hill twisted into Trump’s dark vision of Christian nationalism
  27. Know thyself − all too well: Why Taylor Swift’s songs are philosophy
  28. Worried about housing shortages and soaring prices? Your community’s zoning laws could be part of the problem
  29. Other states, like Arizona, could resurrect laws on abortion, LGBTQ+ issues and more that have been lying dormant for more than 100 years
  30. ‘The former guy’ versus ‘Sleepy Joe’ – why Biden and Trump are loath to utter each other’s name
  31. Supreme Court to consider whether local governments can make it a crime to sleep outside if no inside space is available
  32. More climate-warming methane leaks into the atmosphere than ever gets reported – here’s how satellites can find the leaks and avoid wasting a valuable resource
  33. In the age of cancel culture, shaming can be healthy for online communities – a political scientist explains when and how
  34. Indian protesters pull from poetic tradition to resist Modi’s Hindu nationalism
  35. Grizzly bear conservation is as much about human relationships as it is the animals
  36. Exploding stars send out powerful bursts of energy − I’m leading a citizen scientist project to classify and learn about these bright flashes
  37. Drugs that aren’t antibiotics can also kill bacteria − new method pinpoints how
  38. Deepfake detection improves when using algorithms that are more aware of demographic diversity
  39. The US is losing access to its bases in Niger − here’s why that’s a big deal
  40. Foundations are using so many confusing words that few people can figure out what they’re doing
  41. Trump’s New York felony charges are going to trial – what the images might show when the business fraud case kicks off
  42. Germany’s turning point: 2 years into strategic pivot, progress made bodes well for the US, NATO and the world
  43. Rural counties increasingly rely on prisons to provide firefighters and EMTs who work for free, but the inmates have little protection or future job prospects
  44. Taylor Swift’s homage to Clara Bow
  45. 5 questions schools and universities should ask before they purchase AI tech products
  46. 4 reasons the practice of canceling weakens higher education
  47. Human brains and fruit fly brains are built similarly – visualizing how helps researchers better understand how both work
  48. Marijuana tax revenues fall short of projections in many states, including Colorado
  49. Does ‘virtue signaling’ pay off for entrepreneurs? We studied 81,799 Airbnb listings to find out
  50. From thousands to millions to billions to trillions to quadrillions and beyond: Do numbers ever end?