The Conversation

Ireland at the crossroads: Can the ancient Brehon laws guide the republic away from anti-immigrant sentiment?

Written by Christine Kinealy, Director of Ireland's Great Hunger Institute, Quinnipiac University

Undocumented migrants in Ireland hold a demonstration in 2017.Artur Widak/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Ireland’s new prime minister is a relatively young man leading a comparatively young republic that is experiencing several unprecedented challenges.

Simon Harris was confirmed as “taoiseach,” or prime minister, on April 9, 2024,...

Removing PFAS from public water systems will cost billions and take time – here are ways you can filter out harmful ‘forever chemicals’ at home

Written by Kyle Doudrick, Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame

PFAS are showing up in water systems across the U.S.Jacek Dylag/Unsplash, CC BY

Chemists invented PFAS in the 1930s to make life easier: Nonstick pans, waterproof clothing, grease-resistant food packaging and stain-resistant carpet were all made possible by PFAS. But in recent years, the growing number of health risks found to be connected to these...

Saturn’s ocean moon Enceladus is able to support life − my research team is working out how to detect extraterrestrial cells there

Written by Fabian Klenner, Postdoctoral Scholar in Earth and Space Sciences, University of Washington

Scientists could one day find traces of life on Enceladus, an ocean-covered moon orbiting Saturn.NASA/JPL-Caltech, CC BY-SA

Saturn has 146 confirmed moons – more than any other planet in the solar system – but one called Enceladus stands out. It appears to have the ingredients for life.

From 2004 to 2017, Cassini – a joint mission...

Fermented foods sustain both microbiomes and cultural heritage

Written by Andrew Flachs, Associate Professor of Anthropology, Purdue University

Each subtle cultural or personal twist to a fermented dish is felt by your body's microbial community.microgen/iStock via Getty Images

Many people around the world make and eat fermented foods. Millions in Korea alone make kimchi. The cultural heritage of these picklers shape not only what they eat every time they crack open a jar but also...

Native American voices are finally factoring into energy projects – a hydropower ruling is a victory for environmental justice on tribal lands

Written by Emily Benton Hite, Assistant Professor of Sociology and Anthropology, Saint Louis University

The U.S. has a long record of extracting resources on Native lands and ignoring tribal opposition, but a decision by federal energy regulators to deny permits for seven proposed hydropower projects suggests that tide may be turning.

As the U.S. shifts from fossil fuels to clean energy, developers are looking for sites to generate electricity from...

Reagan’s great America shining on a hill twisted into Trump’s dark vision of Christian nationalism

Written by Diane Winston, Professor and Knight Center Chair in Media & Religion, USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism

In August 1982, Ronald Reagan’s father-in-law was dying. Nancy Reagan’s beloved dad, Loyal Davis, was an atheist – a troubling fact to the 40th president. So Reagan penned a private, handwritten note in which he recounted how the prayers of colleagues and friends had cured him of a painful stomach ulcer.

Giving hope for what lay...

Know thyself − all too well: Why Taylor Swift’s songs are philosophy

Written by Jessica Flanigan, Professor of Leadership Studies and Philosophy, Politics, Economics and Law, University of Richmond

'Fearless' on stage − and in introspection. Ashok Kumar/TAS24/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management

Taylor Swift isn’t just a billionaire songwriter and performer. She’s also a philosopher.

As a Swiftie and a philosopher, I’ve found that this claim surprises Swifties and philosophers alike. But once her fans learn a bit...

Worried about housing shortages and soaring prices? Your community’s zoning laws could be part of the problem

Written by Jessica Trounstine, Professor of Political Science, Vanderbilt University

Many cities prohibit duplexes and high-rises. Although residents enjoy the extra space, it contributes to housing costs.Joe Sohm/Visions of America/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Local governments often try to combat housing costs and create affordable housing by passing legislation that changes current zoning and land-use regulations. But...

Other states, like Arizona, could resurrect laws on abortion, LGBTQ+ issues and more that have been lying dormant for more than 100 years

Written by Dara E. Purvis, Professor of Law, Penn State

Pro-abortion rights demonstrators rally in Scottsdale, Ariz., on April 15, 2024.Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images

When the Supreme Court overturned the constitutional right to get an abortion in June 2022, Justice Clarence Thomas suggested that the court “should reconsider” other rights it currently recognizes – like the...

‘The former guy’ versus ‘Sleepy Joe’ – why Biden and Trump are loath to utter each other’s name

Written by Roger J. Kreuz, Associate Dean and Professor of Psychology, University of Memphis

President Joe Biden referred to Donald Trump as 'my predecessor' 13 times during the 2024 State of the Union.Matt McClain/The Washington Post via Getty Images

During his 2024 State of the Union Address, President Joe Biden mentioned his presumptive challenger, Donald Trump, 15 times – but never once by name.

Instead, Biden referred to him as...