The Conversation

Female giraffes drove the evolution of long giraffe necks in order to feed on the most nutritious leaves, new research suggests

Written by Douglas R. Cavener, Huck Distinguished Chair in Evolutionary Genetics and Professor of Biology, Penn State

A female giraffe browsing.

Everything in biology ultimately boils down to food and sex. To survive as an individual you need food. To survive as a species you need sex.

Not surprisingly then, the age-old question of why giraffes have long necks has centered around food and sex. After debating this question for the past 150 years, biologists still...

With a record-breaking 2024 Atlantic hurricane forecast, here’s how scientists are helping Caribbean communities adapt to a warming world

Written by Jorge González-Cruz, Professor of Atmospheric & Environmental Sciences, University at Albany, State University of New York

Puerto Rico has a fraught history with tropical storms, and climate change is making them more damaging.Mike Hill/Stone, via Getty Images

Preparing for Atlantic hurricane season is always a priority in the Caribbean, especially when forecasts project high numbers of storms, as they do for 2024. The region’s most devastating storm in recent...

Heat index warnings can save lives on dangerously hot days − if people understand what they mean

Written by Micki Olson, Senior Researcher in Emergency and Risk Communication, University at Albany, State University of New York

The sticky combination of heat and high humidity can be more than uncomfortable -- it can be deadly.Mario Tama/Getty Images

You’ve probably heard people say, “It’s not the heat, it’s the humidity.” There’s a lot of truth to that phrase, and it’s important to understand it as summer temperatures rise.

Humidity...

Removing Cuba from list of countries ‘not fully cooperating’ over terrorism may presage wider rapprochement – if politics allows

Written by Jason M. Blazakis, Professor of Practice and Director of Center on Terrorism, Extremism, and Counterterrorism, Middlebury

Will the US election put the brakes on any attempt to engage with Cuba?Kena Betancur/AFP via Getty Images

The U.S. State Department removed Cuba from its list of countries “not fully cooperating” with anti-terrorism efforts in mid-May 2024, but you would be forgiven for not noticing.

There was little fanfare accompanying the news: no...

Why India and Pakistan’s T20 cricket showdown in New York is such a big deal

Written by Umer Hussain, Assistant Professor of Sports Management, Wilkes University

Virat Kohli of India celebrates after the final run is scored during the ICC Men's T20 World Cup match between India and Pakistan in October 2022.Darrian Traynor/ICC via Getty Images

Americans might be surprised to learn that cricket – not baseball, nor football – holds the title of the nation’s first modern team sport. European...

Could Elvis’ Graceland hold a key to bridging America’s cultural divide?

Written by Michael T. Bertrand, Professor of History, Tennessee State University

Fans crowd the gates of Graceland on the 10th Anniversary of Elvis Presley's death on Aug. 16, 1987.Bill Nation/Sygma via Getty Images

Nearly 50 years have passed since Elvis Presley died; save for an annual August observance to commemorate the anniversary of the singer’s death, most days produce little news about Presley or his estate,...

Your favorite drink can cause breast cancer – but most women in the US aren’t aware of alcohol’s health risks

Written by Monica Swahn, Dean of the Wellstar College of Health and Human Services, Kennesaw State University

Targeted marketing may play a role in increasing alcohol consumption among women.Lisa Schaetzle/Moment via Getty Images

Did you know that casual drinks with friends or having a “wine mom” moment to unwind could actually be nudging up your risk for breast cancer? It sounds like a buzzkill. But it’s a truth that many might not know:...

500 years ago, Machiavelli warned the public not to get complacent in the face of self-interested charismatic figures

Written by Vickie B. Sullivan, Professor of Political Science, Tufts University

Julius Caesar was the first tyrant of Rome, after which Rome was never again free.Steve Christo/Corbis via Getty Images

A United States president sought to remain in office after his term ended, maintains a worshipful following and has declared he will operate as a dictator only on “day one” if reelected. His cunning and manipulation of...

Narendra Modi sworn in as India’s prime minister for a third term after a narrow win – suggesting Indian voters saw through religious rhetoric

Written by Sumit Ganguly, Distinguished Professor of Political Science and the Tagore Chair in Indian Cultures and Civilizations, Indiana University

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is greeted by supporters as he arrives at the Bharatiya Janata Party headquarters in New Delhi on June 4, 2024.AP Photo/Manish Swarup

_Leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party Narendra Modi was sworn in on June 9, 2024 for a rare third term as prime minister, after winning with a slim majority in India’s recently...

Modi’s narrow win suggests Indian voters saw through religious rhetoric, opting instead to curtail his political power

Written by Sumit Ganguly, Distinguished Professor of Political Science and the Tagore Chair in Indian Cultures and Civilizations, Indiana University

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is greeted by supporters as he arrives at the Bharatiya Janata Party headquarters in New Delhi on June 4, 2024.AP Photo/Manish Swarup

Narendra Modi, India’s two-time prime minister, was elected on June 5, 2024, as the leader of the National Democratic Alliance, a coalition of political parties that won with a...