The Conversation

What are the liberal arts? A literature scholar explains

Written by Blaine Greteman, Professor and Chair of English, University of Iowa

Cicero defined 'liberal arts' in a book he wrote about rhetoric in a republic. ra-photos/E+ via Getty Images

The term “liberal arts” is one of the most misunderstood terms in the public discourse on higher education today. A higher education expert once said that putting the words “liberal” and “arts” together...

'Big Bang of Numbers' – The Conversation's book club explores how math alone could create the universe with author Manil Suri

Written by Maggie Villiger, Senior Science + Technology Editor

Fractals emerge on Day 4 of Suri's playful Genesis-inspired narrative about math's role in creation.oxygen/Moment via Getty Images

The Conversation U.S. launched its new book club with a bang – talking to mathematician Manil Suri about his nonfiction work “The Big Bang of Numbers: How to Build the Universe Using Only Math.” Suri, a...

US autoworkers launch historic strike: 3 questions answered

Written by Joshua Murray, Assistant Professor of Sociology, Vanderbilt University

United Auto Workers members rally after marching in the Detroit Labor Day Parade on Sept. 4, 2023. Bill Pugliano via Getty Images

The United Auto Workers union, or UAW, has told workers at three factories to go on strike after failing to agree on new contracts with each of Detroit’s major automakers. The contracts expired at 11:59 p.m. on...

Alzheimer's disease is partly genetic − studying the genes that delay decline in some may lead to treatments for all

Written by Steven DeKosky, Professor of Neurology and Neuroscience, University of Florida

Researchers are zeroing in on understanding what goes awry in the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease.Tek Image/Science Photo Library via Getty Images

Diseases that run in families usually have genetic causes. Some are genetic mutations that directly cause the disease if inherited. Others are risk genes that affect the body in a way that...

The president loves ice cream, and a senator has a new girlfriend – these personal details may seem trivial, but can help reduce political polarization

Written by Jennifer Wolak, Professor of political science, Michigan State University

President Joe Biden eats an ice cream cone at a Baskin-Robbins in Portland, Ore., in October 2022. Carolyn Kaster/AP

Politicians want to be heard – to land a soundbite on the nightly news, to advertise their legislative accomplishments and to have people know their platform. But when given opportunities to talk to voters, they often share...

Ransom or realism? A closer look at Biden’s prisoner swap deal with Iran

Written by Klaus W. Larres, Professor of History and International Affairs, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Family members of American citizens detained overseas participate in a Bring Back our Families rally on May 3, 2023, in Washington. Anna Moneymaker/via Getty Images

Five American detainees have been released from imprisonment in Iran as the terms of the swap that set them free is drawing criticism.

The Biden administration’s agreement with...

As climate change warms rivers, they are running out of breath – and so could the plants and animals they harbor

Written by Li Li (李黎), Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Penn State

The Potomac River spills over Great Falls west of Washington, D.C..Marli Miller/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

As climate change warms rivers, they are losing dissolved oxygen from their water. This process, which is called deoxygenation, was already known to be occurring in large bodies of water, like oceans and lakes. A study that...

The importance of shining a light on hidden toxic histories

Written by Elizabeth Kryder-Reid, Chancellor's Professor of Anthropology and Museum Studies, Indiana University

Activists in Newark, N.J., offer tours that teach visitors about the city's legacy of industrial pollution and environmental racism.Charles Rotkin/Corbis via Getty Images

Indianapolis proudly claims Elvis’ last concert, Robert Kennedy’s speech in response to Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination, and the Indianapolis 500....

Heating and cooling space habitats isn't easy -- one engineering team is developing a lighter, more efficient solution

Written by Issam Mudawar, Betty Ruth and Milton B. Hollander Family Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University

It's hard to keep a spacecraft cool, but ongoing research on the International Space Station might yield a solution. AP Photo/Eric Gay

China, India and the U.S. have all achieved landing on the Moon in the 2020s.

Once there, their eventual goal is to set up a base. But a successful base – along with the spacecraft that will carry people to it...

The complex chemistry behind America's spirit – how bourbon gets its distinctive taste and color

Written by Michael W. Crowder, Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Miami University

Most bourbon is made in Kentucky. Catherine Falls Commercial/Moment via Getty Images

Few beverages have as rich a heritage and as complicated a chemistry as bourbon whiskey, often called “America’s spirit.” Known for its deep amber hue and robust flavors, bourbon has captured the hearts of enthusiasts across the country.

But for a...