The Conversation

Feinstein's death raises the question: How are vacant Senate seats filled?

Written by Gibbs Knotts, Professor of Political Science, College of Charleston

Sen. Bob Menendez and his wife arrive at the U.S. District Court in New York City on Sept. 27, 2023.Timothy A. Clary/AFP via Getty Images

There’s an empty seat in the U.S. Senate now that California’s longtime and senior senator, Dianne Feinstein, has died. California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced on social media that he has chosen former...

Lost in the coffee aisle? Navigating the complex buzzwords behind an 'ethical' bag of beans is easier said than done

Written by Spencer M. Ross, Associate Professor of Marketing, UMass Lowell

The text on a single bag of coffee can feel like information overload.d3sign/Moment via Getty Images

You’re shopping for a bag of coffee beans at the grocery store. After reading about the effects of climate change and how little farmers make – typically $0.40 per cup – you figure it might be time to change your usual beans and...

Government shutdowns hurt federal worker morale, long after paychecks resume − especially for those considered 'nonessential'

Written by Susannah Bruns Ali, Assistant Professor of Public Policy and Administration, Florida International University

A government shutdown would affect more than 2 million federal employees, plus more than 3 million contractors. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Unless Congress and the White House can agree on a budget or extend funding short term, the federal government will shut down on Oct. 1, 2023.

This means that approximately 2.2 million civilian federal...

Tropical climates are the most biodiverse on Earth − but it's not only because of how warm and wet they are

Written by Marco Túlio Pacheco Coelho, Postdoctoral research associate, Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL)

Natural selection can get to work in isolated locations.Birger Strahl/Unsplash, CC BY

Life exists in every conceivable environment on Earth, from the peaks of towering mountains to the remote stretches of isolated islands, from sunlit surfaces to the darkest depths of the oceans. Yet, this intricate tapestry of existence isn’t spread...

Your microbes live on after you die − a microbiologist explains how your necrobiome recycles your body to nourish new life

Written by Jennifer DeBruyn, Professor of Environmental Microbiology, University of Tennessee

After you die, bacteria harvest your body for the nutrients that help push daisies.Matriyoshka/iStock via Getty Images Plus

Each human body contains a complex community of trillions of microorganisms that are important for your health while you’re alive. These microbial symbionts help you digest food, produce essential vitamins, protect you...

Sea glass, a treasure formed from trash, is on the decline as single-use plastic takes over

Written by Lori Weeden, Teaching Professor of Environmental Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, UMass Lowell

Every piece of sea glass has a story − but sea glass could be on the decline. Olga Pankova/Moment

When you stroll along a beach, you may look down and spot colorful bits of worn glass mixed in with the sand. But the little treasures you’ve found actually began as discarded trash.

As an environmental science professor, I find these gifts...

Juries that don't understand forensic science can send innocent people to prison − a short training video could help

Written by Devon LaBat, Doctoral Candidate in Legal Psychology, Florida International University

Jurors tend to rely heavily on forensic testimony, even when they don't understand it.andresr/E+ via Getty Images

Ledura Watkins was 19 years old when he was accused of murdering a public school teacher. At trial, a forensic expert testified that a single hair found at the scene was similar to Watkins’ and stated his conclusion was based on...

What will this government shutdown shut down? Social Security and Medicaid keep going; SBA loans and some food and safety inspections do not

Written by Laura Blessing, Senior Fellow, Government Affairs Institute at Georgetown University, Georgetown University

A shutdown's effects will be broad and deep.gguy44/ iStock / Getty Images Plus

The U.S. is moving toward a government shutdown. House and Senate appropriators are divided on spending levels, policy riders and additional items, such as support for Ukraine.

As a political scientist who studies the evolving budget process, as well as brinkmanship in...

Hip-hop on trial: When can a rapper's lyrics be used as evidence in a criminal case?

Written by Taifha Natalee Alexander, CRT Forward Project Director, University of California, Los Angeles

Brooklyn rapper 6ix9ine's lyrics were used against him during his criminal trial in 2019.John Parra/Getty Images

When police arrested Nevada rapper Kenjuan McDaniel on a murder charge in August 2023, they cited a music video he posted on YouTube that they say includes details of a 2021 killing that had not been made public.

McDaniel, who uses the...

Why some Indians want to change the country's name to 'Bharat'

Written by Phillip M. Carter, Professor of Linguistics and English, Florida International University

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomes delegates to the G20 leaders summit in front of a placard reading 'Bharat,' the Hindi word for 'India.'Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

When India invited delegates attending the G20 summit in September 2023 to dinner with “the President of Bharat,” rather than “the President of India,”...