Why thirsty US states should look to Israel

What are strike funds? A labor-management relations expert explains

Raymond Gibney Jr., Penn State

When unions amass large sums of money to parcel out to workers, it can give them more leverage in negotiations with employers.

Why ‘Barbie’ and ‘The Little Mermaid’ made 2023 the dead girl summer

Katie Kapurch, Texas State University

People might go to the movies to escape reality. Yet Barbie and Ariel choose to live in the world their audiences inhabit − and, in doing so, decide to die.

5 ways that college campuses benefit from diversity, equity and inclusion programs

Erica Jacqueline Licht, Harvard Kennedy School

Diversity programs benefit schools and students in multiple ways, research shows.

Seismologists can’t predict an impending earthquake, but longer-term forecasts and brief warnings after one starts are possible

Harold Tobin, University of Washington

The idea that scientists could warn a region that a big quake was coming at a certain time – with enough advance notice for large-scale preparation and evacuation – remains a dream, not a reality.

How evasive and transmissible is the newest omicron offshoot, BA.2.86, that causes COVID-19? 4 questions answered

Suresh V. Kuchipudi, University of Pittsburgh

Researchers still don’t know how well BA.2.86 will evade immunity or whether it will cause more severe disease than its predecessors.

Looking for your ‘calling’? What people get wrong when chasing meaningful work

Garrett Potts, University of South Florida

The idea of a ‘calling’ has stretched far beyond its religious roots. But the way US society talks about meaningful work isn’t always helpful.

Antisemitism on Elon Musk’s X is surging and dredging up many ancient, defamatory themes of blaming Jews

Pamela S. Nadell, American University

Antisemitism on X recycles ancient tropes falsely blaming Jewish people for a wide range of social and political ills, and for their own victimization.

US response to Gabon and Niger coups suggests need for a new West Africa policy in Washington

Julius A. Amin, University of Dayton

No US president has set foot on sub-Saharan Africa since 2015 – and it hasn’t gone unnoticed.

Silicon Valley investors want to create a new city – is ‘California Forever’ a utopian dream or just smart business?

Iain White, University of Waikato

A controversial new city project in northern California has echoes of past utopian plans – but idealism and commercial reality have always been uneasy partners.

WHO expert cancer group states that the sweetener aspartame is a possible carcinogen, but evidence is limited – 6 questions answered

Invasive species cause billions of dollars in damage worldwide: 4 essential reads

If anxiety is in my brain, why is my heart pounding? A psychiatrist explains the neuroscience and physiology of fear