Palestinian refugees trapped in an indefinite exile

What exactly caused the explosion at a hospital in Gaza? Without an independent, credible investigation, it will be hard for everyone to agree

Stefan Schmitt, Florida International University

The hospital blast site has largely been cleared, Hamas says. But a forensic scientist explains what other evidence independent experts could look to while conducting an investigation.

Despite his government’s failure to anticipate Hamas’ deadly attack, don’t count Netanyahu out politically

Brent E Sasley, University of Texas at Arlington

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has presided over disasters before – and remained in power. But is the intelligence failure preceding the Hamas attack so big that this time he won’t?

Endometriosis afflicts millions of women, but few people feel comfortable talking about it

Kristina S. Brown, Adler University

Health care providers often dismiss endometriosis pain as ‘all in your head’ − which can delay a correct diagnosis and treatment for years.

Friendship research is getting an update – and that’s key for dealing with the loneliness epidemic

Jessica D. Ayers, Boise State University

Psychology researchers have focused on the idea that people form friendships with those who are similar, familiar and nearby. But how do individual people pick those who will become their friends?

Cancer has many faces − 5 counterintuitive ways scientists are approaching cancer research to improve treatment and prevention

Vivian Lam, The Conversation

From math to evolutionary game theory, looking at cancer through different lenses can offer further insights on how to approach treatment resistance, metastasis and health disparities.

We need a single list of all life on Earth – and most taxonomists now agree on how to start

Stephen Garnett, Charles Darwin University; Aaron M. Lien, University of Arizona

Only after a species is identified and listed by taxonomists can it be protected. Yet we still don’t have one globally agreed-upon list of every species. A new 74-nation survey points to the solution.

Rupert Murdoch’s empire was built on a shrewd understanding of how media and power work

Bruce Drushel, Miami University

As Rupert Murdoch prepares to hand over the keys to his media empire, what will his legacy be?

American individualism lives on after death, as consumers choose new ways to put their remains to rest

Diana Blaine, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences

For some people, the decision over how to dispose of their body represents one last adventure – and one last consumer choice, a scholar explains.

A century ago, a Black-owned team ruled basketball − today, no Black majority owners remain

Jared Bahir Browsh, University of Colorado Boulder

Led by a Black businessman named Bob Douglas, the New York Rens, who played their first game on Nov. 3, 1923, became one of the best basketball teams in the country.

How Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in D minor became Halloween’s theme song

Trump’s violent rhetoric echoes the fascist commitment to a destructive and bloody rebirth of society

Day of the Dead is taking on Halloween traditions, but the sacred holiday is far more than a ‘Mexican Halloween’