Top US charitable donors gave $12B in 2023

The Constitution sets some limits on the people’s choices for president - but the Supreme Court rules it’s unconstitutional for state governments to decide on Trump’s qualifications

Robert A. Strong, University of Virginia

Right from the very beginning of the nation, there have been rules that limit the ability of the people to choose their leaders.

Supreme Court says only Congress can bar a candidate, like Trump, from the presidency for insurrection − 3 essential reads

Jeff Inglis, The Conversation

Experts explain the context behind the Supreme Court’s ruling on Donald Trump’s eligibility to appear on presidential ballots.

Michigan Gov. Whitmer proposes a caregiver tax credit − an idea many Americans support

Sarah E. Patterson, University of Michigan; Adriana Reyes, Cornell University

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s proposed tax credit is part of a trend toward public support for family caregiving.

Publishing Taylor Swift’s flight information: Is it stalking or protected free speech?

Lynn Greenky, Syracuse University

A college junior who has gained a following by sharing high-profile people’s private flight information says that he is sharing public information. Others, like Taylor Swift, say that he is stalking.

Despite UN warnings, Iran’s execution of Kurds and political dissidents continues unchecked

Haidar Khezri, University of Central Florida

In the wake of the death of Jîna Mahsa Amini in police custody in 2022, Iranian authorities have executed political dissenters at what the UN chief described as ‘an alarming rate.’

How age-friendly universities can improve the second half of life

David R. Buys, Mississippi State University; Aaron Guest, Arizona State University

As the share of adults age 60 and older grows globally, age-friendly universities offer social connection, continued learning and better health.

Lithium-ion batteries don’t work well in the cold − a battery researcher explains the chemistry at low temperatures

Wesley Chang, Drexel University

Electric vehicles are catching on across the US, but they’re also catching on fire in colder regions like the Northeast and Midwest.

Hispanic health disparities in the US trace back to the Spanish Inquisition

Margaret Boyle, Bowdoin College

Early modern societies in Latin America and Spain saw a convergence of traditional medical knowledge and the professionalization of medicine. The resulting differences in access to care endure today.

Robber flies track their beetle prey using tiny microbursts of movement

Siddhant Pusdekar, University of Minnesota

Not much is known about the predator fly Laphria saffrana. New research identified how they count the wingbeats of their favored prey, letting it slip out of focus before adjusting their heads.

Scorsese’s gods of the streets: From ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ to ‘Silence,’ faith is rarely far off in his films

Anthony Smith, University of Dayton

Though only a few of Scorsese’s films focus on religious stories, deeper questions about faith, doubt and living in a violent world tend to haunt his movies.

Can witches fly? A historian unpacks the medieval invention − and skepticism − of the witch on a broomstick

Michael D. Bailey, Iowa State University

The iconic image of a witch on a broomstick has apocryphal origins. But whether they could actually fly didn’t stop Christian society from persecuting them.

Bradley Cooper, Cillian Murphy and the myths of Method acting

Scott Malia, College of the Holy Cross

Hopefully, Academy Award winners will be chosen because voters believed in the actors’ performances − not because of some meta narrative about their off-screen behavior.

Mounting research shows that COVID-19 leaves its mark on the brain, including with significant drops in IQ scores

Nikki Haley, hanging on through Super Tuesday, says Trump is weak because he’s not getting as many votes as he should − she’s wrong

Is the United States overestimating China’s power?