The Conversation - Gun violence as a market failure

Iran crash: President Raisi’s death leaves Tehran mourning loss of regime loyalist

Eric Lob, Florida International University

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei announced a five day period of mourning following the discovery of wreckage on hillside.

How the Gaza humanitarian aid pier traces its origins to discarded cigar boxes before World War II

Frank A. Blazich Jr., Smithsonian Institution

A pre-World War II US Navy plan for a modular floating platform has developed into a key lifeline in Gaza and at disaster sites around the world.

Student anger over the Vietnam War erupted into violence in the ’60s − a terrorism expert explores if the same could happen today

Javed Ali, University of Michigan

Student-led protests in response to US engagement in the Vietnam War mounted in the 1960s and led to a group called the Weather Underground that believed in direct confrontation with the state.

Americans leave a huge chunk of change at airport security checkpoints − here’s what it means for the debate over getting rid of pennies

Jay L. Zagorsky, Boston University

Air travelers left nearly $1 million behind at TSA checkpoints in 2023.

‘Mary gardens’ bring Catholic piety to the garden

Kayla Harris, University of Dayton; Bridget Retzloff, University of Dayton

In the 20th century, an engineer from Philadelphia encouraged others to create their own Mary gardens and established a company that sold seeds with Marian plant names.

How community colleges kept students engaged during and after the pandemic

Xueli Wang, University of Wisconsin-Madison

One community college created a science pathway program that boasts a 100% employment rate for graduates.

Young Hondurans’ desire to migrate is influenced by factors beyond poverty and violence

Maria Estela Rivero Fuentes, University of Notre Dame

New research challenges the conventional wisdom that those who enjoy some form of employment and strong support networks are more inclined to attach themselves to a set geography.

Why does pizza taste so good?

Jeffrey Miller, Colorado State University

Pizza might seem like a simple food, but it’s uniquely equipped to excite our brains and thrill our taste buds.

AI chatbots are intruding into online communities where people are trying to connect with other humans

Casey Fiesler, University of Colorado Boulder

People participate in online communities to share experiences and sympathy. AI chatbots that join the conversation can only pretend to offer either.

Is hard water bad for you? 2 water quality engineers explain the potential benefits and pitfalls that come with having hard water

Sarah Blank, Iowa State University; Timothy Ellis, Iowa State University

Hard water might dry out your hair and skin − but having hard water isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

Alcohol use disorder can be treated with an array of medications – but few people have heard of them

Joseph P. Schacht, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus

Alcohol is responsible for more deaths than overdoses from opioids and all other substances combined, yet less than 10% of people with alcohol use disorder receive treatment.

Humans have been altering nature for thousands of years – to shape a sustainable future, it’s important to understand that deep history

It’s OK to mow in May − the best way to help pollinators is by adding native plants

College students in Austin, Texas, have dwelled in windowless rooms for years − here’s why the city finally decided to ban them