The Conversation - Guilty on all 34 counts

Trump’s prosecution is unprecedented in US – but other countries have prosecuted former leaders

James D. Long, University of Washington; Morgan Wack, Clemson University; Victor Menaldo, University of Washington

Both sweeping immunity and overzealous prosecutions of former leaders can undermine democracy. But such prosecutions pose different risks for older democracies like the US than in younger ones.

Trump’s guilty verdict is not the end of the matter

Donald Nieman, Binghamton University, State University of New York

By focusing on the facts, the public can avoid being distracted by baseless allegations about the Trump verdict that undermine institutions designed to ensure – not weaponize – justice.

‘Born in the USA’ turns 40 − and still remains one of Bruce Springsteen’s most misunderstood songs

Diane Winston, USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism

In 1984, the album was atop the charts, and Ronald Reagan, running for reelection, told a New Jersey audience that he and the Boss shared the same American dream. Springsteen vehemently disagreed.

Why is ‘moral equivalence’ such a bad thing? A political philosopher explains

Michael Blake, University of Washington

Why has the ICC indictment of Israeli and Hamas leaders drawn so much fire? Understanding the notion of moral equivalence might help explain why.

Millions of current smokers became addicted when they were teens – and nicotine marketing targets adolescents today just as it did decades ago

Jon-Patrick Allem, Rutgers University

Online advertising featuring bright colors, cartoon figures and promotions by social media influencers entice adolescents to try tobacco.

Engineering cells to broadcast their behavior can help scientists study their inner workings

Scott Coyle, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Researchers can create ‘single-cell radios’ using bacterial proteins to transmit the invisible activities within cells.

Internships are linked to better employment outcomes for college graduates – but there aren’t enough for students who want them

Matthew T. Hora, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Hee Song, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Internships significantly boost a college graduate’s chances of getting a job, but securing an internship is a challenge, new research shows.

Does the US have a planned economy? You might be surprised

Daniel Pellathy, University of Tennessee

Companies need adept planning to solve supply chain issues.

Is collapse of the Atlantic Ocean circulation really imminent? Icebergs’ history reveals some clues

Yuxin Zhou, University of California, Santa Barbara; Jerry McManus, Columbia University

If the ocean circulation, known as AMOC, shuts down, it would be a climate disaster, particularly for Europe and North America. New research shows why that might not happen as soon as some fear.

France’s headscarf ban in the 2024 Summer Olympics reflects a narrow view of national identity, writes a scholar of European studies

Outside Supreme Court justice’s home, a Revolution-era flag, now a call for Christian nationalism

I’m an astrophysicist mapping the universe with data from the Chandra X-ray Observatory − clear, sharp photos help me study energetic black holes

The Conversation U.S. weekly news quiz

Fritz Holznagel, The Conversation

Here’s the first question of this week’s edition:

Donald Trump was convicted on 34 felony counts at his trial in New York. The jury apparently did not buy defense attorney Todd Blanche's description of witness (and former Trump fixer) Michael Cohen as what?

1. A. "A Mount Everest of misinformation"
2. B. "The GLOAT ... Greatest liar of all time"
3. C. "The King Kong of con men"
4. D. "A stool pigeon who sings like another MC, Mariah Carey"

Test your knowledge