What's really going on at the US-Mexico border

Mexico elects first female president − but will that improve the lot of country’s women?

Xavier Medina Vidal, University of Texas at Arlington; Christopher Chambers-Ju, University of Texas at Arlington

After historic win, President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum will face pressure to address her country’s gender violence.

Rotting sargassum is choking the Caribbean’s white sand beaches, fueling an economic and public health crisis

Farah Nibbs, University of Maryland, Baltimore County

A leading driver of this seaweed invasion is pollution, carried down rivers and into the Atlantic Ocean from the continents.

Trump’s rhetoric after his felony conviction is designed to distract, stoke fear and ease the way for an anti-democratic strongman

Karrin Vasby Anderson, Colorado State University

Donald Trump’s reaction to his conviction provides a textbook case of demagoguery – which erodes democratic institutions and can prime an audience for violence. His followers went right along.

Wisconsin is a key swing state this year – and has a history of being unpredictable

Jonathan J. Kasparek, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

Wisconsin voters elected conservative and liberal politicians in almost equal numbers from 2008 to 2022 − in this election, issues such as abortion, the economy and immigration are key for voters.

Trump’s lawyers in lawsuits claiming he won in 2020 are getting punished for abusing courts and making unsupported claims and false statements

Elise J. Bean, Wayne State University

Federal judges and bar associations have meted out punishment to the many attorneys who filed meritless lawsuits claiming – without evidence – that the 2020 presidential election results were invalid.

Messages can trigger the opposite of their desired effect − but you can avoid communication that backfires

Sherry Seethaler, University of California, San Diego

Research reveals lots of reasons why well-meaning attempts to inform, persuade or correct misinformation go awry. It also identifies ways to avoid these communication backfires.

Pregnancy is an engineering challenge − diagnosing and treating preterm birth requires understanding its mechanics

Melissa Skala, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Kristin Myers, Columbia University; Michelle L. Oyen, Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis

How and why preterm birth happens is still unclear, in part because research on pregnancy tends to focus on developmental biology.

Scrappy, campy and unabashedly queer, public access TV series of the 1980s and 1990s offered a rare glimpse into LGBTQ+ life

Lauren Herold, Kenyon College

Because public access TV was relatively unregulated, shows could talk about sexual health and air racier segments that would have otherwise been censored on broadcast networks.

An American flag, a pencil sharpener − and the 10 Commandments: Louisiana’s new bill to mandate biblical displays in classrooms is the latest to push limits of religion in public schools

Charles J. Russo, University of Dayton

The Supreme Court’s approach toward religion in schools has been shifting, creating uncertainty about legislation such as Louisiana’s.

Forgetting appointments, deadlines and that call to Mom − the phenomenon of prospective memory and how to improve yours

Sarah Raskin, Trinity College

Many medical conditions can affect prospective memory. But so can excessive alcohol use.

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

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

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