The Conversation - Modi wins, though loses majority

Female giraffes drove the evolution of long giraffe necks in order to feed on the most nutritious leaves, new research suggests

Douglas R. Cavener, Penn State

Giraffe necks are a hot topic among biologists. A new study contradicts an older theory that says male giraffes need long necks to fight over mates.

Why India and Pakistan’s T20 cricket showdown in New York is such a big deal

Umer Hussain, Wilkes University; M. Fahad Humayun, University of Evansville; Simran Kaur Sethi, University of Oklahoma; Steve Bien-Aime, University of Kansas

Tickets are going for as high as $40,000 on the secondary market.

Could Elvis’ Graceland hold a key to bridging America’s cultural divide?

Michael T. Bertrand, Tennessee State University

The singer’s home reflects the rags-to-riches trajectory that epitomizes the American Dream. Yet Presley and his estate were seen as not quite refined enough to reflect true upward mobility.

Stevie Wonder’s Ghanaian citizenship reflects long-standing links between African Americans and the continent

Nemata Blyden, University of Virginia

Ghana has long attracted African Americans who have suffered racial injustices in the US.

Removing Cuba from list of countries ‘not fully cooperating’ over terrorism may presage wider rapprochement – if politics allows

Jason M. Blazakis, Middlebury

Cuban has yo-yoed on and off the US list of state sponsors of terrorism. Is the Biden administration changing that?

Heat index warnings can save lives on dangerously hot days − if people understand what they mean

Micki Olson, University at Albany, State University of New York

A risk expert explains how to read the heat index and interpret extreme heat warnings, and how to stay safe.

With a record-breaking 2024 Atlantic hurricane forecast, here’s how scientists are helping Caribbean communities adapt to a warming world

Jorge González-Cruz, University at Albany, State University of New York

Hardening electric transmission systems and monitoring ocean temperatures are 2 key priorities.

500 years ago, Machiavelli warned the public not to get complacent in the face of self-interested charismatic figures

Vickie B. Sullivan, Tufts University

Renaissance philosopher Niccolò Machiavelli dissected the threats authoritarian figures pose to representative government.

Your favorite drink can cause breast cancer – but most women in the US aren’t aware of alcohol’s health risks

Monica Swahn, Kennesaw State University; Ritu Aneja, University of Alabama at Birmingham

Drinking alcohol is normalized in American society. But the ubiquity of alcohol consumption hides its serious health risks, including cancer.

Can chameleons change colour in their sleep? The Conversation’s Curious Kids podcast

Eloise Stevens, The Conversation

Find out everything you ever wanted to know about how and why chameleons change colour in The Conversation’s Curious Kids podcast.

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

Returning a 170-year-old preserved lizard to Jamaica is a step toward redressing colonial harms

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