Politics, not laws, dictates prisoner exchanges

Psilocybin legislation is helping psychedelic drugs make a comeback – a drug researcher explains the challenges they face

Benjamin Y. Fong, Arizona State University

Pharmaceutical giants like Johnson & Johnson as well as smaller startups are investing in psychedelic drug development, and both are pursuing FDA approval for their patented psilocybin formulations.

‘House of the Dragon’ was inspired by the chaos of the Middle Ages, a world without law and order

David Routt, University of Richmond

In medieval Europe, vigilantism was rampant. Though there were rudimentary efforts to develop legal frameworks, the precepts could be bizarre, with justice sporadic and unevenly applied.

Missy Elliott tours as a headliner − and it’s about time

Elliott H. Powell, University of Minnesota

The six-time platinum-selling artist invites fans into an imagined future that celebrates Blackness and queerness.

Oceans without sharks would be far less healthy – new research

Michael Heithaus, Florida International University

A broad review of shark research shows that sharks play critical roles in keeping ocean ecosystems such as coral reefs and seagrass beds healthy.

The French baron who revived the Olympics believed they were more than sport – they were a religion of perfection and peace

Jeffrey Scholes, University of Colorado Colorado Springs; Terry Shoemaker, Arizona State University

Pierre de Coubertin hoped to channel the best of the ancient ceremonies into a new tradition that could foster both national pride and international harmony.

CAPTCHAs: The struggle to tell real humans from fake

Tam Nguyen, University of Dayton

CAPTCHAs are a key part of the arms race between AI deceivers and AI deception detectors. A computer scientist explains how they work.

Trump supporters wasted no time in claiming Kamala Harris is ineligible to be president, but they’re wrong

Charlie Hunt, Boise State University

A falsehood once used on Barack Obama – that he wasn’t eligible to be president – is being recycled to challenge the right of Kamala Harris to serve as president.

Gov. Josh Shapiro has a reputation for getting things done in Pennsylvania – but not necessarily things all Democrats like

Daniel J. Mallinson, Penn State

Pennsylvania’s governor has a long history of bipartisan negotiations and seizing moments in the spotlight.

Olympic arson attacks highlight growing danger of low-tech terrorism on public transit systems

Sara Harmouch, American University

Al-Qaida propaganda indicates a shift toward low-tech, high-impact attacks that can be executed by lone actors to disrupt daily life and instill fear on a massive scale.

Sustainability and resilience: What do they mean, and how do they matter for policy?

Amitrajeet A. Batabyal, Rochester Institute of Technology

There’s more than one way to be resilient.

Iceland’s recent volcanic eruptions driven by pooling magma are set to last centuries into the future

Childless women − cat ladies or not − have long played key roles in the Catholic Church

Offshore wind farms connected by an underwater power grid for transmission could revolutionize how the East Coast gets its electricity

The Conversation U.S. weekly news quiz

Fritz Holznagel, The Conversation

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

On July 29, President Joe Biden proposed what surprise reform for the U.S. Supreme Court?

1. A. Motor home tracking devices
2. B. Random drug testing
3. C. 18-year term limits
4. D. Sale of naming rights to Bud Light

Test your knowledge