Deadly reminder that phones are ultimate tracking device

Fed slashes rates by a half-point – what that means for the economy and the presidential election

Michael Walden, North Carolina State University

The relatively large rate cut signals that the Fed is shifting its focus from fighting inflation to supporting the labor market, an economist explains.

Immigrants are unsung heroes of global trade and value creation

Bedassa Tadesse, University of Minnesota Duluth; Roger White, Whittier College

Migrants play a crucial role in global trade networks.

Pager attack on Hezbollah was a sophisticated ‘booby-trap’ operation − it was also illegal

Mary Ellen O'Connell, University of Notre Dame

International law clearly states that hiding explosives in objects that could be picked up by civilians is strictly prohbited.

Invasive caterpillars can make aspen forests more toxic for native insects – a team of ecologists explains how

Richard L. Lindroth, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Patricia C. Fernandez, Universidad de Buenos Aires

Research finds that extensive feeding by invasive insects can cause trees to produce defense compounds, to the detriment of valued native insects.

Why the cost of water for poor Black Detroit voters may be key to Kamala Harris winning – or losing – Michigan

Ronald Brown, Wayne State University; R. Khari Brown, Wayne State University

Working-class and poor Black Detroiters tend to vote inconsistently in presidential elections, but they could be key to winning the swing state of Michigan in 2024.

How Israel’s Netanyahu survives in his job

Shai P. Ginsburg, Duke University

The impression that Israel is at a stalemate or that there is a rift between leader Benjamin Netanyahu and the Israeli public over the fate of the hostages is misleading. His hold on power is solid.

You want to vote in the 2024 election − here is how to make sure that your voice is heard

Amy Dacey, American University

Every state’s regulations and procedures are different, and it is vital that you understand the requirements and opportunities to vote where you live.

TRUTH in Labeling Act would heighten the warning for shoppers looking to cut sugar, salt and saturated fat intake

Kimberly Baker, Clemson University

If the legislation passes, the new label would be centered on the front of the package. But it’s an add-on, not a replacement for the existing label.

Preventive care is free by law, but many Americans get incorrectly billed − especially if you’re poor, a person of color or don’t have a college degree

Alex Hoagland, University of Toronto; Michal Horný, UMass Amherst

Patients often bear the cost of unexpected bills for basic preventive services such as wellness visits and cancer screenings.

Collaboratively imagining the future can bring people closer together in the present

Zoë Fowler, University at Albany, State University of New York; Brendan Bo O'Connor, University at Albany, State University of New York

The future and its possibilities are something that you actively co-create with others. New research suggests that imagining together makes you closer and more connected to them in the here and now.

50 years after the first procedure, Tommy John surgery is more common than ever − especially for young athletes

Ted Spiker, University of Florida; Kevin W. Farmer, University of Florida

It’s saved the careers of hundreds of MLB pitchers. But teenage athletes dreaming of fame and fortune are now having the surgery in record numbers.

A lonely and ancient plant needs a female partner and researchers are using drones and AI to find it

Gemma Ware, The Conversation

Rsearch fellow Laura Cinti talks to The Conversation Weekly podcast about her quest to find a female version of the endangered E. woodii cycad using drones and AI.

Biobots arise from the cells of dead organisms − pushing the boundaries of life, death and medicine

Trump’s second assassination attempt is shocking, but attempts on presidents’ lives are not rare in US history

‘They’re eating pets’ – another example of US politicians smearing Haiti and Haitian immigrants