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Better but not stellar: Pollsters faced familiar complaints, difficulties in assessing Trump-Harris race

W. Joseph Campbell, American University School of Communication

With a history of presidential polls getting it wrong − sometimes very wrong − how did this year’s polling fare? Some US pollsters did better, but a Brazilian pollster did the best.

Campus diversity is becoming difficult to measure as students keep their race and ethnicity hidden on college applications

Karly Sarita Ford, Penn State

A year after the Supreme Court banned race-based admissions, students’ choices and college policies have affected a view of its impact.

Knee problems tend to flare up as you age – an orthopedic specialist explains available treatment options

Angie Brown, Quinnipiac University

Injuries and osteoarthritis of the knee are common. Fortunately, there are many ways to prevent and treat knee pain.

Saltwater flooding is a serious fire threat for EVs and other devices with lithium-ion batteries

Xinyu Huang, University of South Carolina

If you live in a flood-prone area, especially near the ocean, it’s important to know the risks if your EV is flooded. Or your golf cart, e-bike or other device with lithium-ion batteries.

Get chronic UTIs? Future treatments may add more bacteria to your bladder to beat back harmful microbes

Sarguru Subash, Texas A&M University

Certain strains of E. coli tucked in a gel can crowd out the microbes that cause urinary tract infections.

As the Taurid meteor shower passes by Earth, pseudoscience rains down – and obscures a potential real threat from space

Mark Boslough, University of New Mexico

Get past the fake science, and the Taurid meteor shower foreshadows what could, one day, pose a troubling scenario.

Why Canada’s decision to lift a ban on cod fishing in Newfoundland after 32 years is so controversial

Gemma Ware, The Conversation

Fisheries scientist Tyler Eddy explains the history of the North Atlantic cod moratorium, and why it was lifted in 2024. Listen to The Conversation Weekly podcast.

The Conversation U.S. weekly news quiz

Fritz Holznagel, The Conversation

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

The new feature film "Conclave" tells the story of a rare and confrontational gathering of what?

1. A. Lowland gorillas
2. B. Catholic cardinals
3. C. Climate scientists
4. D. Grateful Dead and Phish fans

Test your knowledge

One election victory does not make a new era in American politics − here’s what history shows

Asking ChatGPT vs Googling: Can AI chatbots boost human creativity?

I’m a neuroscientist who taught rats to drive − their joy suggests how anticipating fun can enrich human life