The Conversation - Water wars at the Supreme Court

Being skeptical of sources is a journalist’s job – but it doesn’t always happen when those sources are the police

Danielle K. Kilgo, University of Minnesota

In the aftermath of Adam Toledo's death, police and a prosecutor framed the incident as a confrontation with an armed male holding a gun. Should reporters have been so quick to accept that version?

Democratic bill attempts to undo voter restrictions of past 15 years

Nicholas Espíritu, University of California, Los Angeles

As GOP-run statehouses across the country tighten voting restrictions, a bill in Congress would, its Democratic sponsors say, undo more than 15 years of moves to make voting harder.

Has any US president ever served more than eight years?

David Yalof, University of Connecticut

Only one president has done so – Franklin Delano Roosevelt – but others considered it, and even tried.

Competition heats up in the melting Arctic, and the US isn’t prepared to counter Russia

Rockford Weitz, Tufts University

Russia is attempting to claim more of the Arctic seabed – an area rich in oil, gas and minerals – and its fleet of icebreakers is helping shipping expand. The US needs some creative ideas to catch up.

Brazil’s economic crisis, prolonged by COVID-19, poses an enormous challenge to the Amazon

Peter Richards, George Washington University

Because Brazil's economic prosperity in the last two decades is increasingly linked to the Amazon's good health, restoring the country's economy is a critical first step toward ending deforestation.

Sikhs in America: A religious community long misunderstood is mourning deaths in Indianapolis mass shooting

Simran Jeet Singh, Union Theological Seminary

A scholar explains the religious beliefs of Sikhs as well as the prejudices and barriers that many Sikhs in America face.

No, vaccine side effects don’t tell you how well your immune system will protect you from COVID-19

Robert Finberg, University of Massachusetts Medical School

It's normal for different people to mount stronger or weaker immune responses to a vaccine, but post-shot side effects won't tell you which you are.

How many Tyrannosaurus rex walked the Earth?

Ashley Poust, University of California, Berkeley; Daniel Varajão de Latorre, University of California, Berkeley

Using the incredible wealth of fossil data and a modern ecological theory, researchers estimated population density for the extinct apex predator.

Biden administration’s $39 billion child care strategy: 5 questions answered

Taryn Morrissey, American University School of Public Affairs

This infusion of funds will help struggling child care providers and support parents who have to exit the workforce to care for their kids.

Are America’s schools safe for Asian Americans?

Charissa S. L. Cheah, University of Maryland, Baltimore County; Aggie Yellow Horse, Arizona State University; Kevin A. Gee, University of California, Davis

Asian Americans are more likely to participate in remote learning than other racial groups, federal data show. To understand why, three experts weigh in.

Forget the debate over public health versus jobs – the same people suffer the most either way

Alicia R. Riley, University of California, San Francisco; Ellicott C. Matthay, University of California, San Francisco; Kate Duchowny, University of California, San Francisco

Most pandemic policies have benefited those already best off in US society and ignored people for whom neither mass shutdowns nor reopening offer relief.

COVID-19 public health messages have been all over the place – but researchers know how to do better

Todd Newman, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Dominique Brossard, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Emily Howell, University of Wisconsin-Madison

During the pandemic, clear and reliable health communication can literally be a life-and-death issue. Researchers who focus on the science of science communication highlight strategies that work.

Are mass shootings an American epidemic?

Lacey Wallace, Penn State

Gun violence as a whole is much more common, and much more deadly, than mass shootings are.

How effective is the first shot of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine?

William Petri, University of Virginia

The vaccine rollout is underway, but what happens if there is a supply disruption? Would it be feasible to change strategy and give more people a first dose? An expert analyzes the data.

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