Why art museums can't bank on an NFT bailout

Could oral antiviral pills be a game-changer for COVID-19? An infectious disease physician explains why these options are badly needed

Patrick Jackson, University of Virginia

Merck and Pfizer both have oral antiviral pills under review by the FDA. Such treatments could help turn the tide of the pandemic.

Tick management programs could help stop Lyme disease, but US funding is inadequate

Isobel Ronai, Columbia University

Lyme disease affects millions worldwide. But there are things you can do to protect yourself from this insidious illness.

Cuba’s post-revolution architecture offers a blueprint for how to build more with less

M. Wesam Al Asali, Princeton University

After Fidel Castro took power, government plans to build new housing, schools and factories were hindered by sanctions and supply chain issues, forcing architects to come up with creative solutions.

Why Moderna won’t share rights to the COVID-19 vaccine with the government that paid for its development

Ana Santos Rutschman, Saint Louis University

Moderna claims its scientists alone invented the mRNA sequence used to produce its COVID-19 vaccine. The US government, which helped fund the drug, disagrees.

Ethiopia on the brink as crisis threatens ‘peace and stability’ of region – but what has fueled the conflict and criticism of Biden’s response?

Gloria Emeagwali, Central Connecticut State University

Violence in Ethiopia could cause ripples across the Horn of Africa, destabilizing the region.

Monitor or talk? 5 ways parents can help keep their children safe online

Joris Van Ouytsel, Arizona State University

Parents who spy on their children’s online activity run the risk of doing more harm than good, an expert says.

Conspiracies about a ‘catastrophic takeover’ by Jews have long been an American problem

Jonathan D. Sarna, Brandeis University

In the late 19th century, a satiric weekly stoked fears about how Jewish immigrants would change New York City’s character.

Misremembering might actually be a sign your memory is working optimally

Robert Jacobs, University of Rochester

Errors don’t necessarily mean your mind is faulty. They may actually be a sign of a cognitive system with limited capacity working efficiently.

Why do frozen turkeys explode when deep-fried?

Kristine Nolin, University of Richmond

Deep-fried turkeys are delicious, but making one can be dangerous. The scientific reason for fiery Thanksgiving mishaps? A difference in the densities of ice, water and oil.

Glasgow Climate Pact: what happened at COP26 and what it means for the world

Gemma Ware, The Conversation; Jack Marley, The Conversation; Daniel Merino, The Conversation

Experts from around the world react to the COP26 Glasgow climate summit. Listen to The Conversation Weekly podcast.

What Star Wars can teach us about the decline of democracy

David Kenny, Trinity College Dublin; Conor Casey, University of Liverpool

The beloved sci-fi series has plenty of lessons for our own galaxy.

A fossil of a snake-like lizard has generated controversy beyond its identity

Michael Caldwell, University of Alberta; Tiago Rodrigues Simoes, Harvard University

In 2015, a published article described the fossil of a four-legged snake. New research has revealed that it is in fact a lizard, and the fossil is the centre of a scientific ethics debate.

Electric cars alone won’t save the planet. We’ll need to design cities so people can walk and cycle safely

Timothy Welch, University of Auckland

Electric cars are hailed as the best way to cut transport emissions, but it’s an illusion to think we can reduce our environmental impact without changing the way we design and move about in cities.

In what year did the Surgeon General officially identify tobacco products as addictive?  

1. A) 1979
2. B) 1988
3. C) 1998
4. D) 2002

Click here for the answer.