What Ketanji Brown Jackson's milestone means

To protect wildlife from free-roaming cats, a zone defense may be more effective than trying to get every feline off the street

Daniel Herrera, George Mason University; Travis Gallo, George Mason University

A new study shows that when free-ranging cats are more than a few blocks from forested areas in cities, such as parks, they’re more likely to prey on rats than on native wildlife.

What is a 529 college savings plan? An economist explains

Robert H. Scott III, Monmouth University

College savings plans – known as 529s – can be effective for certain families. Still, it pays to know the ins and outs of how the plans work, an expert says.

UN Security Council is powerless to help Ukraine – but it’s working as designed to prevent World War III

Thomas G. Weiss, CUNY Graduate Center

An expert on the history and politics of the UN says that the Security Council’s failure to intervene in Ukraine is a “black eye,” but the panel’s inability to act is not a design flaw.

Oklahoma state officials resist Supreme Court ruling affirming tribal authority over American Indian country

Kirsten Matoy Carlson, Wayne State University

Local governments in Oklahoma are adapting to a 2020 Supreme Court ruling, but state officials have chosen a different path.

Will French presidential election be a case of ‘plus ca change, moins ca change?’ – 5 things to watch as nation heads to the poll

Garret Martin, American University School of International Service

For the second time running, it is looking like the French presidential election will go to a runoff between centralist Emmanuel Macron and far-right Marine Le Pen.

Pope Francis apologized for the harm done to First Nations peoples, but what does a pope’s apology mean?

Annie Selak, Georgetown University

A Catholic theologian writes about why papal apologies can be meaningful, even when some may see them as mere words.

Your digital footprints are more than a privacy risk – they could help hackers infiltrate computer networks

Ravi Sen, Texas A&M University

One of a hacker’s most valuable tools is the phishing attack, and you might be unwittingly making the hacker’s job easier by leaving useful information about you online.

Fishing, strip clubs and golf: How male-focused networking in medicine blocks female colleagues from top jobs

Jennifer R. Grandis, University of California, San Francisco

By surveying over 100 people in academic medicine, a researcher found that women are consistently excluded from important networking activities like watching sports, drinking at bars and playing golf.

Researchers identified over 5,500 new viruses in the ocean, including a missing link in viral evolution

Guillermo Dominguez Huerta, The Ohio State University; Ahmed Zayed, The Ohio State University; James Wainaina, The Ohio State University; Matthew Sullivan, The Ohio State University

Viruses do more than just cause disease – they also influence ecosystems and the processes that shape the planet. Tracing their evolution could help researchers better understand how viruses work.

Could lead makeup really kill you? A scientist recreated centuries-old skin whitening recipes to find out

Daniel Merino, The Conversation; Gemma Ware, The Conversation

Listen to The Conversation Weekly podcast.

Russia’s feminists are protesting the war and its propaganda with stickers, posters, performance and graffiti

Five exciting additions to Marvel’s cinematic universes – according to a comics expert

As borders reopen, can New Zealand reset from high volume to ‘high values’ tourism?