The Conversation U.S.
@us.theconversation.com
A nonprofit news organization dedicated to sharing the knowledge of experts with the public, in accessible, trustworthy articles drawing on their research.
Free to read, without paywalls or ads.
Free to read, without paywalls or ads.
Pinned
Are you with us in the fight against misinformation?
If so, please consider donating to our fall fundraising campaign.
As a thank-you, you’ll receive a downloadable e-book from our series on bold ideas for tackling the housing crisis.
donate.theconversation.com/us?utm_campa...
If so, please consider donating to our fall fundraising campaign.
As a thank-you, you’ll receive a downloadable e-book from our series on bold ideas for tackling the housing crisis.
donate.theconversation.com/us?utm_campa...
Think gift exchanges are wasteful and impractical? That’s exactly what makes them so special, according to an anthropologist.
(These 2 pandas were a gift to the U.S. from the Chinese government in 1972).
(These 2 pandas were a gift to the U.S. from the Chinese government in 1972).
What’s the point of holiday gifts?
Gift-giving might seem needlessly cumbersome and stressful. But the costs and benefits of the custom aren’t what they seem.
buff.ly
December 5, 2025 at 5:35 AM
Think gift exchanges are wasteful and impractical? That’s exactly what makes them so special, according to an anthropologist.
(These 2 pandas were a gift to the U.S. from the Chinese government in 1972).
(These 2 pandas were a gift to the U.S. from the Chinese government in 1972).
Thich Nhat Hanh’s idea of “interbeing” says we’re deeply interconnected. A new book on ‘mindful democracy’ argues that embracing this idea could help us learn to work together again.
buff.ly/j6GIZWM
#polisky #mindfulness
buff.ly/j6GIZWM
#polisky #mindfulness
Meditating on the connectedness of life could help reunite a divided country – here’s how ‘interbeing’ works
Meditation can change our perceptions about things we encounter in our daily lives − revealing the interconnectedness of reality.
buff.ly
December 5, 2025 at 4:48 AM
Thich Nhat Hanh’s idea of “interbeing” says we’re deeply interconnected. A new book on ‘mindful democracy’ argues that embracing this idea could help us learn to work together again.
buff.ly/j6GIZWM
#polisky #mindfulness
buff.ly/j6GIZWM
#polisky #mindfulness
A late-night climb, survey-grade GPS and weeks of data crunching have revealed a surprise in #Colorado’s high country: East Crestone (long thought the shorter peak) is actually taller than Crestone.
Colorado may now have a new 14er 🏔️
Colorado may now have a new 14er 🏔️
Measuring Colorado’s mountains one hike at a time
To most accurately measure mountain peaks, Eric Gilbertson lugs equipment all the way to the top.
buff.ly
December 5, 2025 at 3:30 AM
A late-night climb, survey-grade GPS and weeks of data crunching have revealed a surprise in #Colorado’s high country: East Crestone (long thought the shorter peak) is actually taller than Crestone.
Colorado may now have a new 14er 🏔️
Colorado may now have a new 14er 🏔️
Astronomers have fully tallied where the universe’s normal matter actually is, and most of it isn’t in galaxies.
It’s spread through the intergalactic “cosmic web,” solving a long-standing mystery 💫
buff.ly/0ZqV6rP
#space
It’s spread through the intergalactic “cosmic web,” solving a long-standing mystery 💫
buff.ly/0ZqV6rP
#space
Most normal matter in the universe isn’t found in planets, stars or galaxies – an astronomer explains where it’s distributed
Most of the universe is made up of dark matter and dark energy. The majority of everything else is dispersed throughout space as tiny particles.
buff.ly
December 5, 2025 at 2:28 AM
Astronomers have fully tallied where the universe’s normal matter actually is, and most of it isn’t in galaxies.
It’s spread through the intergalactic “cosmic web,” solving a long-standing mystery 💫
buff.ly/0ZqV6rP
#space
It’s spread through the intergalactic “cosmic web,” solving a long-standing mystery 💫
buff.ly/0ZqV6rP
#space
Researchers tested a new way to rank posts on X and found that using AI to identify and reduce polarizing messages made users feel less angry and less hostile toward the other party.
A small algorithmic tweak led to a measurable drop in polarization.
A small algorithmic tweak led to a measurable drop in polarization.
Down-ranking polarizing content lowers emotional temperature on social media – new research
A new tool lets researchers get a handle on how social media algorithms affect emotions and polarization.
buff.ly
December 5, 2025 at 1:07 AM
Researchers tested a new way to rank posts on X and found that using AI to identify and reduce polarizing messages made users feel less angry and less hostile toward the other party.
A small algorithmic tweak led to a measurable drop in polarization.
A small algorithmic tweak led to a measurable drop in polarization.
Your Christmas tree's environmental impact has nothing to do with whether it's real or fake 🎄
Don’t stress about what kind of Christmas tree to buy, but reuse artificial trees and compost natural ones
Both natural and artificial Christmas trees have environmental impacts, but they’re not major. What matters most is what happens to the trees after the holidays.
buff.ly
December 5, 2025 at 12:02 AM
Your Christmas tree's environmental impact has nothing to do with whether it's real or fake 🎄
Talk with your hands? You may be winning people over without realizing it. 🤲🤌
A study of 2,000 TED Talks finds that gestures that match your message can make you appear clearer, smarter and more persuasive.
A study of 2,000 TED Talks finds that gestures that match your message can make you appear clearer, smarter and more persuasive.
People who talk with their hands seem more clear and persuasive – new research
Your hands aren’t just accessories to your words. They’re one of the most powerful tools you have to make your ideas resonate.
buff.ly
December 4, 2025 at 11:03 PM
Talk with your hands? You may be winning people over without realizing it. 🤲🤌
A study of 2,000 TED Talks finds that gestures that match your message can make you appear clearer, smarter and more persuasive.
A study of 2,000 TED Talks finds that gestures that match your message can make you appear clearer, smarter and more persuasive.
#Iran has intensified its outreach across #Africa, pursuing security partnerships, mineral access and diplomatic support.
Facing myriad global pressures, Iran intensifies outreach to African partners for critical needs
Iran has sought to bolster its economic and security relationships on the continent after a punishing year both at home and in the Middle East.
buff.ly
December 4, 2025 at 10:04 PM
Holiday #music doesn’t have to be all sleigh bells.
Some musicians have turned #Christmas carols into a canvas for liberation, horror and grief (and it just might be the holiday soundtrack you didn’t know you needed).
Some musicians have turned #Christmas carols into a canvas for liberation, horror and grief (and it just might be the holiday soundtrack you didn’t know you needed).
Tired of the same old Christmas songs? So were these countercultural carolers
Roots reggae, thrash metal and pop punk add new layers to familiar holiday tropes.
buff.ly
December 4, 2025 at 9:26 PM
Holiday #music doesn’t have to be all sleigh bells.
Some musicians have turned #Christmas carols into a canvas for liberation, horror and grief (and it just might be the holiday soundtrack you didn’t know you needed).
Some musicians have turned #Christmas carols into a canvas for liberation, horror and grief (and it just might be the holiday soundtrack you didn’t know you needed).
Viral messaging paired with 100,000 volunteers on the ground … Mamdani didn’t choose between online outreach and fieldwork; he integrated them.
The result was a masterclass in modern campaigning, according to a political communications researcher.
The result was a masterclass in modern campaigning, according to a political communications researcher.
Everything everywhere all at once: How Zohran Mamdani campaigned both online and with a ground game
How much did Zohran Mamdani’s old-fashioned ground game contribute to his victory in the New York mayor’s race?
buff.ly
December 4, 2025 at 8:48 PM
Viral messaging paired with 100,000 volunteers on the ground … Mamdani didn’t choose between online outreach and fieldwork; he integrated them.
The result was a masterclass in modern campaigning, according to a political communications researcher.
The result was a masterclass in modern campaigning, according to a political communications researcher.
Frederick Douglass cited it.
So did Lincoln, FDR and MLK.
The Declaration of Independence has been a rallying cry in every major American crisis.
With its 250th birthday coming up, its promise that “all men are created equal” is again in the spotlight.
buff.ly/yQSztHe
#polisky
So did Lincoln, FDR and MLK.
The Declaration of Independence has been a rallying cry in every major American crisis.
With its 250th birthday coming up, its promise that “all men are created equal” is again in the spotlight.
buff.ly/yQSztHe
#polisky
Declaration of Independence’s promises ring out today as loudly as they did for Lincoln, FDR and through 249 years of US history
Americans have looked to the Declaration of Independence when they sought to remedy contemporary problems and create new visions for the country’s future.
buff.ly
December 4, 2025 at 8:12 PM
Frederick Douglass cited it.
So did Lincoln, FDR and MLK.
The Declaration of Independence has been a rallying cry in every major American crisis.
With its 250th birthday coming up, its promise that “all men are created equal” is again in the spotlight.
buff.ly/yQSztHe
#polisky
So did Lincoln, FDR and MLK.
The Declaration of Independence has been a rallying cry in every major American crisis.
With its 250th birthday coming up, its promise that “all men are created equal” is again in the spotlight.
buff.ly/yQSztHe
#polisky
The FDA moves to overhaul how vaccines are tested, based on unproven claims that COVID shots caused child deaths. A pediatric cardiologist who studies vaccines says there’s no evidence for this, and it could make it harder for people to get safe, reliable vaccines
buff.ly/398oOd5
🩺 #VaccinesWork
buff.ly/398oOd5
🩺 #VaccinesWork
FDA claims on COVID-19 vaccine safety are unsupported by reliable data – and could severely hinder vaccine access
The agency’s plan to change the well-established process for safety testing vaccines is not realistic.
buff.ly
December 4, 2025 at 7:48 PM
The FDA moves to overhaul how vaccines are tested, based on unproven claims that COVID shots caused child deaths. A pediatric cardiologist who studies vaccines says there’s no evidence for this, and it could make it harder for people to get safe, reliable vaccines
buff.ly/398oOd5
🩺 #VaccinesWork
buff.ly/398oOd5
🩺 #VaccinesWork
Americans are being pushed into an impossible choice: affordable homes in high-risk flood and fire zones, or safe neighborhoods they can’t afford.
It’s a collision of the #housingcrisis and climate change, and policy failures are driving it.
It’s a collision of the #housingcrisis and climate change, and policy failures are driving it.
The housing crisis is forcing Americans to choose between affordability and safety
Priced out of ‘safe,’ more and more Americans are moving to flood plains and fire zones.
buff.ly
December 4, 2025 at 6:33 PM
Americans are being pushed into an impossible choice: affordable homes in high-risk flood and fire zones, or safe neighborhoods they can’t afford.
It’s a collision of the #housingcrisis and climate change, and policy failures are driving it.
It’s a collision of the #housingcrisis and climate change, and policy failures are driving it.
Jeffrey Epstein’s sex-trafficking case has fueled MAGA fears and conspiracy theories. Anthropologist Alex Hinton has been talking and listening to MAGA followers for years, and he breaks down the many reasons Epstein’s case is important to them
December 4, 2025 at 5:14 PM
Jeffrey Epstein’s sex-trafficking case has fueled MAGA fears and conspiracy theories. Anthropologist Alex Hinton has been talking and listening to MAGA followers for years, and he breaks down the many reasons Epstein’s case is important to them
16th-century French theologian Sebastian Castellio predicted that religious extremism would spill "so much blood that its loss will be irremediable." A historian argues his warnings about the dangers of forcing ideology on people apply today.
buff.ly/QfsGqH0
buff.ly/QfsGqH0
Why one 16th-century theologian’s advice for a bitterly divided nation holds true today
Sebastian Castellio penned one of the first arguments for religious freedom – but it went unheeded for centuries.
theconversation.com
December 4, 2025 at 4:08 PM
16th-century French theologian Sebastian Castellio predicted that religious extremism would spill "so much blood that its loss will be irremediable." A historian argues his warnings about the dangers of forcing ideology on people apply today.
buff.ly/QfsGqH0
buff.ly/QfsGqH0
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is buying access to your location data from private companies – getting around the need for a warrant. A privacy researcher explains how your phone's everyday operations make this possible. buff.ly/6VH8DEg
Yes, the government can track your location – but usually not by spying on you directly
A privacy researcher breaks down how your phone reveals your location, how that data is collected and sold, and how the government gets ahold of it – by simply buying it.
theconversation.com
December 4, 2025 at 3:24 PM
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is buying access to your location data from private companies – getting around the need for a warrant. A privacy researcher explains how your phone's everyday operations make this possible. buff.ly/6VH8DEg
A largely-overlooked Trump presidential memorandum pushes the limits of his authority by targeting individuals and groups as potential domestic terrorists based on their beliefs rather than their actions. buff.ly/66NLeUr via @mindyhaas.bsky.social
Labeling dissent as terrorism: New US domestic terrorism priorities raise constitutional alarms
A new Trump administration policy threatens free speech and association by targeting individuals and groups as potential domestic terrorists based on their beliefs rather than their actions.
buff.ly
December 4, 2025 at 1:07 PM
A largely-overlooked Trump presidential memorandum pushes the limits of his authority by targeting individuals and groups as potential domestic terrorists based on their beliefs rather than their actions. buff.ly/66NLeUr via @mindyhaas.bsky.social
A largely-overlooked Trump presidential memorandum pushes the limits of his authority by targeting individuals and groups as potential domestic terrorists based on their beliefs rather than their actions. buff.ly/ttmWtYs
Labeling dissent as terrorism: New US domestic terrorism priorities raise constitutional alarms
A new Trump administration policy threatens free speech and association by targeting individuals and groups as potential domestic terrorists based on their beliefs rather than their actions.
theconversation.com
December 4, 2025 at 12:48 PM
A largely-overlooked Trump presidential memorandum pushes the limits of his authority by targeting individuals and groups as potential domestic terrorists based on their beliefs rather than their actions. buff.ly/ttmWtYs
Google's Project Suncatcher would cluster 81 satellites less than 200 meters apart in one of Earth's most congested orbits, to create a solar-powered orbiting data center. The hitch? The likelihood of cascading collisions with space debris. buff.ly/tk9zHFM
Google’s proposed data center in orbit will face issues with space debris in an already crowded orbit
Google’s Project Suncatcher would need sophisticated collision avoidance capabilities to navigate a junk-filled landscape.
theconversation.com
December 4, 2025 at 11:48 AM
Google's Project Suncatcher would cluster 81 satellites less than 200 meters apart in one of Earth's most congested orbits, to create a solar-powered orbiting data center. The hitch? The likelihood of cascading collisions with space debris. buff.ly/tk9zHFM
American colleges face more and deeper challenges than huge federal funding cuts: declining enrollment, rising skepticism about the value of college, and a shrinking pool of international students willing to pay full tuition. buff.ly/2aFOURS
Federal funding cuts are only one problem facing America’s colleges and universities
Amid federal funding cuts, the enrollment of both domestic and foreign students is falling at American colleges and universities.
theconversation.com
December 4, 2025 at 9:06 AM
American colleges face more and deeper challenges than huge federal funding cuts: declining enrollment, rising skepticism about the value of college, and a shrinking pool of international students willing to pay full tuition. buff.ly/2aFOURS
AI data centers are driving massive electricity demand. Small modular reactors could help meet it, but they won't be commercially available until the mid-2030s at earliest. An engineer focused on the nuclear industry explains what you need to know about this emerging technology.
What are small modular reactors, a new type of nuclear power plant sought to feed AI’s energy demand?
Rising electricity demand has researchers exploring a wide range of methods to generate more power, including a type of nuclear reactor that’s smaller than traditional nuclear plants.
buff.ly
December 4, 2025 at 7:48 AM
AI data centers are driving massive electricity demand. Small modular reactors could help meet it, but they won't be commercially available until the mid-2030s at earliest. An engineer focused on the nuclear industry explains what you need to know about this emerging technology.
Thousands of federal workers lost their jobs in 2025, but something unexpected emerged: they organized online to share information about unemployment benefits and emotional support – often with colleagues they'd never interacted with outside of work. @annepisor.bsky.social explains:
A hard year for federal workers offers a real-time lesson in resilience
During a year of extraordinary uncertainty, workers built resilient networks within and across boundaries and distance. An anthropologist explains how these clusters and long-distance ties help…
buff.ly
December 4, 2025 at 5:35 AM
Thousands of federal workers lost their jobs in 2025, but something unexpected emerged: they organized online to share information about unemployment benefits and emotional support – often with colleagues they'd never interacted with outside of work. @annepisor.bsky.social explains:
When it comes to securing a lasting peace in Ukraine, scholars focused on peace monitoring say there’s one key element missing from Trump’s plan: a mandate for a robust, independent monitoring team. buff.ly/yyhmj0B
Lasting peace in Ukraine may hinge on independent monitors – yet Trump’s 28-point plan barely mentions them
Building in safeguards, including third-party monitoring, can increase the chances of a successful peace by almost a third, research shows.
theconversation.com
December 4, 2025 at 4:48 AM
When it comes to securing a lasting peace in Ukraine, scholars focused on peace monitoring say there’s one key element missing from Trump’s plan: a mandate for a robust, independent monitoring team. buff.ly/yyhmj0B
It’s not heart vs. head after all. Caring and thinking are intricately intertwined in making us more generous.
Empathy and reasoning actually work together and people who have more of either one are more likely to help strangers and make choices that help the most people. buff.ly/N8UzfRE
Empathy and reasoning actually work together and people who have more of either one are more likely to help strangers and make choices that help the most people. buff.ly/N8UzfRE
Empathy and reasoning aren’t rivals – new research shows they work together to drive people to help more
Those driven by both heart and mind help the most people, even far beyond their own circle.
theconversation.com
December 4, 2025 at 3:30 AM
It’s not heart vs. head after all. Caring and thinking are intricately intertwined in making us more generous.
Empathy and reasoning actually work together and people who have more of either one are more likely to help strangers and make choices that help the most people. buff.ly/N8UzfRE
Empathy and reasoning actually work together and people who have more of either one are more likely to help strangers and make choices that help the most people. buff.ly/N8UzfRE
Family businesses aren’t just small shops – they produce 2/3 of the world’s economic output.
They thrive because they “win without fighting,” keeping competitors out by using family ties and low-cost decision-making. buff.ly/W4koyJa
They thrive because they “win without fighting,” keeping competitors out by using family ties and low-cost decision-making. buff.ly/W4koyJa
Why do family companies even exist? They know how to ‘win without fighting’
My team analyzed decades of research on family businesses to find out their secret sauce. Three key differences help them keep an edge over competitors.
theconversation.com
December 4, 2025 at 2:28 AM
Family businesses aren’t just small shops – they produce 2/3 of the world’s economic output.
They thrive because they “win without fighting,” keeping competitors out by using family ties and low-cost decision-making. buff.ly/W4koyJa
They thrive because they “win without fighting,” keeping competitors out by using family ties and low-cost decision-making. buff.ly/W4koyJa