May 24 What to watch for in Trump trial's closing arguments, from a law school professor By Jules Epstein, The Conversation For both prosecutors and defense attorneys, the closing arguments serve to tell the jury why the evidence is believable or not, why and how the facts are linked or not and, most importantly, why their decision to either acquit or… Continue reading
May 23 Americans leave a huge chunk of change at airport security checkpoints − here's what it means for the penny debate By Jay L. Zagorsky, The Conversation Should the U.S. get rid of pennies, nickels and dimes? The debate has gone on for years. Many people argue for keeping coins on economic-fairness grounds. Others call for eliminating them because the government loses money minting low-value coins. Continue reading
May 11 Did a tapeworm really eat part of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s brain? By Adam Taylor, The Conversation Kennedy had been suffering from cognitive difficulties. Doctors initially suspected that he had a brain tumour, but it turned out to be a parasite infection – specifically, a pork tapeworm larva lodged in his brain. Continue reading
Jan 21 Why extreme cold weather events still happen in a warming world By Mathew Barlow, The Conversation While the world can expect fewer severe cold events as average temperatures rise, people still need to be prepared for wintry blasts. An atmospheric and climate scientist explains why. Continue reading
Jan 13 Laundry is a top source of microplastic pollution. Here's how to clean your clothes more sustainably By Judith Weis, The Conversation Textiles shed microfibers while they are manufactured, worn and disposed of, but especially when they are washed. A single wash load can release several million microfibers. Continue reading
Jan 06 6 space missions to look forward to in 2024 By Ali M. Bramson, The Conversation From the Moon’s south pole to an ice-covered ocean world, several exciting space missions are slated for launch in 2024… Continue reading
Dec 02 How dozens of U.S. adolescents are dying of drug overdoses each month, shown in 3 charts By Ty Schepis, The Conversation Drug overdoses are killing young Americans in unprecedented numbers: The monthly total rose from 31 in July 2019 to 87 in May 2021, the period with the most recent data. Continue reading
Nov 30 How climate negotiators turn national self-interest into global collective action By Asif Husain-Naviatti, The Conversation This year’s climate summit, COP28, needs to be transformative. What will it take to harness a spirit of international cooperation in today’s complex, divisive and volatile world abounding in self-interest?… Continue reading
Nov 05 How NASA's robotic prospectors could pave the way for future asteroid miners By Valerie Payré, The Conversation Upcoming NASA missions will help scientists understand the composition of asteroids – which could inform companies one day hoping to commercially mine asteroids. Continue reading
Nov 04 Analysis: How Biden's new executive order tackles AI risks, and where it falls short By Anjana Susarla, The Conversation The set of guidelines for artificial intelligence that the White House unveiled on Oct. 30 shows that the U.S. government is attempting to address the risks posed by AI. However, it leaves unresolved the issue of comprehensive data privacy legislation. Continue reading