Many thanks to @us.theconversation.com for the invitation to write this piece on "Martyrs and Migrants." "American politicians talk about persecuted Christians abroad-but here’s what happens when those Christians migrate to the US." @nyupress.bsky.social @csraac.bsky.social tinyurl.com/3mf3ezhr

When the U.S. bombs a country it is negotiating with, other nations notice. Korbel Prof @debak.bsky.social explains why the strike on Iran doesn't just end one deal — it reshapes every future conversation about nuclear weapons. @us.theconversation.com

What does it really mean to be courageous — and can you learn it as a skill? Join us for a webinar with university president Greg Crawford and psychologist Cynthia Pury as they break down the science and practice of courage: how it works, why it matters and how to strengthen it in your own life. R

A study of 38,000 people across 75 countries found that feeling connected to nature consistently predicts higher well-being, hope and resilience – regardless of wealth or national culture. theconversation.com/a-connection...

Growing up during Sri Lanka's civil war, a psychologist learned the lesson that pluralism (the capacity to reach across deep differences with mutual dignity) is a learnable virtue built through small, repeated acts of connection.

Delayed disclosure of abuse is common, especially when the alleged perpetrator is trusted and powerful. Psychologists call it “betrayal trauma” — and the delay does not discredit survivors’ experiences, according to a clinical psychologist who studies it. theconversation.com/psychologica...

Passover Seders always include Hebrew and Aramaic. But for some Sephardic Jews, the holiday provides a rare opportunity to hear Ladino, the now-endangered Judeo-Spanish language, explains a linguist

The historic snow drought of 2026 may offer a preview of what climate change looks like for the West: near-normal precipitation amounts masked by temperatures too warm to sustain the snowpack that sustains the region through summer. A hydrologist explains:

From bioweapons to biblical plagues, the bacteria that cause anthrax can persist for decades in harsh conditions and wreak havoc on people and cattle, a public health researcher explains.

Pittsburgh’s struggle to move beyond steel demonstrates that industry dominance is temporary. Other regions can learn from Pittsburgh’s slow economic recovery, explains an economist and author of, “Beyond Steel: Pittsburgh and the Economics of Transformation.”

New rules assume SNAP benefits weaken recipients’ work ethic. But research on public attitudes toward government assistance shows that assumption doesn’t hold true for most people who rely on them.

A study of 38,000 people across 75 countries found that feeling connected to nature consistently predicts higher well-being, hope and resilience – regardless of wealth or culture.

The jury finding that social media platforms can be held responsible for their design choices, especially when there’s harm to kids, could upend the social media industry, with a domino effect across the world. theconversation.com/jury-finds-i...

A new federal policy cuts graduate student loan limits in half for nursing, social work, and public health programs. The catch: program costs haven't changed. This could shrivel the workforce supporting domestic violence survivors. theconversation.com/new-federal-...

Parental involvement laws and the stigma of teen pregnancy create significant barriers for teenagers seeking abortions. These factors are pushing teens to obtain abortion pills online.

A new federal policy cuts graduate student loan limits in half for nursing, social work, and public health programs. The catch: program costs haven't changed. This could shrivel the workforce supporting domestic violence survivors.

The Trump administration cut the National Security Council staff in half and sidelined its top intelligence officials from regular meetings. Here’s how past presidents used the council to plan wars more carefully:

🐟 The world’s big fish migrations are disappearing. Why it matters: These fish help feed millions, and when their routes are blocked by dams and overfishing, both ecosystems and food supplies take a hit.

Do animals still have a future in Hollywood? CGI and AI are putting animal actors out of work, but viewers can usually tell the difference, and using digital animals raise new questions about on-screen violence.

How do you say “Iran”? A linguist says the answer can reflect your politics, identity and attitudes toward the country. theconversation.com/is-it-ih-ran...

Brackets, buzzer-beaters… and vasectomies? “Vas Madness” shows how a little clever messaging can influence men’s decisions about birth control. #marchmadness #health

Fiber optics — hair-thin strands of glass that carry light — underpin the internet, streaming and the modern explosion in global communication. The technology turns 60 this year 🎉 theconversation.com/60-years-of-...

Extremists across ideologies are increasingly targeting Jews communities.

“Nudge” policies (which steer decisions by changing defaults or how choices are presented) are built on a key question: Are people irrational, or just adapting to uncertainty? Economists have a limited view of rationality. theconversation.com/irrational-d... #philosophy

Air pollution in the Pittsburgh area may be linked to 3,000+ deaths a year, new research finds. Even currently “acceptable” pollution levels can harm health, and proposed EPA rollbacks could weaken protections further.

🚨 Starting now 🚨 Join us for a free webinar about the ways AI violates your privacy and steps you can take to reduce your exposure. Join us here: us06web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

From credit scores to fitness trackers to baby monitors, metrics don’t just measure behavior — they can define what “good” looks like. And increasingly, those standards are set by corporations, not communities. theconversation.com/moral-metric...

It’s officially spring 🌸 Now is a great time to learn to recognize birds by their songs 🎶🐦

Dolphins use name-like signature whistles to identify themselves. Now, researchers who study communication in dolphins are exploring whether they also use whistles like a name to refer to dolphins that aren’t there.

Trump promised to fix the economy, and that helped increase his Latino support in 2024. But the cost of living and ICE raids may be bringing Latinos back to the Democrats in 2026, according to pollsters who study Hispanic voting trends.

In Nepal, a centuries-old devotional text, the “Swasthani Vrata Katha”, offers women both a source of strength and a reflection of deeply rooted patriarchal norms. theconversation.com/what-an-anci...

Trump’s ‘Venezuela solution’ to Cuba would see the island nation returned to being a client state of the United States, after decades of proud independence. An expert on Havana-Washington ties explains:

Can you survive inside a tornado? Atmospheric scientists rarely end up inside a tornado, but one did, and lived to tell the tale.

Over 400M barrels of oil are about to hit the market. Here’s what that means for you: Strategic reserves are emergency stockpiles countries release during supply shocks to help steady prices. They could keep gas from spiking even higher in the short term. theconversation.com/over-400-mil...

Nearly 1 in 4 U.S. adults live with chronic pain. Workplace pressure to appear healthy and strong often makes their pain worse, trapping them in a cycle that can force them out of work entirely, according to management scholars who study how people work.

In 2024, Seattle put in place a law setting a floor of $5 per delivery for drivers working for Uber Eats, DoorDash, and other gig employers. Labor economists say that the law barely increased driver earnings because of company policies, reduced tips and increased competition for gigs.

Analyzing 20 million recorded mosquito flight paths revealed the mathematical rules behind how these tiny predators move and zero in on their human targets (also helping: a student volunteer who went into a room with 100 hungry mosquitoes) theconversation.com/hundreds-of-... 🦟🦟🦟🦟🦟

New workplace protections for women are coming to Philadelphia: Employers must accommodate symptoms of menstruation, perimenopause and menopause — from flexible breaks to temperature control — starting in 2027. theconversation.com/workplace-re...

Patient cost-sharing. Deductibles. Premiums. Health insurance jargon is frustrating and confusing. Health policy scholars explain how to navigate it:

In the Easter story, women are the first to proclaim the resurrection – but churches today are still divided over female preachers, explains a religion professor: theconversation.com/in-the-easte...

The story of Betsy Ross designing the first flag is likely a myth, according to a historian of early American craftswomen who has written a book on her. What's real: she built a flagmaking business that produced hundreds of flags for the U.S. military. theconversation.com/what-betsy-r...

Tracking Iranian missiles and drones requires a complex network of satellites and numerous radars on land, sea and air. A former U.S. Air Force officer explains:

When older adults avoid certain foods at the dinner table, family members often miss what's really happening. Changes in chewing strength can make sticky or chewy foods feel like too much effort. It's rarely about preference. theconversation.com/why-many-old...

Republican legislators in several states are pushing bills that would require schools to check students' immigration status, or ban undocumented children from attending K-12 schools altogether. theconversation.com/immigrant-ki...

Karen Ann Quinlan fell into a coma in 1975, and her parents sued for the right to remove her ventilator over the opposition of her doctors. The ruling in their favor in the high-profile legal case shapes American patients’ rights to this day.

Wondering if AI is a threat to your privacy (it is) and to do about it? Join us for a free webinar. Our panel of experts includes tech evangelist @guykawasaki.bsky.social, law professor Anne Toomey McKenna, and computer scientist @fschaub.bsky.social us06web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

💗💙 Gender pressure starts early. Kids as young as 5 already feel the need to prove they’re “boy enough” or “girl enough.” theconversation.com/gender-confo...

The US war with Iran has now reached what scholars call the worst-case scenario for Gulf states. Energy infrastructure that built regional power over three decades is now a battlefield, according to a scholar who studies the Gulf. theconversation.com/targeting-of...

Israeli attacks in Lebanon against Hezbollah risks repeating history’s mistakes — and torpedoing a historic moment when both the Israeli and Lebanese governments are interested in cutting Hezbollah’s power.

The Pakistan-Afghanistan conflict is rooted in a local border dispute. An expert on Pakistan’s foreign policy and security explains why the risks extend across the region: