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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...
Po'pay, a Tewa religious leader, led the Pueblo Revolt, the most successful Indigenous rebellion in what’s now the United States. A historian of early America explains why he is not surprised Po’pay will be excluded from Trump’s Garden of Heroes. buff.ly/ym5J6D5
The 17th-century Pueblo leader who fought for independence from colonial rule – long before the American Revolution
Po'pay, a Tewa religious leader, led the Pueblo Revolt, the most successful Indigenous rebellion in what’s now the United States.
theconversation.com
January 10, 2026 at 9:06 AM
Po'pay, a Tewa religious leader, led the Pueblo Revolt, the most successful Indigenous rebellion in what’s now the United States. A historian of early America explains why he is not surprised Po’pay will be excluded from Trump’s Garden of Heroes. buff.ly/ym5J6D5
Superheavy-lift rockets like SpaceX’s Starship could transform astronomy by making space telescopes cheaper. An astrophysicist explains: buff.ly/BfNdu1K
Superheavy-lift rockets like SpaceX’s Starship could transform astronomy by making space telescopes cheaper
NASA, SpaceX and Blue Origin have all successfully launched superheavy-lift rockets. These massive vehicles are designed to carry a much heavier load.
theconversation.com
January 10, 2026 at 7:28 AM
Superheavy-lift rockets like SpaceX’s Starship could transform astronomy by making space telescopes cheaper. An astrophysicist explains: buff.ly/BfNdu1K
Methamphetamine triggers brain inflammation through the same immune mechanisms that make it addictive. Scientists found that blocking a key immune molecule could reduce meth's effects on dopamine neurons, potentially offering a new prospect for treatment. buff.ly/ao4eumD
Meth inflames and stimulates your brain through similar pathways – new research offers potential avenue to treat meth addiction
Researchers identified a key molecule that highlights how the immune system is linked to the release of dopamine.
theconversation.com
January 10, 2026 at 5:35 AM
Methamphetamine triggers brain inflammation through the same immune mechanisms that make it addictive. Scientists found that blocking a key immune molecule could reduce meth's effects on dopamine neurons, potentially offering a new prospect for treatment. buff.ly/ao4eumD
Health officials have moved 6 childhood vaccines off the routinely recommended schedule, framing it as expanding parental choice.
A health policy researcher explains why the shift to "shared decision-making" could mean many children don’t get protected. buff.ly/u4neWgE 🧪🩺 #VaccinesWork
A health policy researcher explains why the shift to "shared decision-making" could mean many children don’t get protected. buff.ly/u4neWgE 🧪🩺 #VaccinesWork
‘Shared decision-making’ for childhood vaccines sounds empowering – but it may mean less access for families already stretched thin
Doctor’s visits are already rushed. Adding extra steps means some children, especially those from low-income families, simply won’t get the vaccines they should.
buff.ly
January 10, 2026 at 4:48 AM
Health officials have moved 6 childhood vaccines off the routinely recommended schedule, framing it as expanding parental choice.
A health policy researcher explains why the shift to "shared decision-making" could mean many children don’t get protected. buff.ly/u4neWgE 🧪🩺 #VaccinesWork
A health policy researcher explains why the shift to "shared decision-making" could mean many children don’t get protected. buff.ly/u4neWgE 🧪🩺 #VaccinesWork
You can improve your home’s air quality this year with a few straightforward hanges—especially in how you cook, clean and use personal care products. An atmospheric chemist explains: buff.ly/pIqoRN9
Live healthier in 2026 by breathing cleaner air at home
An atmospheric chemist offers quick, easy and inexpensive suggestions to reduce indoor air pollution.
theconversation.com
January 10, 2026 at 3:22 AM
You can improve your home’s air quality this year with a few straightforward hanges—especially in how you cook, clean and use personal care products. An atmospheric chemist explains: buff.ly/pIqoRN9
29 states allow mail-in ballots postmarked by Election Day sent from overseas to be counted days after an election. A case before the Supreme Court could take that decision away from the states. buff.ly/5Srm3Ws
Americans have had their mail-in ballots counted after Election Day for generations − a Supreme Court ruling could end the practice
29 states allow mail-in ballots postmarked by Election Day to be counted days after an election. A case before the Supreme Court could take that decision away from the states.
theconversation.com
January 10, 2026 at 2:28 AM
29 states allow mail-in ballots postmarked by Election Day sent from overseas to be counted days after an election. A case before the Supreme Court could take that decision away from the states. buff.ly/5Srm3Ws
When reputable local news outlets close, fewer people vote and get involved in local politics, and misinformation, corruption and polarization increase, an expert on the U.S. media and its role in democracy explains. buff.ly/lcUuZZQ By @victorpickard.bsky.social #journalism
Why the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s closure exposes a growing threat to democracy
When reputable local news outlets close, fewer people vote and get involved in local politics, and misinformation, corruption and polarization increase.
buff.ly
January 10, 2026 at 12:47 AM
When reputable local news outlets close, fewer people vote and get involved in local politics, and misinformation, corruption and polarization increase, an expert on the U.S. media and its role in democracy explains. buff.ly/lcUuZZQ By @victorpickard.bsky.social #journalism
The 6-7 craze that disrupted classrooms and sports events worldwide was more than just nonsense.
Media scholars from 3 countries say the fad reveals how children use meaningless language and games to carve out spaces where they hold the power and adults don't make the rules. buff.ly/YRSvX8o
Media scholars from 3 countries say the fad reveals how children use meaningless language and games to carve out spaces where they hold the power and adults don't make the rules. buff.ly/YRSvX8o
The 6-7 craze offered a brief window into the hidden world of children
From Pig Latin to Punch Buggy, kids have long used nonsensical language, gestures and games to carve out cultures of their own.
theconversation.com
January 9, 2026 at 11:03 PM
The 6-7 craze that disrupted classrooms and sports events worldwide was more than just nonsense.
Media scholars from 3 countries say the fad reveals how children use meaningless language and games to carve out spaces where they hold the power and adults don't make the rules. buff.ly/YRSvX8o
Media scholars from 3 countries say the fad reveals how children use meaningless language and games to carve out spaces where they hold the power and adults don't make the rules. buff.ly/YRSvX8o
For the nation’s first president, friendliness was strategy, not concession: the republic would treat other nations with civility in order to remain independent of their appetites and quarrels. buff.ly/S54iB76
George Washington’s foreign policy was built on respect for other nations and patient consideration of future burdens
For the nation’s first president, friendliness was strategy, not concession: the republic would treat other nations with civility in order to remain independent of their appetites and quarrels.
theconversation.com
January 9, 2026 at 10:14 PM
For the nation’s first president, friendliness was strategy, not concession: the republic would treat other nations with civility in order to remain independent of their appetites and quarrels. buff.ly/S54iB76
Racial profiling by immigration agents isn’t new.
It echoes one of the darkest chapters in U.S. history, with clear parallels between today’s targeting of Latino communities and the incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II.
It echoes one of the darkest chapters in U.S. history, with clear parallels between today’s targeting of Latino communities and the incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II.
Racial profiling by ICE agents mirrors the targeting of Japanese Americans during World War II
Asian Americans have drawn parallels between today’s attacks on Latinos and a historically exclusive immigration policy that favors some families over others.
buff.ly
January 9, 2026 at 8:48 PM
Racial profiling by immigration agents isn’t new.
It echoes one of the darkest chapters in U.S. history, with clear parallels between today’s targeting of Latino communities and the incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II.
It echoes one of the darkest chapters in U.S. history, with clear parallels between today’s targeting of Latino communities and the incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II.
Very unfortunately, Elon Musk’s AI chatbot Grok is letting users on X generate nonconsensual sexual images of real people.
Including minors.
A tech law scholar explains why this outcome was predictable and and what (limited) accountability options exist at this time:
Including minors.
A tech law scholar explains why this outcome was predictable and and what (limited) accountability options exist at this time:
Grok produces sexualized photos of women and minors for users on X – a legal scholar explains why it’s happening and what can be done
Child sexual abuse material on X is clearly illegal. What’s less clear is how to force X to prevent its AI chatbot from making the material.
buff.ly
January 9, 2026 at 8:22 PM
Very unfortunately, Elon Musk’s AI chatbot Grok is letting users on X generate nonconsensual sexual images of real people.
Including minors.
A tech law scholar explains why this outcome was predictable and and what (limited) accountability options exist at this time:
Including minors.
A tech law scholar explains why this outcome was predictable and and what (limited) accountability options exist at this time:
The West is in a snow drought, even after record storms ❄️
Here’s the paradox: Warm atmospheric rivers brought heavy rain, melted existing snow, and left less water stored in the mountain snowpacks that much of the region depends on for year-round water.
buff.ly/uc9PYs8
#climatesky
Here’s the paradox: Warm atmospheric rivers brought heavy rain, melted existing snow, and left less water stored in the mountain snowpacks that much of the region depends on for year-round water.
buff.ly/uc9PYs8
#climatesky
The western US is in a snow drought, and storms have been making it worse
A major atmospheric river brought record precipitation to the Pacific Northwest, yet the snow and water supply still suffered. It’s a growing problem.
buff.ly
January 9, 2026 at 7:48 PM
The West is in a snow drought, even after record storms ❄️
Here’s the paradox: Warm atmospheric rivers brought heavy rain, melted existing snow, and left less water stored in the mountain snowpacks that much of the region depends on for year-round water.
buff.ly/uc9PYs8
#climatesky
Here’s the paradox: Warm atmospheric rivers brought heavy rain, melted existing snow, and left less water stored in the mountain snowpacks that much of the region depends on for year-round water.
buff.ly/uc9PYs8
#climatesky
Friday means time for our weekly news quiz with Fritz!
Your first question:
The military code name given to Maduro's capture feels like it could also be the name of a dieting trick. That code name was Operation what?
Leave your answer in the comments or test your knowledge at buff.ly/BonefUk
Your first question:
The military code name given to Maduro's capture feels like it could also be the name of a dieting trick. That code name was Operation what?
Leave your answer in the comments or test your knowledge at buff.ly/BonefUk
January 9, 2026 at 6:51 PM
Friday means time for our weekly news quiz with Fritz!
Your first question:
The military code name given to Maduro's capture feels like it could also be the name of a dieting trick. That code name was Operation what?
Leave your answer in the comments or test your knowledge at buff.ly/BonefUk
Your first question:
The military code name given to Maduro's capture feels like it could also be the name of a dieting trick. That code name was Operation what?
Leave your answer in the comments or test your knowledge at buff.ly/BonefUk
Illness doesn’t start and end in the body.
Medical sociology studies how inequality, racism, poverty and policy decisions literally get under the skin, shaping who gets sick, who gets better care and who is left waiting.
buff.ly/JhuIY5n
🩺
Medical sociology studies how inequality, racism, poverty and policy decisions literally get under the skin, shaping who gets sick, who gets better care and who is left waiting.
buff.ly/JhuIY5n
🩺
Illness is more than just biological – medical sociology shows how social factors get under the skin and cause disease
Medical sociology examines how social, cultural, political and economic factors shape health in ways that medicine alone cannot treat.
buff.ly
January 9, 2026 at 6:22 PM
Illness doesn’t start and end in the body.
Medical sociology studies how inequality, racism, poverty and policy decisions literally get under the skin, shaping who gets sick, who gets better care and who is left waiting.
buff.ly/JhuIY5n
🩺
Medical sociology studies how inequality, racism, poverty and policy decisions literally get under the skin, shaping who gets sick, who gets better care and who is left waiting.
buff.ly/JhuIY5n
🩺
Many law enforcement agencies have use-of-force policies that state that officers should protect themselves from moving vehicles by getting out of the way, if possible, not by shooting.
ICE has no such policy.
By a police ethicist:
ICE has no such policy.
By a police ethicist:
ICE killing of driver in Minneapolis involved tactics many police departments warn against − but not ICE itself
Police departments have changed their policies regarding use of force over the years to protect life, but ICE and other federal agencies have lagged in this regard.
buff.ly
January 9, 2026 at 5:14 PM
Many law enforcement agencies have use-of-force policies that state that officers should protect themselves from moving vehicles by getting out of the way, if possible, not by shooting.
ICE has no such policy.
By a police ethicist:
ICE has no such policy.
By a police ethicist:
🍄 Imagine you purchase a bag of gummies labeled 'nootropic' – a term used to describe substances that claim to enhance mental ability and function, aka “smart drugs.”
However, within hours of consuming them, your heart starts racing, you’re nauseated and vomiting.
However, within hours of consuming them, your heart starts racing, you’re nauseated and vomiting.
January 8, 2026 at 10:37 PM
🍄 Imagine you purchase a bag of gummies labeled 'nootropic' – a term used to describe substances that claim to enhance mental ability and function, aka “smart drugs.”
However, within hours of consuming them, your heart starts racing, you’re nauseated and vomiting.
However, within hours of consuming them, your heart starts racing, you’re nauseated and vomiting.
Social media has turned traditional Japanese matcha into a booming wellness culture, though its roots lie in Zen Buddhism. A scholar of premodern Japanese literature unpacks that history. buff.ly/IPWVvS1
How tourism, a booming wellness culture and social media are transforming the age-old Japanese tea ceremony
Social media has turned traditional Japanese matcha into a commercial trend, though its roots lie in Zen Buddhism. A scholar of premodern Japanese literature unpacks that history.
theconversation.com
January 8, 2026 at 3:24 PM
Social media has turned traditional Japanese matcha into a booming wellness culture, though its roots lie in Zen Buddhism. A scholar of premodern Japanese literature unpacks that history. buff.ly/IPWVvS1
Weighted vests can promote bone health and weight loss, but they’re not a cure-all, explains a dietitian who works with aging people. buff.ly/UXzTsxU
Wearing a weighted vest can promote bone health and weight loss, but it’s not a cure-all
Are weighted vests more than a fitness fad? A health and exercise expert explains their potential benefits and limitations.
theconversation.com
January 8, 2026 at 2:14 PM
Weighted vests can promote bone health and weight loss, but they’re not a cure-all, explains a dietitian who works with aging people. buff.ly/UXzTsxU
New tax laws eliminate several federal grants and loan repayment programs for nurses. This will worsen America’s nursing shortage and leave patients waiting longer for care, according to scholars who oversee nursing programs at large universities. buff.ly/sEU0Z2J
New federal loan limits will worsen America’s nursing shortage and leave patients waiting longer for care
The 2025 tax and spending law lowers the federal loan borrowing limits for nursing students, raising the up-front costs of nursing school.
theconversation.com
January 8, 2026 at 1:07 PM
New tax laws eliminate several federal grants and loan repayment programs for nurses. This will worsen America’s nursing shortage and leave patients waiting longer for care, according to scholars who oversee nursing programs at large universities. buff.ly/sEU0Z2J
Influenza A and Mpox are among the viruses an infectious disease expert is worried about for 2026. buff.ly/9T8kHZM
Viral outbreaks are always on the horizon – here are the viruses an infectious disease expert is watching in 2026
Viral infections are on the rise and spreading across the globe.
theconversation.com
January 8, 2026 at 12:14 PM
Influenza A and Mpox are among the viruses an infectious disease expert is worried about for 2026. buff.ly/9T8kHZM
Trash piles on highways.
Smog-filled air.
Landfills that were just big piles of trash (like the one in this photo from 1972).
Complaints about environmental laws often ignore the progress made in cleaning up America since bipartisan 1970s lawmaking.
Our story in @latimes.com buff.ly/01MgsbX
Smog-filled air.
Landfills that were just big piles of trash (like the one in this photo from 1972).
Complaints about environmental laws often ignore the progress made in cleaning up America since bipartisan 1970s lawmaking.
Our story in @latimes.com buff.ly/01MgsbX
January 8, 2026 at 11:48 AM
Trash piles on highways.
Smog-filled air.
Landfills that were just big piles of trash (like the one in this photo from 1972).
Complaints about environmental laws often ignore the progress made in cleaning up America since bipartisan 1970s lawmaking.
Our story in @latimes.com buff.ly/01MgsbX
Smog-filled air.
Landfills that were just big piles of trash (like the one in this photo from 1972).
Complaints about environmental laws often ignore the progress made in cleaning up America since bipartisan 1970s lawmaking.
Our story in @latimes.com buff.ly/01MgsbX
Without the support of Venezuela's Maduro, conditions on the ground in Cuba are so grim that the Trump administration thinks the communist government in Havana could fall without any direct US intervention. buff.ly/sXEyjd0
Cuba’s leaders just lost an ally in Maduro − if starved of Venezuelan oil, they may also lose what remains of their public support
Conditions on the ground in Cuba are so grim that the Trump administration thinks Havana could fall without any US intervention.
theconversation.com
January 8, 2026 at 9:06 AM
Without the support of Venezuela's Maduro, conditions on the ground in Cuba are so grim that the Trump administration thinks the communist government in Havana could fall without any direct US intervention. buff.ly/sXEyjd0
Wildlife managers spent weeks unsuccessfully searching for a grizzly bear in British Columbia that had injured 11 schoolchildren.
One solution to situations like this: using facial recognition techniques on bears.
One solution to situations like this: using facial recognition techniques on bears.
How facial recognition for bears can help ecologists manage wildlife
Recent advances in computer vision and other types of artificial intelligence offer an opportunity for facial recognition to apply to bears and other animals.
buff.ly
January 8, 2026 at 7:28 AM
Wildlife managers spent weeks unsuccessfully searching for a grizzly bear in British Columbia that had injured 11 schoolchildren.
One solution to situations like this: using facial recognition techniques on bears.
One solution to situations like this: using facial recognition techniques on bears.
Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act doubled support for the largest farm subsidies while cutting SNAP funding. That disconnect broke the bipartisan political coalition that once passed farm bills, and a comprehensive farm bill may never pass again.
Why 2026 could see the end of the Farm Bill era of American agriculture policy
Farm bills – famously complex legislative and spending balances between farm subsidies, food assistance, conservation and more – have tended to be passed about every five years since 1933.
buff.ly
January 8, 2026 at 5:35 AM
Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act doubled support for the largest farm subsidies while cutting SNAP funding. That disconnect broke the bipartisan political coalition that once passed farm bills, and a comprehensive farm bill may never pass again.
Today Venezuela, tomorrow Iran? The supreme leader is running out of options to counter Trump administration pressure and domestic unrest. An analyst of Middle East affairs focusing on Iran explains: buff.ly/hgGdmCo
Today Venezuela, tomorrow Iran: can the Islamic Republic survive a second Trump presidency?
Perhaps no one outside of Venezuela should care more about the US invasion and capture of President Nicolás Maduro than the Islamic Republic of Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei.
theconversation.com
January 8, 2026 at 4:48 AM
Today Venezuela, tomorrow Iran? The supreme leader is running out of options to counter Trump administration pressure and domestic unrest. An analyst of Middle East affairs focusing on Iran explains: buff.ly/hgGdmCo