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A note from our executive editor: Despite the news simply not stopping, the 36-person Conversation U.S. team did just that (or at least tried to!) when we recently held our annual retreat in Boston.
It was a fabulous time for bonding, brainstorming and planning for the future, and a poignant reminder that despite the remote and hybrid work world so many of us − at The Conversation and beyond − live in, nothing beats seeing people In real life.
We bowled, took walks and more importantly pondered the state of The Conversation: new editorial formats, branding, our loyalty to our university partners and new ways of building a close-knit team. We are excited to roll up our sleeves on many of the ideas that sprang from those two special days. And we’ll be sharing them with you in future months.
In the meantime, please read on for what we do best − contextual, smart coverage from true experts.
[ Miss us on Sundays? Get a selection of our best and most popular stories (or try our other weekly emails). ]
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This 15th-century medical manuscript shows different colors of urine alongside the ailments they signify.
Cambridge University Library
Meg Leja, Binghamton University, State University of New York
Your doctor’s MD emerged from the Dark Ages, where practicing rational “human medicine” was seen as an expression of faith and maintaining one’s health a religious duty.
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Science + Technology
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Anjana Susarla, Michigan State University
In the absence of comprehensive AI regulation from Congress, the executive branch is building on its previous efforts to address AI harms.
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Valerie Payré, University of Iowa
Upcoming NASA missions will help scientists understand the composition of asteroids – which could inform companies one day hoping to commercially mine asteroids.
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Or Dagan, Long Island University Post; Carlo Schuengel, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
Psychologists have long focused on the importance of a secure attachment with a mother for healthy child development. A new look supports the value of attachment – but it doesn’t have to be with mom.
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Education
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Sarah Guthery, University of Oklahoma; Lauren P. Bailes, University of Delaware
Researchers found that lowering restrictions for new teachers had some unintended consequences.
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Politics + Society
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Mahad Darar, Colorado State University
Missiles from rebel Yemeni groups risk widening the Middle East conflict. But the motivation behind the attacks could be more about self-interest.
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Michael Scott Bryant, Bryant University
The violence of the 1938 pogrom against Jews in Nazi Germany known as Kristallnacht was a turning point in Hitler’s ‘Final Solution.’
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International
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Kristen Choi, University of California, Los Angeles
Children have constant access to media coverage of armed conflicts, terrorist attacks, mass shootings and other brutal acts. This makes it tough for them to develop a sense of hope for the future.
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Podcast 🎙️
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Gemma Ware, The Conversation
A changing climate, humans and fire were a deadly combination for the big animals that used to roam Southern California. Listen to The Conversation Weekly podcast.
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