Hurricane forecasts point to a dangerous 2024 Atlantic season, with La Niña and a persistently warm ocean teaming up to power fierce storms

Jhordanne Jones, Purdue University

NOAA expects an extraordinarily busy hurricane season, with 17-25 named storms and 8-13 hurricanes. An atmospheric scientist explains what that means.

Successful city parks make diverse communities feel safe and welcome − this Minnesota park is an example

Dan Trudeau, Macalester College

City parks are like outdoor living rooms: If people feel welcome and relaxed, they will settle in.

Phone cameras can take in more light than the human eye − that’s why low-light events like the northern lights often look better through your phone camera

Douglas Goodwin, Scripps College

Phone cameras are an example of what’s called computational photography. Digital tools built into these cameras can enhance your images in real time.

Here’s how machine learning can violate your privacy

Jordan Awan, Purdue University

A data privacy expert explains how machine learning algorithms draw inferences and how that leads to privacy concerns.

A 25-year study reveals how empathy is passed from parents to teens to their future children

Jessica A. Stern, University of Virginia; Joseph P. Allen, University of Virginia

Everyone wants to raise kind children, but telling kids to be nice gets you only so far − young people need to practice those skills with their peers.

How Iran selects its supreme leader − a political scientist and Iran expert explains

Eric Lob, Florida International University

The late President Ebrahim Raisi was supposedly being groomed to succeed an aging Ali Khamenei. The succession is a complex process, more dependent on politics than religion.

9 justices, many opinions: How the Supreme Court tells lawyers, judges and the public about its decisions and disagreements

Ilisabeth S. Bornstein, Bryant University

The next time you hear about a Supreme Court concurrence or dissent, pay attention. You may get a window to where the law is headed in the future.

Militia extremists, kicked off Facebook again, are regaining comfort in public view

Amy Cooter, Middlebury

A scholar of militia activity observes extremists stepping back into the public sphere after a few years of being less visible.

Calls for divestment from apartheid South Africa gave today’s pro-Palestinian student activists a blueprint to follow

Amanda Joyce Hall, University of California, Santa Barbara

In the 1980s, university administrators called the police on anti-apartheid protesters, threatened to revoke their scholarships and ordered staff to demolish encampments.

The US has always had ‘big government’ – even in the Colonial era

Sidney Shapiro, Wake Forest University; Joseph P. Tomain, University of Cincinnati

The founders saw a need for government to intervene in markets.

UK election called for July 4 – what happens next?

Christopher Kirkland, York St John University

The election was called earlier than anticipated, giving candidates just six weeks until election day.

Belief in democracy is on the decline in Africa. Traditional institutions can help restore its importance

Vladimir Chlouba, University of Richmond

Traditional institutions represent, for many African citizens, the most immediate form of governance.

Moments of hope: how Indians keep pushing back against the hollowing out of democracy

Gemma Ware, The Conversation

Listen to Indrajit Roy talk about hope and politics in India on The Conversation Weekly podcast.

Rangers led the way in the D-Day landings 80 years ago

Is hard water bad for you? 2 water quality engineers explain the potential benefits and pitfalls that come with having hard water

An ancient manuscript up for sale gives a glimpse into the history of early Christianity