Seditious conspiracy charge against Oath Keepers founder and others in Jan. 6 riot faces First Amendment hurdle

Timothy Zick, William & Mary Law School

Stewart Rhodes of the Oath Keepers, has been charged with seditious conspiracy over the attempted insurrection. A constitutional law scholar outlines why that may set a bad precedent.

Civil war in the US is unlikely because grievance doesn’t necessarily translate directly into violence

Ore Koren, Indiana University

Despite growing public discussion of the risk of civil war in the US, a political violence scholar says widespread civil strife is unlikely to happen – but other political violence is more likely.

Sugar detox? Cutting carbs? A doctor explains why you should keep fruit on the menu

Jennifer Rooke, Morehouse School of Medicine

Sugar gets a bad rap, but exactly which sugar is meant? Nutrient-dense sweet ripe fruits are a far cry from refined table sugar – and their differences can have big health implications.

Colleges accused of conspiring to make low-income students pay more

Robert Massa, University of Southern California

A scholar weighs in on a new lawsuit that accuses several elite schools of price fixing and conspiring to lower the amount of financial aid offered to low-income students.

The #BettyWhiteChallenge highlights the growth of animal philanthropy and the role of rescues

Melissa L. Caldwell, University of California, Santa Cruz

Fans of the late actress are calling on Americans to donate $5 or more to animal charities on Jan. 17, 2022, which would have been Betty White’s 100th birthday.

Ocean heat is at record levels, with major consequences

Kevin Trenberth, University of Auckland

While surface temperatures were about the 6th warmest on record in 2021, the upper oceans were at their hottest – and they’re a stronger indicator of global warming. A top climate scientist explains.

With fewer animals to spread their seeds, plants could have trouble adapting to climate change

Evan Fricke, Rice University; Alejandro Ordonez, Aarhus University; Haldre Rogers, Iowa State University; Jens-Christian Svenning, Aarhus University

Forests around the world will need to shift their ranges to adapt to climate change. But many trees and plants rely on animals to spread their seeds widely, and those partners are declining.

What made Bob Saget’s Danny Tanner so different from other sitcom dads

Jessica Troilo, West Virginia University

A contrast to the bumbling and immature fathers commonly found on sitcoms, Bob Saget’s character on ‘Full House’ reflected a shift in expectations of fatherhood that began in the late 1970s.

Crypto countries: Nigeria and El Salvador’s opposing journeys into digital currencies

Gemma Ware, The Conversation; Daniel Merino, The Conversation

Plus, a philosopher explains the history of the idea that we might all be living in a simulation. Listen to The Conversation Weekly podcast.

Here’s where (and how) you are most likely to catch COVID – new study

Time and trauma: what fetching water costs women and girls in Nairobi’s informal settlements

The science that is helping researchers find the ‘disappeared’ in Latin America