Small-town America’s never-ending struggle to maintain its values hasn’t always been good for US democracy

Joseph Patrick Kelly, College of Charleston

Country singer Jason Aldean’s hit song triggered renewed attention on vigilante justice, racism and urban America.

Gaza’s next tragedy: Disease risk spreads amid overcrowded shelters, dirty water and breakdown of basic sanitation

Yara M. Asi, University of Central Florida

High levels of diarrhea, scabies and respiratory infections have been reported as bombing campaign progresses – and children are the most vulnerable.

Good profits from bad news: How the Kennedy assassination helped make network TV news wealthy

Michael J. Socolow, University of Maine

The JFK assassination was a landmark event in TV news history.

Thanksgiving stories gloss over the history of US settlement on Native lands

Lisa Michelle King, University of Tennessee

A scholar of Native American and Indigenous rhetorics writes about the harm done to Native American nations through colonization and what can be done to reduce it.

In America, national parks are more than scenic − they’re sacred. But they were created at a cost to Native Americans

Thomas S. Bremer, Rhodes College

The idea of Manifest Destiny inspired Americans to push west, leading to the creation of the first national parks. But those beliefs spelled removal for many Native American groups.

Thanksgiving sides are delicious and can be nutritious − here’s the biochemistry of how to maximize the benefits

Julie Pollock, University of Richmond

The turkey doesn’t have to be the star this Thanksgiving. Vegetable side dishes are packed with nutrients − depending on how you prepare them, they can help keep you energized this holiday season.

Forget dystopian scenarios – AI is pervasive today, and the risks are often hidden

Anjana Susarla, Michigan State University

The explosion of generative AI tools like ChatGPT and fears about where the technology might be headed distract from the many ways AI affects people every day – for better and worse.

Immune health is all about balance – an immunologist explains why both too strong and too weak an immune response can lead to illness

Aimee Pugh Bernard, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus

Dietary supplements claim to be able to ‘boost your immune system’ to combat disease. But attaining immune balance through a healthy lifestyle and vaccination is a safer bet to keep in good health.

The Conversation U.S. weekly news quiz

This week: a special Thanksgiving edition, stuffed with interesting facts.