The Conversation

The Conversation

is an independent source of news and views from the academic and research community, delivered direct to the public.

  • West Elm Caleb & the Rise of the TikTok Tabloid

    Tabloids traditionally have gone after the rich and famous. On TikTok, anyone can be a target, as "West Elm Caleb" recently found out.

  • How 5G Puts Airplanes at Risk – An Electrical Engineer Explains

  • Russia & Ukraine: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know

  • Why the Volcanic Eruption in Tonga Was So Violent & What to Expect Next

  • Seditious Conspiracy: A Look at the New January 6 Oath Keepers Charges

  • January 6: American Support for Conspiracy Theories & Armed Rebellion Isn’t New

    Almost eight years before the January 6, 2021 Capitol attack, nearly one-third of Americans surveyed – and 44% of Republicans – said armed rebellion might soon be necessary in the US to protect liberties.

  • Ghislaine Maxwell Guilty in Epstein Sex Trafficking Trial: What the Case Revealed

  • What Day Is It? How Holidays Warp Our Sense of Time

  • Miracles & Magic: The Dual Stories at the Heart of Christmas

  • Why Colorful Christmas Sweets May Pose Health Risks

  • Mistletoe: The Dark Side of the Christmas Decoration

    This evergreen plant has some tricky ways to get ahead, but mistletoe is a valuable part of the ecosystem.

  • What’s the Point of Holiday Gifts?

  • Is Santa’s Sleigh Zero Carbon? The Answer Lies in Reindeer Poo

  • 9 Reasons Why ‘Die Hard’ Really Is a Christmas Movie

  • The Magnificent History of the Maligned & Misunderstood Fruitcake

  • How ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas’ Helped Make the Modern Santa

  • How Mrs. Claus Embodied 19th-Century Debates About Women’s Rights

  • How Christmas Became an American Holiday Tradition With Santa, Gifts & Trees

  • James Webb Space Telescope: How to Launch a Giant Telescope

  • How Effective Are Vaccines Against Omicron? 6 Questions Answered

    For a number of reasons, as time goes on vaccines become less effective. So how do researchers calculate how well vaccines are working?

  • Tornadoes & Climate Change: What a Warming World Means for Deadly Twisters

  • Why Is Inflation So High? Is It Bad? An Economist Answers 3 Key Questions

  • How Can Scientists Update Coronavirus Vaccines for Omicron? 5 Questions Answered

  • Omicron: Why the WHO Designated It a Variant of Concern

  • Omicron COVID Variant: How It Was Found & What Scientists Know So Far

    There’s a new COVID lineage called B.1.1.529, known as the omicron variant. It has a genetic profile very different from other circulating variants

  • Talking Turkey: How the Thanksgiving Bird Got Its Name

  • WitchTok: Rise of Occult on Social Media Has Eerie Parallels to 16th Century

  • Adele ’30’: The Psychology of Why Sad Songs Make Us Feel Good

  • What’s the Difference Between a PCR & Antigen COVID-19 Test?

  • White-Tailed Deer Found to Be Huge Reservoir of Coronavirus Infection

    In a sample of white-tailed deer, 80% were found to have an active COVID infection.