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How polling failures, gambling legalization and political gridlock paved the way for the explosive rise of prediction markets

How polling failures, gambling legalization and political gridlock paved the way for the explosive rise of prediction markets

by Parker Bach

How California’s war on smog and its ambitious car pollution rules made everyone’s air cleaner

How California’s war on smog and its ambitious car pollution rules made everyone’s air cleaner

by Ann E. Carlson

Holocaust survivors in France came home to stolen apartments, looted furniture and bureaucratic hurdles

Holocaust survivors in France came home to stolen apartments, looted furniture and bureaucratic hurdles

by Shannon Fogg

‘Project Hail Mary’ demonstrates how intellectual humility can be a guiding force for scientists and astronauts

‘Project Hail Mary’ demonstrates how intellectual humility can be a guiding force for scientists and astronauts

by Deana L. Weibel

Artemis II’s long countdown – a space historian explains why it has taken over 50 years to return to the Moon

Artemis II’s long countdown – a space historian explains why it has taken over 50 years to return to the Moon

by Emily A. Margolis

Benefits of mindfulness meditation go far beyond relaxation – here’s what it is and how to practice it

Benefits of mindfulness meditation go far beyond relaxation – here’s what it is and how to practice it

by J. David Creswell

Ticks are the backyard threat southwestern Pennsylvania homeowners keep ignoring

Ticks are the backyard threat southwestern Pennsylvania homeowners keep ignoring

by Danielle Tufts

Trump Fed pick Kevin Warsh could shake up the central bank with his ‘family fight’ model

Trump Fed pick Kevin Warsh could shake up the central bank with his ‘family fight’ model

by Paul Wachtel

From youth bulges to graying societies: The demographic dynamics that are upending the world

From youth bulges to graying societies: The demographic dynamics that are upending the world

by John Rennie Short

How sea mines threaten global trade, and how navies detect them

How sea mines threaten global trade, and how navies detect them

by John Femiani

World Water Day: Three steps towards gender equity in water governance

World Water Day: Three steps towards gender equity in water governance

by Lauren Keira Marie Smith

Decades of hostility between Iran and the US were preceded by a little-remembered century-long friendship

Decades of hostility between Iran and the US were preceded by a little-remembered century-long friendship

by Daniel Thomas Potts

Supreme Court’s decision on birthright citizenship will depend on its interpretation of one key phrase

Supreme Court’s decision on birthright citizenship will depend on its interpretation of one key phrase

by Morgan Marietta

Basic income’s appeal today is similar to its roots in 18th-century England – it’s a way to compensate people for a common good taken for private gain

Basic income’s appeal today is similar to its roots in 18th-century England – it’s a way to compensate people for a common good taken for private gain

by Will Glovinsky

NASA wants to build a base on the Moon by the 2030s – how and why it plans to build up to a long-term lunar presence

NASA wants to build a base on the Moon by the 2030s – how and why it plans to build up to a long-term lunar presence

by Michelle L.D. Hanlon

Sex test used in IOC’s new transgender ban more likely to exclude from Olympics intersex women who were assigned female at birth

Sex test used in IOC’s new transgender ban more likely to exclude from Olympics intersex women who were assigned female at birth

by Ari Berkowitz

Panicking scientists, canceled experiments – federal funding cuts turned my work as a research dean into crisis management

Panicking scientists, canceled experiments – federal funding cuts turned my work as a research dean into crisis management

by Nara Parameswaran

Shiite grief over attacks on Iran’s sacred cities has deep historical roots

Shiite grief over attacks on Iran’s sacred cities has deep historical roots

by Mary Thurlkill

Trump’s ‘God Squad’ pits energy vs. endangered species, but it’s a false choice – protecting wildlife can be good for business

Trump’s ‘God Squad’ pits energy vs. endangered species, but it’s a false choice – protecting wildlife can be good for business

by Dan Salas

On Passover, some Sephardic Jews revisit not only the story of their ancestors, but also their Ladino language

On Passover, some Sephardic Jews revisit not only the story of their ancestors, but also their Ladino language

by Bryan Kirschen

Are multiverses real? An astrophysicist explains why it depends on how you define ‘real’

Are multiverses real? An astrophysicist explains why it depends on how you define ‘real’

by Zachary Slepian

Cameras have quietly appeared in thousands of US cities – now, their integration with AI is sounding alarms

Cameras have quietly appeared in thousands of US cities – now, their integration with AI is sounding alarms

by Jess Reia

COVID-19 variant BA.3.2 is spreading quickly across US – a doctor explains what you need to know

COVID-19 variant BA.3.2 is spreading quickly across US – a doctor explains what you need to know

by Kyle B. Enfield

What Americans can learn from other civil activism movements against authoritarian regimes

What Americans can learn from other civil activism movements against authoritarian regimes

by John Shattuck

Ultralightweight sonar plus AI lets tiny drones navigate like bats

Ultralightweight sonar plus AI lets tiny drones navigate like bats

by Nitin Sanket

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U.S.-Iran war

Congress still has ways to throttle back Trump’s war with Iran – and to ask questions

Congress still has ways to throttle back Trump’s war with Iran – and to ask questions

by Charlie Hunt

Iran war and other tough topics give K-12 teachers chance to teach students how, not what, to think

Iran war and other tough topics give K-12 teachers chance to teach students how, not what, to think

by Boaz Dvir

Information is a battlefield: 4 questions you can ask to judge the reliability of news reports and social posts about the US-Iran war

Information is a battlefield: 4 questions you can ask to judge the reliability of news reports and social posts about the US-Iran war

by Andrea Hickerson

Israeli action in Lebanon risks repeating history’s mistakes — and torpedoing a historic moment for dialogue

Israeli action in Lebanon risks repeating history’s mistakes — and torpedoing a historic moment for dialogue

by Asher Kaufman

Over 400 million barrels will be added to the oil market soon – what are strategic reserves and what can they do?

Over 400 million barrels will be added to the oil market soon – what are strategic reserves and what can they do?

by Scott L. Montgomery

Is it ‘Ih-ran’ or ‘E-ron’? Inside the politics of pronunciation

Is it ‘Ih-ran’ or ‘E-ron’? Inside the politics of pronunciation

by Valerie M. Fridland

How far can Iran’s ballistic missiles reach? A defense expert explains how the missiles work, and what Iran can and can’t hit

How far can Iran’s ballistic missiles reach? A defense expert explains how the missiles work, and what Iran can and can’t hit

by Iain Boyd

War on Iran during nuclear negotiations undermines the US’s ability to talk peace around the world − and the effects won’t end when Trump leaves office

War on Iran during nuclear negotiations undermines the US’s ability to talk peace around the world − and the effects won’t end when Trump leaves office

by Debak Das

Read more of coverage of the U.S.-Iran war →

Philosophy and ethics

The long history of silent meditation retreats and the individuals who helped shape them

The long history of silent meditation retreats and the individuals who helped shape them

by Daniel M. Stuart

I was teaching virtue and knowledge while lying on the side

I was teaching virtue and knowledge while lying on the side

by Katherine Moses

What an ancient Chinese philosopher can teach us about Americans’ obsession with college rankings

What an ancient Chinese philosopher can teach us about Americans’ obsession with college rankings

by Stephen Chen

Paul Ehrlich, often called alarmist for dire warnings about human harms to the Earth, believed scientists had a responsibility to speak out

Paul Ehrlich, often called alarmist for dire warnings about human harms to the Earth, believed scientists had a responsibility to speak out

by William J. (Bill) Kovarik

Moral metrics: Are corporate algorithms becoming our new moral authorities?

Moral metrics: Are corporate algorithms becoming our new moral authorities?

by Beth DuFault

Read more on philosophy and ethics →

Extreme weather and natural disasters

Warming winters are disrupting the hidden world of fungi – the result can shift mountain grasslands to scrub

Warming winters are disrupting the hidden world of fungi – the result can shift mountain grasslands to scrub

by Aimee Classen

Making sense of a chaotic planet: How understanding weather and climate risks depends on supercomputers like NCAR’s

Making sense of a chaotic planet: How understanding weather and climate risks depends on supercomputers like NCAR’s

by Antonios Mamalakis

Sixth year of drought in Texas and Oklahoma leaves ranchers facing wildfires and bracing for another tough year

Sixth year of drought in Texas and Oklahoma leaves ranchers facing wildfires and bracing for another tough year

by Joel Lisonbee

Can you survive inside a tornado? This scientist did by accident – he’s lucky to be alive

Can you survive inside a tornado? This scientist did by accident – he’s lucky to be alive

by Perry Samson

2026’s historic snow drought brings worries about water, wildfires and the future in the West

2026’s historic snow drought brings worries about water, wildfires and the future in the West

by Alejandro N. Flores

Read more articles related to extreme weather →

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ICE and immigration

A terrorism label that comes before the facts can turn ‘domestic terrorism’ into a useless designation

A terrorism label that comes before the facts can turn ‘domestic terrorism’ into a useless designation

by Brian O'Neill

How the 9/11 terrorist attacks shaped ICE’s immigration strategy

How the 9/11 terrorist attacks shaped ICE’s immigration strategy

by Pawan Dhingra

When ICE sweeps a community, public health pays a price – and recovery will likely take years

When ICE sweeps a community, public health pays a price – and recovery will likely take years

by Nicole L. Novak

Why ICE’s body camera policies make the videos unlikely to improve accountability and transparency

Why ICE’s body camera policies make the videos unlikely to improve accountability and transparency

by Stephanie Lessing

ICE buys $87M warehouse in Pennsylvania − can local officials block a detention facility?

ICE buys $87M warehouse in Pennsylvania − can local officials block a detention facility?

by Aaron Walayat

Read more on U.S. immigration policies →

Trump administration

Trump’s ‘Venezuela solution’ to Cuba would see the island nation returned to a client state

Trump’s ‘Venezuela solution’ to Cuba would see the island nation returned to a client state

by Joseph J. Gonzalez

In its hunt for critical minerals, the US is misconstruing what is and is not America’s

In its hunt for critical minerals, the US is misconstruing what is and is not America’s

by Coalter G Lathrop

Tax changes taking effect in 2026 may boost the number of donors but lead to the US missing out on an estimated $5.7B a year in charitable giving

Tax changes taking effect in 2026 may boost the number of donors but lead to the US missing out on an estimated $5.7B a year in charitable giving

by Jon Bergdoll

I went to CPAC and found Trump supporters unhappy about Iran, Epstein files and the economy, even while the fans at the MAGA conference celebrate his immigration policies

I went to CPAC and found Trump supporters unhappy about Iran, Epstein files and the economy, even while the fans at the MAGA conference celebrate his immigration policies

by Alex Hinton

Read more about the Trump administration →

International

Hezbollah − degraded, weakened but not yet disarmed − destabilizes Lebanon once again

Hezbollah − degraded, weakened but not yet disarmed − destabilizes Lebanon once again

by Mireille Rebeiz

China’s muted response over war in Iran reflects Beijing’s delicate calculus as a concerned onlooker

China’s muted response over war in Iran reflects Beijing’s delicate calculus as a concerned onlooker

by John Calabrese

Kurdish gains in Syria could disappear without international support − just as they did in Iraq decades ago

Kurdish gains in Syria could disappear without international support − just as they did in Iraq decades ago

by Lily Hindy

Oil price surge is hurting African economies: scholars in Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal and South Africa take stock

Oil price surge is hurting African economies: scholars in Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal and South Africa take stock

by Ibrahima Thiam

How a diplomatic snub evokes the complicated US-Brazil relationship in the second Trump era

How a diplomatic snub evokes the complicated US-Brazil relationship in the second Trump era

by Anthony W. Pereira

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New research in health and science

Scientists may be overestimating the amount of microplastics in the environment – and the culprit is lab gloves

Scientists may be overestimating the amount of microplastics in the environment – and the culprit is lab gloves

by Anne McNeil

Millions of CT scans are done every year – most leave important data behind

Millions of CT scans are done every year – most leave important data behind

by Peter Gunderman

Power outages in heat waves and storms can threaten the lives of medical device users – we looked at who is most at risk

Power outages in heat waves and storms can threaten the lives of medical device users – we looked at who is most at risk

by Katherine Asmussen

Health insurance jargon can be frustrating and confusing – here’s how to navigate it

Health insurance jargon can be frustrating and confusing – here’s how to navigate it

by Jamie Hartmann-Boyce

New study measures titanium in Apollo rock to uncover Moon’s early chemistry

New study measures titanium in Apollo rock to uncover Moon’s early chemistry

by Advik D. Vira

Read more new science research →

Artificial intelligence

College students are writing with AI – but a pilot study finds they’re not simply letting it write for them

College students are writing with AI – but a pilot study finds they’re not simply letting it write for them

by Jeanne Beatrix Law

A writing professor’s new task in the age of AI: Teaching students when to struggle

A writing professor’s new task in the age of AI: Teaching students when to struggle

by Kristi Girdharry

With AI finishing your sentences, what will happen to your unique voice on the page?

With AI finishing your sentences, what will happen to your unique voice on the page?

by Gayle Rogers

More and more teachers and students are using AI – even though it might do more harm than good

More and more teachers and students are using AI – even though it might do more harm than good

by Tal Slemrod

How AI English and human English differ – and how to decide when to use artificial language

How AI English and human English differ – and how to decide when to use artificial language

by Laura Aull

Read more stories on artificial intelligence →