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Learning ethics − one Marvel movie at a time

  • Written by James Calvin Davis, Professor of Religion, Middlebury
imagePhilosophically, there's more to many superhero movies than first meets the eye.Daniel Fung/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

Uncommon Courses is an occasional series from The Conversation U.S. highlighting unconventional approaches to teaching.

Title of course:

Ethics in the MCU

What prompted the idea for the course?

As a die-hard fan of the...

Read more: Learning ethics − one Marvel movie at a time

USAID’s history shows decades of good work on behalf of America’s global interests, although not all its projects succeeded

  • Written by Christian Ruth, America in the World Consortium Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Florida
imageVolunteers at a camp for internally displaced people in Bahir Dar, Ethiopia, carry wheat flour donated by USAID in December 2021. J. Countess/Getty Images

The Trump administration’s sudden dismantling of nearly all foreign aid, including the work carried out by the U.S. Agency for International Development, has upended the government...

Read more: USAID’s history shows decades of good work on behalf of America’s global interests, although not...

Influencers have trouble figuring out their tax obligations − and with good reason

  • Written by Sarah Webber, Associate Professor of Accounting, University of Dayton
imageIf influencer Jimmy Darts got any of this outdoor furniture for free, the IRS would probably see it as income.AP Photo/Chris Pizzello

The Internal Revenue Service hasn’t issued comprehensive guidance on how the estimated 27 million Americans earning income as influencers should report their income and expenses on their tax returns....

Read more: Influencers have trouble figuring out their tax obligations − and with good reason

Trump is the kinglike president many feared when arguing over the US Constitution in 1789 – and his address to Congress showed it

  • Written by Maurizio Valsania, Professor of American History, Università di Torino
imagePresident Donald Trump addresses a joint session of Congress at the U.S. Capitol on March 4, 2025.Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

If there are any limits to a president’s power, it wasn’t evident from Donald Trump’s speech before a joint session of Congress on March 4, 2025.

In that speech, the first before lawmakers of...

Read more: Trump is the kinglike president many feared when arguing over the US Constitution in 1789 – and...

A potential $110B economic hit: How Trump’s tariffs could mean rising costs for families, strain for states

  • Written by Bedassa Tadesse, Professor of Economics, University of Minnesota Duluth
imageA worker at a steel company in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico, on Feb. 11, 2025. Julio Cesar Aguilar/AFP via Getty Images

Get ready to pay more for avocados, maple syrup and – well – almost everything.

The U.S. officially imposed new 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico on March 4, 2025, following through on a long-delayed pledge from...

Read more: A potential $110B economic hit: How Trump’s tariffs could mean rising costs for families, strain...

Extreme heat silently accelerates aging on a molecular level − new research

  • Written by Eunyoung Choi, Postdoctoral Associate in Gerontology, University of Southern California
imageExtreme heat increases the risk of a number of diseases, including kidney and heart conditions.Spencer Platt/Getty Images

What if extreme heat not only leaves you feeling exhausted but actually makes you age faster?

Scientists already know that extreme heat increases the risk of heat stroke, cardiovascular disease, kidney dysfunction and even...

Read more: Extreme heat silently accelerates aging on a molecular level − new research

Gifts from top 50 US philanthropists rebounded to $16B in 2024 − Mike Bloomberg; Reed Hastings and Patty Quillin; and Michael and Susan Dell lead the list of biggest givers

  • Written by David Campbell, Professor of Public Administration, Binghamton University, State University of New York
imageMike Bloomberg speaks at the Global Renewables Summit in September 2024.Bryan Bedder/Getty Images for Bloomberg Philanthropies

The 50 American individuals and couples who gave or pledged the most to charity in 2024 committed US$16.2 billion to foundations, universities, hospitals and more. That total was 33% above an inflation-adjusted $12.2...

Read more: Gifts from top 50 US philanthropists rebounded to $16B in 2024 − Mike Bloomberg; Reed Hastings and...

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs advises the president on use of America’s military power

  • Written by Dwight Stirling, Lecturer in Law, University of Southern California
imageIn February 2025, Air Force Gen. Charles Q. Brown, center, was fired as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff by President Donald Trump.Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

The dismissal of Gen. Charles Q. Brown as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff was startling, if not unexpected, at the beginning of President Donald Trump’s second term.

Trump...

Read more: Chairman of the Joint Chiefs advises the president on use of America’s military power

How the hidden epidemic of violence against nurses affects health care

  • Written by Jason Blomquist, Assistant Professor of Nursing, Boise State University
imageNurses in the United States face a high rate of burnout.Hirung via Getty Images

“Violence is just part of the job. Every nurse and health care worker experiences it at some point.”

Sentiments like this echo across American hospitals and health care facilities, capturing a disturbing and growing reality. Though Americans think of nursing...

Read more: How the hidden epidemic of violence against nurses affects health care

How Trump’s second term might affect the market and your finances

  • Written by Art Durnev, Distinguished Chair in Finance, Professor of Finance, University of Richmond

Ever since Donald Trump returned to the White House in January, stock market expectations have been volatile – driven in part by a healthy dose of motivated reasoning.

At first, markets surged on hopes of lower taxes and deregulation. But this enthusiasm soon faded as announcements about tariffs and stricter immigration policies dampened...

Read more: How Trump’s second term might affect the market and your finances

More Articles ...

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  2. Out-of-balance bacteria is linked to multiple sclerosis − the ratio can predict severity of disease
  3. How are clouds’ shapes made? A scientist explains the different cloud types and how they help forecast weather
  4. GOP lawmakers commit to big spending cuts, putting Medicaid under a spotlight – but trimming the low-income health insurance program would be hard
  5. Who’s who at the Vatican?
  6. What is isolationism? The history and politics of an often-maligned foreign policy concept
  7. From opposing robber barons to the New Deal to desegregation to DOGE, state attorneys general have long taken on Washington
  8. America’s designs on annexing Canada have a long history − and record of political failures
  9. What is Tren de Aragua? How the Venezuelan gang started − and why US policies may only make it stronger
  10. The only ‘winner’ here is Putin: Ukraine unites in response to Trump-Zelenskyy spat and resigns itself to new reality
  11. How Trump’s compulsion to dominate sabotages dealmaking, undermines democracy and threatens global stability
  12. Making English the official US language can’t erase the fact that the US has millions of Spanish speakers and a long multilingual history
  13. As flu cases break records this year, vaccine rates are declining, particularly for children and 65+ adults
  14. Texas records first US measles death in 10 years – a medical epidemiologist explains how to protect yourself and your community from this deadly, preventable disease
  15. Coastal economies rely on NOAA, from Maine to Florida, Texas and Alaska – even if they don’t realize it
  16. Just having a pet doesn’t help mental health – but pet-owners with secure relationships with their pets are less depressed
  17. What are conflicts of interest and what can be done about them?
  18. What’s a constitutional crisis? Here’s how Trump’s recent moves are challenging the Constitution’s separation of powers
  19. As the Kremlin eyes a thaw with the White House, Russia’s pro-war hawks aren’t too happy
  20. The science behind airplane deicing – a mechanical engineer explains how chemistry and physics make flying a more uplifting experience
  21. Maple seeds’ unique spinning motion allows them to travel far even in the rain, a new study shows
  22. Is a united European voice possible in the age of Trump, Putin and far-right politics? Germany’s new leader intends to find out
  23. Brutalism – the architectural style that dared to summon a new world from the ashes of World War II
  24. More Americans of all political stripes support government benefits for low-income people − and Black Lives Matter could be a big reason why
  25. Trump administration sets out to create an America its people have never experienced − one without a meaningful government
  26. Managers can help their Gen Z employees unlock the power of meaningful work − here’s how
  27. Identifying brands as Black-owned can pay off for businesses
  28. What is a charter school, really? Supreme Court ruling on whether Catholic charter is constitutional will hinge on whether they’re public or private
  29. Israel’s bombing of Gaza caused untold environmental damage − recovery will take effort and time
  30. Anti-DEI guidance from Trump administration misinterprets the law and guts educators’ free speech rights
  31. What’s the shape of the universe? Mathematicians use topology to study the shape of the world and everything in it
  32. AIs flunk language test that takes grammar out of the equation
  33. Philadelphia continues long history of Black-led protest meetings aimed at fighting racial inequity and prejudice
  34. Parrotfish support healthy coral reefs, but they’re not a cure-all, and sometimes cause harm
  35. Why people rebuild in Appalachia’s flood-ravaged areas despite the risks
  36. In many of Appalachia’s flood-ravaged areas, residents have little choice but rebuild in risky locations
  37. States that impose severe prison sentences accomplish the opposite of what they say they want
  38. How ticket-splitting voters could shape the 2026 midterms
  39. Cutting Medicaid and federal programs are among 4 key Trump administration policy changes that could make life harder for disabled people
  40. USAID’s apparent demise and the US withdrawal from WHO put millions of lives worldwide at risk and imperil US national security
  41. How Nutriset, a French company, has helped alleviate hunger and create jobs in some of the world’s poorest places
  42. Germany’s chancellor-in-waiting prioritizes ‘real’ independence from the US − but what does that mean and is it achievable?
  43. A hazy legal landscape means people can get high on hemp products, even where pot is prohibited
  44. Butchers, bakers, candlestick-makers − and prostitutes: The women working behind the scenes in papal Avignon
  45. 500 years ago, German peasants revolted – but their faith that the Protestant Reformation stood for freedom was dashed by Martin Luther and the nobility
  46. How early voting on campuses can boost election turnout – not only for students but for residents, too
  47. Trump’s claims of vast presidential powers run up against Article 2 of the Constitution and exceed previous presidents’ power grabs
  48. Generative AI is most useful for the things we care about the least
  49. Selenium is an essential nutrient named after the Greek goddess of the Moon − crucial to health, it may help prevent and treat cancer
  50. Colorado is tackling air pollution in vulnerable neighborhoods by regulating 5 air toxics