The Conversation

Americans’ rage at insurers goes beyond health coverage – the author of ‘Delay, Deny, Defend’ points to 3 reforms that could help

Written by Jay Feinman, Distinguished Professor of Law Emeritus, Rutgers University

My book “Delay, Deny, Defend: Why Insurance Companies Don’t Pay Claims and What You Can Do About It” was thrust into the spotlight recently, after UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was shot and killed in what authorities say was a targeted attack outside the company’s annual investors conference. Investigators at the...

How Christian nationalism played a role in incorporating the phrase ‘so help me God’ in the presidential oath of office

Written by David B. Parker, Professor of History, Kennesaw State University

An oil painting of George Washington taking the oath of office as the first president of the United States on April 30, 1789, in New York City.Ramon de Elorriaga/Encyclopedia Britannica via Wikimedia Commons

On Jan. 20, 2025, Donald Trump will take the presidential oath of office: “I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the Office...

That Arctic blast can feel brutally cold, but how much colder than ‘normal’ is it really?

Written by Richard B. (Ricky) Rood, Professor Emeritus of Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering, University of Michigan

Philadelphia Eagles fans braved temperatures in the 20s to watch their team play the New York Giants on Jan. 5, 2025. AP Photo/Chris Szagola

An Arctic blast hitting the central and eastern U.S. in early January 2025 is creating fiercely cold conditions in many places. Parts of North Dakota dipped to more than 20 degrees below zero, and people as...

What Shakespeare revealed about the chaotic reign of Richard III – and why the play still resonates in the age of Donald Trump

Written by David Sterling Brown, Associate Professor of English, Trinity College

In this circa 1754 illustration, two women scold Richard III in Shakespeare's play. Universal History Archive/Getty Images)

Written around 1592, William Shakespeare’s play “Richard III” follows the reign of England’s infamous monarch and charts the path of a charismatic, cunning figure.

As Shakespeare depicts the king’s...

Nearly 54% of extreme conservatives say the federal government should use violence to stop illegal immigration

Written by William McCorkle, Assistant Professor of Education, College of Charleston

Immigrant families wait to be processed by U.S. border authorities after crossing the U.S.-Mexico border on Dec. 5, 2023, in Lukeville, Ariz.Photo by John Moore/Getty Images

Donald Trump’s anti-immigrant rhetoric has been a staple of his political career, but his attacks on undocumented migrants turned more ominous during his 2024...

Plants that evolved in Florida over millennia now face extinction and lack protection

Written by Andre A. Naranjo, Botanical Curator, Florida International University

Scrub mints are critical for pollinators, including the rare blue calamintha bee (*Osmia calaminthae*).Kristen Grace/Florida Museum, CC BY

Modern scrub mints, delicate flowering plants that grow mostly in Florida, likely result from ancient hybridization, according to a recent study I published with colleagues.

Scrub mints are a clade – a...

Microbes can colonize space, produce drugs and create energy − researchers are simulating their inner workings to harness how

Written by Blaise Manga Enuh, Postdoctoral Research Associate in Microbial Genomics and Systems Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Genome-scale metabolic models capture the complex chemical reactions that allow cells to function.Yuri Arcurs/iStock via Getty Images Plus

After so many years learning how microbes work, researchers are now digitally recreating their inner workings to tackle challenges ranging from climate change to space colonization.

In my work as a computational...

What is a war crime?

Written by Hurst Hannum, Professor of International Law, Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy, Tufts University

Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to curiouskidsus@theconversation.com.

What are war crimes and when did they start? – Artie, 12, Queens, New York

I imagine you’re asking about “war crimes” because you’ve heard that term mentioned...

Here’s what happens when teachers tailor their lessons to students’ individual learning styles

Written by Virginia Clinton-Lisell, Associate Professor of Educational Foundations and Research, University of North Dakota

Some educators believe different students have their own learning style. FatCamera/E+ via Getty Images

Students do better when lessons are tailored to individual learning styles – but not so much that it’s worth the investment of time and money. That’s the main finding of a recent peer-reviewed study I co-authored.

There has been...

Mainstream media faces a credibility crisis – my journalism research shows how the news can still serve the public

Written by Anita Varma, Assistant Professor, School of Journalism, The University of Texas at Austin

“The news media is the least trusted group among 10 U.S. civic and political institutions involved in the democratic process,” the polling firm Gallup concluded in a 2024 analysis.

Despite news organizations’ pledges to provide fact-based reporting, and ongoing investments to build trust, people across the political spectrum in...