The Conversation

‘Jeffrey Epstein is not unique’: What his case reveals about the realities of child sex trafficking

Written by Kate Price, Associate Research Scientist at the Wellesley Centers for Women, Wellesley College

Jeffrey Epstein abuse survivor Lisa Phillips speaks during the press conference on the Epstein Files Transparency Act in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 18, 2025. Celal Gunes/Anadolu via Getty Images

Congress on Nov. 18, 2025, passed legislation that calls on the Justice Department to release records related to Jeffrey Epstein, the late convicted sex...

College students are now slightly less likely to experience severe depression, research shows – but the mental health crisis is far from over

Written by Ryan Travia, Associate Vice President for Student Success, Babson College

Some schools have started experimenting with preventive strategies to promote the mental health of their student body.Flashvector/iStock/Getty Images Plus

Many high school seniors across the country are in the throes of college applications – often a high-stakes, anxiety-ridden process.

But the stress doesn’t necessarily stop once...

50 years after Franco’s death, giving a voice to Spanish dictator’s imprisoned mothers

Written by Zaya Rustamova, Associate Professor of Spanish, Kennesaw State University

A protester holds a banner with pictures of people who went missing during the Spanish dictatorship of Francisco Franco.John Milner/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

In the run-up to the 50th anniversary of Francisco Franco’s death on Nov. 20, 2025, the left-leaning Spanish government led a vigil honoring the many victims of the...

Beyond the habitable zone: Exoplanet atmospheres are the next clue to finding life on planets orbiting distant stars

Written by Morgan Underwood, Ph.D. Candidate in Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences, Rice University

Some exoplanets, like the one shown in this illustration, may have atmospheres that could make them potentially suitable for life. NASA/JPL-Caltech via AP

When astronomers search for planets that could host liquid water on their surface, they start by looking at a star’s habitable zone. Water is a key ingredient for life, and on a planet too...

How climate finance to help poor countries became a global shell game – donors have counted fossil fuel projects, airports and even ice cream shops

Written by Shannon Gibson, Professor of Environmental Studies, Political Science and International Relations, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences

Climate finance is meant to help low-income countries adapt to climate change and recover from disasters like Hurricane Melissa.Yamil Lage/AFP via Getty Images

When Hurricane Melissa tore through the Caribbean in October 2025, it left a trail of destruction. The Category 5 storm damaged buildings in Jamaica, Haiti and Cuba, snapped power lines and...

The Dayton Peace Accords at 30: An ugly peace that has prevented a return to war over Bosnia

Written by Gerard Toal, Professor of Government and International Affairs, Virginia Tech

World leaders clap as, from left, Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic, Croat President Franjo Tudjman and Bosnian President Alija Izetbegovic sign the Dayton Peace Agreement.Peter Turnley/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images

On Nov. 21, 1995, in the conference room of the Hope Hotel on the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio, the leaders of...

Orthodox Judaism is making space for women’s religious leadership – even without traditional ordination

Written by Michal Raucher, Associate Professor of Jewish Studies, Rutgers University

Orthodox Jewish women attend an event celebrating the completion of the 7 1/2-year cycle of daily study of the Talmud, the central text of Jewish law, on Jan. 5, 2020, in Jerusalem.AP Photo/Tsafrir Abayov

When people picture a rabbi, they may imagine a man standing in front of a congregation in a synagogue. But “rabbi” means much more...

Learning with AI falls short compared to old-fashioned web search

Written by Shiri Melumad, Associate Professor of Marketing, University of Pennsylvania

The work of seeking and synthesizing information can improve understanding of it compared to reading a summary.Tom Werner/DigitalVision via Getty Images

Since the release of ChatGPT in late 2022, millions of people have started using large language models to access knowledge. And it’s easy to understand their appeal: Ask a question, get a...

Florida residents’ anxiety is linked to social media use and varies with age, new study shows

Written by Stephen Neely, Associate Professor of Public Affairs, University of South Florida

Younger Floridians who spend a lot of time on social media tend to be more anxious on average than other adults in the Sunshine State.Pheelings Media/iStock via Getty Images Plus

Over 40 million American adults – approximately 19% – live with an anxiety disorder, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Studies show this anxiety...

Vice President Dick Cheney’s life followed the arc of the biggest breakthroughs in cardiovascular medicine

Written by William Cornwell, Associate Professor of Cardiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus

Cardiovascular medical technology evolved rapidly over the past half-century.Mohammed Haneefa Nizamudeen/iStock via Getty Images Plus

The life and political legacy of former Vice President Dick Cheney, who died on Nov. 4, 2025, at the age of 84, has been well documented. But his decades-long battle with heart disease may be less appreciated.

Cheney...