The Conversation U.S.

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A nonprofit news organization dedicated to sharing the knowledge of experts with the public, in accessible, trustworthy articles drawing on their research.

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Last Notes

2024-10-14 16:46:40

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Celebrating #IndigenousPeoplesDay is important. But as the United States still needs to reckon with legacies of racism and colonialism, many Indigenous nations call for something more than a holiday – the return of ancestral lands
https://theconversation.com/indigenous-peoples-day-comes-amid-a-reckoning-over-colonialism-and-calls-for-return-of-native-land-147734

2024-10-14 16:46:23

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Land acknowledgments meant to honor Indigenous people too often do the opposite – erasing American Indians and sanitizing history instead
https://theconversation.com/land-acknowledgments-meant-to-honor-indigenous-people-too-often-do-the-opposite-erasing-american-indians-and-sanitizing-history-instead-163787

2024-10-14 16:45:55

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Honoring Indigenous #history is an effort to tell the truth about America.
We had a professor of education share some resources to share with young people (or read yourself) to learn more this #IndigenousPeoplesDay.
https://theconversation.com/indigenous-peoples-day-why-its-replacing-columbus-day-in-many-places-167849

2024-10-14 16:44:15

It’s another year of reclaiming Native history on #IndigenousPeoplesDay, instead of celebrating #ColumbusDay:
All part of a concerted, decades-long effort to recognize the role of Indigenous people in the nation’s history.
We’ve gathered a series of articles from historians and other experts including how Columbus became a national symbol and how his violence against Indigenous peoples was even more brutal than many people think.
#history #histodons @npub1uc0…cpgf

2024-09-16 11:25:00

Auburn University's "Science Fiction as Intellectual History" course challenges students to critically examine how past visions of the future shape our present.
Here’s what students learn:
https://theconversation.com/a-college-course-thats-a-history-of-the-future-237094
#SciFi@npub1ny7…uv57

2024-09-06 11:16:00

In domestic violence cases, police are more likely to make arrests when #pets are abused, too. We know there is a link between animal cruelty and interpersonal violence. So shouldn't there be stronger established partnerships between police and animal cruelty first responders?
Just as police may discover animal cruelty when responding to intimate partner violence, humane law enforcement may uncover evidence of intimate partner violence.
https://theconversation.com/in-domestic-violence-cases-police-are-more-likely-to-make-arrests-when-pets-are-abused-too-227863
#news #criminaljustice #law #IPV

2024-08-29 23:03:00

It’s rare to see both at the same time – but August has brought La Niña, which forms in the tropical Pacific, and the less well-known Atlantic Niña.
The Atlantic Niña usually works to reduce hurricane risk. Not this year, though, due to record-warm oceans.
https://theconversation.com/what-is-an-atlantic-nina-how-la-ninas-smaller-cousin-could-affect-hurricane-season-237425
#hurricaneseason #climate #science #environment

2024-08-28 15:50:38

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Hell yes. People decide on candidates because of a lot of random reasons (although I doubt this one - we were mainly trying to have fun). https://theconversation.com/policy-shmolicy-election-day-weather-and-football-victories-could-decide-the-election-235819

2024-08-28 15:44:14

Does Tim Walz use the word ‘damn’ too much?
We know younger adults are more tolerant of profanity, but will Walz’s swearing help his ticket win?
Read this linguist’s view and then tell us:
https://theconversation.com/does-democratic-vp-candidate-walz-swear-too-damn-much-236854
#News #USPolitics #HarrisWalz

2024-07-08 19:24:09

James and Jennifer Crumbley were convicted earlier this year of involuntary manslaughter after their son used an unlocked gun in a mass shooting.
“The Crumbley verdicts could lay the groundwork for how other parents who fail to secure their firearms might be charged if their child commits a shooting.”
Do you agree?
https://theconversation.com/what-parents-in-michigan-and-everywhere-should-know-about-secure-gun-storage-after-the-crumbley-convictions-228723
#News #Guns #GunControl #CriminalJustice

2024-06-28 04:51:16

Well, that was interesting.
Tonight's presidential debate had a clear loser, but no clear winner.
Trump missed an opportunity to knock it out of the park – and peppered his remarks with a steady stream of lies, half-truths and misinformation. – but he got through it.
And did Biden most likely cause a disaster for the Democratic Party?
Analysis from two scholars of communication and politics:
https://theconversation.com/biden-crashes-trump-lies-a-campaign-defining-presidential-debate-232672
#uspolitics #2024Election #election #debate2024

2024-06-19 14:10:09

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Here in Massachusetts many schools finish up this week (and would have been later if there had been more snow days)

2024-06-19 13:25:01

Teaching about slavery in schools and doing it well isn’t just about teaching the harshness of slavery. And educators can make #Juneteenth about so much more than the end of slavery.
Today’s holiday offers abundant opportunities to teach about what it means to fight for freedom and maintain a sense of self-determination in the face of oppression.
https://theconversation.com/juneteenth-offers-new-ways-to-teach-about-slavery-black-perseverance-and-american-history-206056
#BlackMastodon #Education #K12education #Histodons @npub1uc0…cpgf

2024-06-16 14:09:00

"Dad, I’m hungry."
"Hi, hungry. I’m Dad."
There's an example of the beloved form of humor: The Dad Joke.
But what makes something a dad joke instead of just a corny joke? We've got two folklorists answering that question and looking at the history of the 'art' form. Happy Father's Day to all the Dads out there, funny or not!
Leave a favorite #DadJoke in the replies, so we can all groan together
https://theconversation.com/an-homage-to-the-dad-joke-one-of-the-great-traditions-of-fatherhood-231996
#FathersDay #Dads @npub13ss…cjth

2024-06-14 16:27:56

America saw an upsurge of devotion to the nation's flag, and the writing of the pledge of allegiance, after the Civil War.
Then, on #FlagDay, 70 years ago today, President Eisenhower signed a bill adding “under God” to the pledge – cementing the semi-religious nature of the pledge.
https://theconversation.com/how-reciting-the-pledge-of-allegiance-became-a-sacred-patriotic-ritual-231432
#USPolitics #Religion #History

2024-06-11 21:48:44

Hunter Biden is by no means the first relative to bring grief to a president. The hall of shame includes John Payne Todd, Sam Houston Johnson and Billy Carter
https://theconversation.com/a-brief-history-of-tragic-presidential-relatives-from-alice-roosevelt-to-hunter-biden-208183

2024-06-08 22:53:01

Georgia is in play in 2024.
“I believe that Trump can be placed among a long line of demagogues who possess the skills needed to tap into the fears and anxieties of a group of people that perceives itself as marginalized, at risk and not in control.”
It worked for Democrat Lester Maddox in 1967, and it’s working for Trump this year
https://theconversation.com/preying-on-white-fears-worked-for-georgias-lester-maddox-in-the-60s-and-is-working-there-for-donald-trump-today-227749
#Trump #Election2024 #USPolitics @npub1e4z…xz2t

2024-06-06 10:25:00

Michigan used to be a safe bet for Democrats, but Trump’s 2016 campaign did a number on changing the state’s electoral question.
And today, Michigan is somewhere where small shifts can mean a lot. Low turnout with this voter group, extra enthusiasm with that one – small things like this add up in a big way.
https://theconversation.com/biden-and-trump-will-fight-for-michigans-votes-county-by-county-in-a-state-where-little-things-matter-a-lot-229456
#USPolitics #Trump #Biden #Election2024

2024-05-31 20:05:56

It might be a bit late to get #Newstodon Friday going today, but here's our pick for the day:
Donald #TrumpLies is a non-New Yorker’s idea of a New Yorker: “a well-done steak guy in a bagels-and-lox, or slice-of-pizza, or arroz con pollo or soup dumplings town.”
In a tribal city, Donald Trump belonged to none of the tribes
https://theconversation.com/12-new-yorkers-convicted-trump-but-he-never-fully-fit-in-to-new-york-city-148303
#News (cc @npub19kn…3u4n @npub1y8f…25hj @npub1xf8…0uw6 @npub1pd2…5uph @npub1y8f…25hj @npub1qmg…s6k5 @npub1svp…js2d [@thetyee](https://mstdn.ca/@thetyee ))

2024-05-30 23:55:04

Today's conviction of Trump won’t end the legal case, which could quickly be appealed and possibly rise to the level of the US Supreme Court.
It's a historic conviction, no doubt.
But practically speaking, the verdict means only that Trump can't vote (in Florida, where he's registered) and can't possess a firearm – like all other felons. But a felony conviction won’t keep him from running or serving as president.
A law professor explains a few other key points:
https://theconversation.com/trump-found-guilty-5-key-aspects-of-the-trial-explained-by-a-law-professor-231236

2024-05-30 19:31:03

Beethoven is A great composer, but not THE great composer, according to a music professor who believes it’s time to reframe Beethoven’s greatness “within the context of historic ideals of whiteness and patriarchy.”
“If Americans could acknowledge that our music and music education are deeply rooted in these two ideologies, then we could realize that Beethoven, surely a good composer, was simply one of many.”
https://theconversation.com/was-beethoven-truly-the-greatest-229660
#BlackMastodon @npub1e4z…xz2t #Music
https://assets.newsie.social/media_attachments/files/112/531/699/272/982/147/original/ed68b07cde66890e.png

2024-05-29 13:25:00

Most Americans, including those enacting 6-week #abortionbans, don’t actually understand how the timing or dating of pregnancy works. Many women don't know yet they are pregnant at 6 weeks.
Scholars explain how research on what Americans understand about #abortion raises “serious questions about whether Americans without medical training – much like those in our state legislatures – have the necessary knowledge needed to regulate abortion access.”
https://theconversation.com/confusion-over-how-pregnancy-dates-are-measured-is-widespread-and-makes-for-uninformed-debate-over-abortion-limits-229167
#abortionrights

2024-05-23 23:03:02

How do you get cargo and supplies to a shoreline where there are no ports or piers?
That’s the problem the relief effort faced in Gaza, and one that military forces and humanitarian groups have faced countless times in #history.
During World War 2, a navy engineer figured out a solution, using this model of cigar boxes as the prototype to show how a steel pontoon causeway could be made.
https://theconversation.com/how-the-gaza-humanitarian-aid-pier-traces-its-origins-to-discarded-cigar-boxes-before-world-war-ii-230267
#Histodons @npub1uc0…cpgf
https://assets.newsie.social/media_attachments/files/112/492/896/653/687/888/original/8f4d3acf1f46ea4e.jpeg

2024-05-20 15:38:31

Iran’s president and foreign minister died yesterday in a helicopter crash, leaving the country without two of its most influential politicians at a moment of regional and domestic disorder.
#Iran will now need to hold presidential elections within 50 days. Will the country’s ruling conservatives quickly move to repress political expression and manipulate elections?
We have more from an expert on Iran’s #politics
https://theconversation.com/iran-crash-president-raisis-death-leaves-tehran-mourning-loss-of-regime-loyalist-230385

2024-05-19 17:31:00

The Republican road from a deep faith in freedom given by God, to a candidate hawking $59.99 bibles
https://theconversation.com/reagans-great-america-shining-on-a-hill-twisted-into-trumps-dark-vision-of-christian-nationalism-226997
#News #USPolitics #Religion @npub1uc0…cpgf

2024-05-10 20:39:59

It's Friday #news #Quiz time!
Here's the first question:
The first crewed launch of Boeing's new reusable spacecraft was scrubbed again on May 6 because of issues with its booster rocket. What is Boeing's spacecraft named?
Check your answer and see how well you've been following the news, here: https://theconversation.com/the-conversation-u-s-weekly-news-quiz-189437b
(It's a tougher than usual quiz this week, but we're not aiming at the level of #birdnetwork users)

2024-05-08 15:10:12

Why is there a disconnect between the messages campus protesters want to amplify and what is broadcast? According to a #journalism professor:
> Journalists see confrontations, arrests and disruption as more newsworthy than peaceful protests
> Student efforts to educate their campuses were largely ignored while the encampments made the front pages.
> Universities and police have dedicated media teams ready to give quotes, students don’t
https://theconversation.com/media-coverage-of-campus-protests-tends-to-focus-on-the-spectacle-rather-than-the-substance-229172
#Gaza #Israel #campusprotests

2024-05-07 22:11:00

Israel's attack on Rafah shows the limits of Washington's attempts to hold back its ally.
https://theconversation.com/could-biden-stop-netanyahus-plans-a-national-security-expert-looks-at-israels-attack-on-rafah-229460
#Gaza #Israel #Rafah #news

2024-05-05 14:09:01

Sleeping with your dog in the same room could be hurting your sleep quality, according to new research.
Good news for cat people: The research team found no evidence for a negative effect on sleep when co-sleeping with cats.
https://theconversation.com/could-sharing-a-bedroom-with-your-pets-be-keeping-you-from-getting-a-good-nights-sleep-226216

2024-05-04 19:26:00

In Philadelphia – the poorest major city in the U.S. – the minimum wage has been stuck at $7.25 per hour for the past 15 years.
It’s not that Philadelphians haven’t tried to change things – but they consistently face pushback from the state legislature.
https://theconversation.com/philadelphias-minimum-wage-has-been-stuck-at-7-25-an-hour-since-2009-heres-why-efforts-to-raise-it-have-failed-223609

2024-04-30 20:47:20

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I'm checking with the editor to see if there's a public link somewhere

2024-04-28 16:03:16

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So don’t vote if you’re worried. I’m sure your sending a reply or favoriting also potentially exposes your instance IP as well.

2024-04-27 05:07:26

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Not to the account running the poll. We don’t even see the usernames of the people who vote.
I have no idea about the backend, but it would be entirely out of character of the Mastodon software to do that.

2024-04-26 18:21:29

In the late ‘60s, to right-wing activists, communists were over-running #college campuses and #university administrators needed to be subpoenaed and law enforcement sent in to forcibly end protests.
In 2024, to right-wing activists, antisemites are over-running college campuses and university administrators need to be subpoenaed and law enforcement sent in to forcibly end protests.
A historian of the reaction to campus protests lays out the parallels:
https://theconversation.com/college-administrators-are-falling-into-a-tried-and-true-trap-laid-by-the-right-228732 [@academicchatter](https://a.gup.pe/u/academicchatter)

2024-04-26 16:11:38

For #news #quiz inspiration this week, we mined The Conversation's weekly Curious Kids column, which tasks experts with answering questions posed by children.
Here's your first question – good luck!
If everyone on Earth got in the ocean and submerged themselves underwater at the same time, about how much would the world's sea level rise?
Check your answers and satisfy your curiosity, here: https://theconversation.com/the-conversation-u-s-weekly-news-quiz-189437?utm_medium=social&utm_source=mastodon&utm_content=quiz

2024-04-24 19:31:00

At 92, John Williams was the oldest #Oscar nominee in Academy history – for the second time. From Star Wars to Indiana Jones, a look back at his Hollywood harmonies of more than 60 years:
https://theconversation.com/from-jaws-to-schindlers-list-john-williams-has-infused-movie-scores-with-adventure-and-emotion-222694

2024-04-22 02:53:02

Fiber-optic cables laid on the ocean floor and used to transmit data between continents are the backbone of the global internet, carrying the bulk of emails, webpages and video calls.
https://theconversation.com/undersea-cables-are-the-unseen-backbone-of-the-global-internet-226300
#technology #science
https://assets.newsie.social/media_attachments/files/112/312/607/109/235/869/original/5572124da645906c.png

2024-04-02 15:53:00

The Callery pear tree is beloved for its white blooms – and they are beautiful – but it’s become one of the most problematic #invasivespecies. Do you have one on your property? Horticulturists are urging you to get out your ax.
https://theconversation.com/once-the-callery-pear-tree-was-landscapers-favorite-now-states-are-banning-this-invasive-species-and-urging-homeowners-to-cut-it-down-198724

2024-03-29 11:16:01

Don’t get fooled by all the hype.
“The field of artificial intelligence has been running through a boom-and-bust cycle since its early days. Now, as the field is in yet another boom, many proponents of the technology seem to have forgotten the failures of the past – and the reasons for them. While optimism drives progress, it’s worth paying attention to the history.”
https://theconversation.com/weve-been-here-before-ai-promised-humanlike-machines-in-1958-222700
#artificialintelligence #AI #science #technology #history

2024-03-29 00:06:00

“The state of #baseball scouting today is a mixed bag.
Some teams seem to be prioritizing analytics. But other organizations – like the Texas Rangers – have actually added scouts to their payrolls since 2019.
When the Rangers won the World Series in 2023, baseball scouts around the league rejoiced: The team’s success confirmed that an emphasis on personal touch and people could still pay off.”
But other teams have slashed their scouting staffs.
#openingday #sports
https://theconversation.com/for-over-a-century-baseballs-scouts-have-been-the-backbone-of-americas-pastime-do-they-have-a-future-226379

2024-03-28 19:31:00

Unsurprisingly, voters with more sexist attitudes were more likely to support Trump over Haley.
https://theconversation.com/yes-sexism-among-republican-voters-helped-sink-nikki-haleys-presidential-campaign-225434
#USPolitics #Election2024 #News

2024-03-26 20:31:00

The price of asthma medication has soared in the U.S. over the past decade and a half.
The pharmaceutical company Teva sells QVAR RediHaler, a corticosteroid inhaler, for $286 in the U.S.
In Germany, Teva sells that same inhaler for $9.
https://theconversation.com/asthma-meds-have-become-shockingly-unaffordable-but-relief-may-be-on-the-way-222858
#health

2024-03-21 23:03:00

Gen-Z doesn’t get its music from the radio. “AI-generated playlists have disrupted this, and the two of us don’t see that as necessarily a bad thing. A stunning range of music is available to young people, and no longer do radio DJs, ratings and record companies serve as gatekeepers.”
By 2 music education scholars:
https://theconversation.com/how-ai-is-shaping-the-music-listening-habits-of-gen-z-224053
#artificialintelligence #music

2024-03-21 19:31:00

A cancer diagnosis is serious, but immediately starting treatment sometimes isn’t the best course of action – especially with the case of something like a low-risk prostate cancer that usually grows so slowly it isn’t life-threatening.
https://theconversation.com/treatment-can-do-more-harm-than-good-for-prostate-cancer-why-active-surveillance-may-be-a-better-option-for-some-221485
#health #cancer

2024-03-21 10:25:00

Imagine witnessing an overdose and being save somebody with the help of a drone.
“Via a video playing on a screen carried by the drone, the bystander received instructions on how to use the naloxone, which is administered as a nasal spray. We timed each participant on how long it took them to correctly give the medication during this crisis moment.
Average time for someone to view the video and administer the medication: 62 seconds.
Pretty remarkable.
https://theconversation.com/untrained-bystanders-can-administer-drone-delivered-naloxone-potentially-saving-lives-of-opioid-overdose-victims-219387