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From the editors at The Conversation, an independent news organization based in Boston that publishes articles written by academic experts and edited by a team of journalists.
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Pop, soda or coke? The fizzy history behind America’s favorite linguistic debate
An expert in American dialects explains how a ‘health drink’ from the early 1800s spawned so many names and variations.
The great population peak: What happens after 10.3B?
Vital Records Index NYC reports global population is set to peak at 10.3B by 2080s, then decline, prompting economic and demographic shifts.
How do scientists calculate the probability that an asteroid could hit Earth?
Keeping Earth safe from asteroids isn’t just spotting them – it’s also helping people understand what a high-impact probability with Earth means.
To make a truly realistic fake picture of a galaxy, you can model exactly how light particles travel through the atmosphere and telescope to reach its sensor.
Almost everything on Earth is made up of atoms, but where do these fundamental building blocks come from?
Mars isn’t a bright, fire-engine red, but the iron oxide in its rocks makes it appear redder than other planets, especially from afar.
Scientists have a good estimate on the staggering number of stars in the universe.
President Trump’s executive order calling for AI literacy highlights its importance. The order also underscores its amorphous nature. Here’s how to develop and measure effective AI literacy programs.
People have long assumed that wheels evolved from simple wooden rollers. But how? And why? A new model focused on mechanical advantage and structural strength suggests some answers.
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5 benefits Africa’s new space agency can deliver
Africa’s new space agency has an important role to play in coordinating satellite data and boosting connectivity.
Fossils show colonies of reptiles lived communally 250 million years ago: new South African study
A new fossil discovery suggests that reptiles lived together 20 million years earlier than previously thought.
Not everything dies in a mass extinction. Sea life recovered in different and surprising ways after the asteroid strike 66 million years ago. Ancient fossils recorded it all.
As the universe expands, it feels like it must be spreading out from some initial point. But a physicist explains why that’s not how it works. Hint: space-time is involved.
A political scientist – with a penchant for gaming – explains how Minecraft, League of Legends and Civilization VII can help teach key international relations concepts.