By Trent Wintermeier, Ph.D. Candidate in Rhetoric and Writing, The University of Texas at Austin
A kill switch to shut down dangerous AI systems is a seductive concept, but the metaphor hides how the models work – and how they get out of control in the first place.
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By Margaret Landis, Assistant Professor of Earth and Space Exploration, Arizona State University
NASA lost contact with its Maven spacecraft – the youngest of its Mars orbiters – at the end of 2025. The others in its fleet are over two decades old.
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By Alida de Flamingh, Assistant Professor of Evolutionary Genomics, University of Tennessee
From domesticated foxes to tuskless elephants, humans have directly and indirectly influenced the evolution of a wide range of animals.
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By Shushan Karapetian, Director of the Institute of Armenian Studies, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences
Armenian culture marks major events such as birth and death with a special period of 40 days, called ‘karasunk,’ as people transition from one state to another.
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By Nicholas Jacobs, Goldfarb Family Distinguished Chair in American Government, Colby College; Institute for Humane Studies
The line between political favoritism and effective representation is remarkably thin. Why is access to public money so dependent on the political influence of individual legislators?
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By Liza Bondurant, Associate Professor of Secondary Math Education, Mississippi State University
Students’ scores on standardized tests can affect schools’ ratings, adding to the pressure teachers experience in preparing their students for the assessments.
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By Geoffrey Henderson, Assistant Professor, School for Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan
Nathaniel Geiger, Assistant Professor of Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan
Voters have a lot of weighty issues on their minds, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t worried about climate change.
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By Stefano Tijerina, Senior Lecturer of Management, University of Maine
The two countries’ energy systems and markets are so intertwined that tariffs on electricity, oil and gas would devastate both economies.
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By Garrett M. Broad, Professor of Communication Studies, Rowan University
There’s no doubt that the modern food environment needs to be healthier. But are ultraprocessed foods as evil as their reputation suggests?
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By Jennifer L. Brinkley, Assistant Professor of Law, University of Dayton
Child neglect statutes are intended to protect children. But some of them are so broadly written that they can end up harming families seeking to instill independence in their kids.
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