By Stefan Wolff, Professor of International Security, University of Birmingham
Hot on the heels of his summit with US president Donald Trump, China’s Xi Jinping hosted his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Beijing on May 19 and 20.
Headlines spoke of multiple trade agreements, warnings against a return to the law of the jungle in international relations, and a joint declaration on building a multipolar world. But underneath that it was…
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By Andrew C Marr, Reader in Green & Sustainable Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Queen's University Belfast
Paul Anastas, Professor of the Practice of Chemistry for the Environment, director of the Centre for Green Chemistry and Green Engineering, Yale University
Society depends on chemistry far more than we consciously realise, from medicines to energy to electronics. However, chemistry is viewed with as much apprehension as gratitude, because of the pollution and health problems that some chemicals cause.
There is a strong desire to have all the benefits of chemistry, but none of the downsides. This has led to terms like “chemical free product” coming into popular usage.
Of course it’s impossible to have a chemical free product – the ingredients in…
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By Paul Whiteley, Professor, Department of Government, University of Essex
Even before the US-Israeli war on Iran this year, many of America’s allies had a lack of confidence in the Trump administration.
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By James White, Professor of Planning and Urban Design, University of Glasgow
Hannah Hickman, Associate Professor in Planning Practice , University of the West of England
The UK’s next generation of new towns form a central part of the government’s growth strategy, while also promising to address the housing shortage.
Unlike the low-rise, car-dependent towns built after the second world war, these proposed towns are intended to be denser, more walkable and built around public transport and active lifestyles.
But the UK does not build dense housing particularly well, and various economic, political and cultural forces are pushing new developments in the other…
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By Laura Wise, Senior Research Fellow and Programme Coordinator with the Peace and Conflict Resolution Evidence Platform, University of Edinburgh
Mediators in both the Iran and Ukraine wars have struggled to achieve meaningful ceasefires. Although the US and Iran reached an initial two-week truce on April 7, brokered by Pakistan, the agreement has been fragile from the beginning.
By May 11, Donald Trump had declared that the ceasefire was “on massive life support” and has threatened to
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By Catherine Clarke, Professor in the History of People, Place and Community, School of Advanced Study, University of London
As the Bayeux Tapestry comes to London, the year 1066 and the Norman Conquest are in the spotlight. The tapestry – an embroidered cloth nearly 70 metres long, created soon after the events it depicts – tells the story of the Battle of Hastings in 1066 and William of Normandy’s triumphant defeat of Harold Godwinson, King of England.
The tapestry depicts William of Normandy as the victor, and Harold as a slippery oath-breaker who promises the English throne to William then goes back on his word. But…
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By Gemma Ware, Host, The Conversation Weekly Podcast, The Conversation
Economist Can Cinar talks to The Conversation Weekly podcast about how Javier Milei’s policies to cut inflation are making Argentinians feel poorer.
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By JuYoung Lee, Associate Professor of Fashion Design and Merchandising, Mississippi State University
Caroline Kobia, Associate Professor of Fashion Design and Merchandising, Mississippi State 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.
Why are zippers on different sides of male and female jackets? – Agrima, age 13, Delhi, India
Imagine you’re at a clothing store that stocks items for the whole family. You pick up a white buttoned shirt…
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By Jamie Meyers-Riczu, Post-doctoral fellow, Music, Carleton University
James Deaville, Professor of Music, Carleton University
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By Anaïs Remili, Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University
Tanya Brown, Assistant Professor, Marine Ecotoxicology, Simon Fraser University
New research shows seals are being affected by chemical pollution in the Arctic food web and rapid climate-driven warming that is transforming their sea ice habitat.
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