By Andrew Gawthorpe, Lecturer in History and International Studies, Leiden University
Iran fired barrages of missiles at Israel for the first time in two months on June 7. The initial trigger was an Israeli strike against a Hezbollah target in the Lebanese capital of Beirut earlier that day, an attack that Donald Trump had only recently asked the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, to avoid carrying out.
Israel’s military soon launched retaliatory strikes on targets in western and central Iran, again defying calls by Trump for restraint. Iran…
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By José Iriarte, Professor of Archaeology, University of Exeter
Archaeologists thought ancient Amazonia was only home to wandering people, but new technology has uncovered complex societies living in forest cities.
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By Matthew Smith, Visiting Assistant Professor of History, Miami University
For more than a century, anti-Catholicism was a powerful force in the region’s culture and politics. But religious pluralism ultimately triumphed in the ‘Queen City.’
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By Gustavo Morello, Professor of Sociology, Boston College
As millions watch the 2026 FIFA World Cup, players’ tattoos will be on display – offering a glimpse into the inner lives of soccer’s biggest stars.
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By Eileen G'Sell, Teaching Professor in College Writing, Washington University in St. Louis
Strutting down the catwalk in a Cindy Castro frock, 37-year-old Amazon worker Samari Jomar Mercado looked like an ethereal punk-rock fairy: sleeve tattoos, lace bag on her wrist and a white ribbon billowing from her nape like a flag. After a dramatic pivot and pit pose, she paused to salute her rapturous crowd.
“For years she worked 10 hours a day, six days a week … lifting heavy items at a fast pace,” emcee Lisa Ann Walter announced as Mercado…
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By Smita S. Iyer, Associate Professor of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh
Immune cells can carry HIV into the brain, leading to problems with memory and cognition. Blocking other immune cells from the brain can make matters worse.
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By Marco Ajello, Professor of Physics and Astronomy, Clemson University
Christopher Karwin, Assistant Professor of Physics and Astronomy, Clemson University
NASA’s plans to return astronauts to the Moon through the Artemis program and ultimately send humans to Mars highlight just how far space exploration has come. Yet while the Moon and Mars remain compelling destinations filled with scientific mysteries, looking beyond our solar…
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By Kevin A. Young, Associate Professor of History, UMass Amherst
Recent military and economic pressure on Cuba, including Trump’s threats of a ‘friendly takeover’ of the island, follow a long pattern of US hostility toward its southern neighbor.
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By Jay Blitzman, Lecturer in Law, Northeastern University
There’s a separate justice system for people under 18 because their brains are still developing. Treating them as adults can turn them into repeat offenders.
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By Tian An Wong, Associate Professor of Mathematics, University of Michigan-Dearborn
Divya Ramjee, Assistant Professor, Rochester Institute of Technology
_Detroit Police Chief Todd Bettison says alerts from ShotSpotter, a gun detection technology, help officers respond quickly to shootings.
“Without it, I wouldn’t have the closure rate [of resolved crimes] that I have and a lot of families wouldn’t have the justice they deserve,” he said in March 2026, according to BridgeDetroit, a nonprofit news service.
_During a Detroit City Council committee meeting on May 18, 2026, police officials said ShotSpotter…
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