Dec 22, 2025

WORLD

How the ‘slayer rule’ might play a role in determining who will inherit wealth from Rob Reiner and his wife

These rules have a long history in the United States. They played a role in the notorious murders by the Menendez brothers and Scott Peterson....

Naomi Cahn, Professor of Law, University of VirginiaThe ConversationDecember 22, 2025

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World

The celibate, dancing Shakers were once seen as a threat to society – 250 years later, they’re part of the sound of America

‘The Testament of Ann Lee,’ Mona Fastvold’s 2025 film, depicts part of the long history of Shaker worship....

Christian Goodwillie, Director and Curator of Special Collections and Archives, Hamilton CollegeThe Conversation12/22/2025

World

Wheelchair user completes historic bungee jump in Nepal

Deepa Devkota from Sindhuli District has become the first Nepali woman living with a disability to complete a wheelchair bungee jump at the Bhotekoshi River in Sindhupalchok District....

Sanjib ChaudharyGlobal Voices12/22/2025

World

We could all easily be ‘Aco’: Slovenia’s controversial new law seeks to address the challenge of Roma integration

Following the murder of a bartender, a debate has been reopened over lax crime laws, escalating bouts of violence, and the unresolved integration of part of Slovenia’s Romani community....

Harrison BudakGlobal Voices12/21/2025

World

From truce in the trenches to cocktails at the consulate: How Christmas diplomacy seeks to exploit seasonal goodwill

World leaders like to talk up peace at Christmastime. But alongside the tales of seasonal breaks in fighting are incidents of adversaries taking advantage of the season....

Andrew Latham, Professor of Political Science, Macalester CollegeThe Conversation12/20/2025

World

How a failing Cambodia-Thailand ceasefire can illuminate the road to peace

“Countries around the world have needed multiple ceasefire attempts before reaching a stable peace. Thailand and Cambodia may be no exception.”...

Peace NewsGlobal Voices12/20/2025

World

‘Clean up your culture’: a TV host’s comment makes Indigenous Brazilians speak up

“Access to technology should be a guaranteed right to the all Brazilian citizens. To have a cell phone doesn't make (anyone) less Indigenous.”...

Global Voices BrazilGlobal Voices12/20/2025

World

As DOJ begins to release Epstein files, his many victims deserve more attention than the powerful men in his ‘client list’

Powerful men connected to Jeffrey Epstein are named, dissected and speculated about. The survivors, unless they work hard to step forward, remain a blurred mass in the background....

Stephanie A. (Sam) Martin, Frank and Bethine Church Endowed Chair of Public Affairs, Boise State UniversityThe Conversation12/19/2025

World

How to reduce gift-giving stress with your kids – a child psychologist’s tips for making magic and avoiding tears

Depending on family circumstances and a child’s personality type, gift giving runs the gamut of fun to terrifying. But the most important lesson goes beyond gifts....

Angela J. Narayan, Associate Professor, Clinical Child Psychology Ph.D. program, University of DenverThe Conversation12/19/2025

World

The world risks forgetting one of humanity’s greatest triumphs as polio nears global eradication − 70 years after Jonas Salk developed the vaccine in a Pittsburgh lab

Polio may finally be defeated in the next 5 years. Will the world recognize what an extraordinary achievement that is?...

Carl Kurlander, Senior Lecturer, Film and Media Studies, University of PittsburghThe Conversation12/19/2025

World

People are getting their news from AI – and it’s altering their views

Even when information is factually accurate, how it’s presented can introduce subtle biases. As large language models increasingly bring people the news, this bias is a looming problem....

Adrian Kuenzler, Scholar-in-Residence, University of Denver; University of Hong KongThe Conversation12/19/2025

World

Medieval peasants probably enjoyed their holiday festivities more than you do

The Middle Ages weren’t as dreary and desperate as you’d think, and peasants often had weeks of idle time during the holidays. On Christmas Day, the party was just getting started....

Bobbi Sutherland, Associate Professor, Department of HIstory, University of DaytonThe Conversation12/19/2025

World

Autocracies in transition: In 2025, Cameroon and Tanzania rulers clung to power — but look more vulnerable than ever

The countries, whose respective leaders recently won widely disputed elections, offer contrasting examples in how autocracies operate, evolve and change....

Yonatan Morse, Associate Professor, University of ConnecticutThe Conversation12/19/2025

World

Why are some Black conservatives drawn to Nick Fuentes?

Black Americans and white nationalists have joined forces in the past. And a number of cultural and political shifts have broadened Fuentes’ appeal to Americans of all races....

George Michael, Professor of Criminal Justice, Westfield State UniversityThe Conversation12/19/2025

World

Local democracy is holding strong, but rural communities are falling behind, new survey of Michigan officials shows

Officials from 70% of Michigan’s 1,856 cities, villages, counties and townships completed the survey....

Stephanie Leiser, Director, Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy, University of MichiganThe Conversation12/19/2025

World

How C-reactive protein outpaced ‘bad’ cholesterol as leading heart disease risk marker

C-reactive protein – a marker of inflammation – is as easily measured with blood work in a doctor’s office as cholesterol....

Mary J. Scourboutakos, Adjunct Assistant Professor in Family and Community Medicine, Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences at Old Dominion UniversityThe Conversation12/19/2025

World

It’s more than OK for kids to be bored − it’s good for them

Boredom is a healthy part of life. Experiencing it can help children learn to set goals and make plans....

Margaret Murray, Associate Professor of Public Communication and Culture Studies, University of Michigan-DearbornThe Conversation12/19/2025

World

I study rat nests − here’s why rodents make great archivists

An archaeologist reveals what she learned from sifting through a 200-year-old rat nest recovered from a historic Philadelphia home....

Alexandria Mitchem Hansen, Ph.D. Candidate in Anthropology, Columbia UniversityThe Conversation12/19/2025

World

As millions of Americans face a steep rise in health insurance costs, lawmakers continue a century-long battle over who should pay for health care

US health care policy will remain fractured until lawmakers address the core question of who is responsible for health care costs....

Robert Applebaum, Senior Research Scholar in Gerontology, Miami UniversityThe Conversation12/19/2025

World

Ten migrant domestic workers died in Hong Kong’s inferno, the survivors struggle to grieve

Ten migrant domestic workers died protecting their employers in Hong Kong's deadliest blaze in decades, but survivors face job loss and deportation as they are still in grief....

Kelly YuGlobal Voices12/19/2025

World

Dominican Republic wastes renewable energy while fossil fuel thermoelectric plants operate above legal limits

Non-compliance with Technical Minimum Power, causing a greater injection of fossil-fuel-generated energy into the grid, violates Dominican legislation and hinders climate commitments, especially when...

Guest ContributorGlobal Voices12/19/2025

World

China’s green investment in Pakistan: Solar dreams, debt shadows, and the politics of a rapid transition

China is simultaneously the country enabling Pakistan’s solar boom and the country whose earlier coal investments continue to shape the power system’s financial and environmental burdens....

Qian SunGlobal Voices12/18/2025

World

RFK Jr. wants to scrutinize the vaccine schedule – but its safety record is already decades long

Federal officials are questioning the safety of the vaccine series children receive. Here’s the story of how the childhood vaccine schedule came about....

Jake Scott, Clinical Associate Professor of Infectious Diseases, Stanford UniversityThe Conversation12/18/2025

World

Deception and lies from the White House to justify a war in Venezuela? We’ve seen this movie before in run-ups to wars in Vietnam and Iraq

Two US wars based on lies, in which tens of thousands of American troops and millions of civilians died, offer a cautionary tale about the rush to war....

Betty Medsger, Professor Emeritus of Journalism, San Francisco State UniversityThe Conversation12/18/2025

World

Miami’s new mayor faces a housing affordability crisis, city charter reform and a shrinking budget

Eileen Higgins won a hard-fought election to become Miami’s new mayor. Now for the hard part – governing the city....

Sean Foreman, Adjunct Professor of Political Science, Barry UniversityThe Conversation12/18/2025

World

Understanding climate change in America: Skepticism, dogmatism and personal experience

Real skeptics study the evidence and ask questions, rather than taking political dogma on faith. Experiencing disasters can open more eyes to the risks....

Gary W. Yohe, Professor of Economics and Environmental Studies, Wesleyan UniversityThe Conversation12/18/2025

World

Rest is essential during the holidays, but it may mean getting active, not crashing on the couch

Unwinding can be hard during the holidays for many reasons. Building in time to recharge through active leisure can help....

Stacy Shaw, Assistant Professor of Social Science & Policy Studies, Worcester Polytechnic InstituteThe Conversation12/18/2025

World

Resolve to stop punching the clock: Why you might be able to change when and how long you work

Thinking about what makes work worth doing and what you would do with your time if you weren’t spending it at work are useful questions to pose this and every year....

Jennifer Tosti-Kharas, Professor of Management, Babson CollegeThe Conversation12/18/2025

World

What are gas stove manufacturers trying to hide? Warning labels

The gas industry is opposed to labels that warn consumers of the potential harms of gas stoves....

Alan K. Chen, Thompson G. Marsh Law Alumni Professor, University of DenverThe Conversation12/18/2025

World

With wolves absent from most of eastern North America, can coyotes replace them?

Wolves and coyotes feed on similar things – but their diets aren’t identical. A researcher studied predator diets to investigate their differences....

Alex Jensen, Postdoctoral Associate - Wildlife Ecology, North Carolina State UniversityThe Conversation12/18/2025

World

Why it’s so hard to tell if a piece of text was written by AI – even for AI

There are several methods for detecting whether a piece of text was written by AI. They all have limitations – and probably always will....

Ambuj Tewari, Professor of Statistics, University of MichiganThe Conversation12/18/2025

World

There’s little evidence tech is much help stopping school shootings

The $4 billion school security industry can’t back up claims for its tech. The silver lining: That’s partly because there aren’t enough shootings to study....

Emily Greene-Colozzi, Assistant Professor of Criminology and Justice Studies, UMass LowellThe Conversation12/18/2025

World

Large trunks discovered in a basement offer a window into the lives and struggles of early Filipino migrants

A trove of century-old belongings − from farm tools to pillowcases − tells the story of Filipinos who migrated to California to build a new life, a journey now honored in a Smithsonian exhibition....

Sam Vong, Curator of Asian Pacific American History, Smithsonian InstitutionThe Conversation12/18/2025

World

Tennis is set for a ‘Battle of the Sexes’ sequel – with no movement behind it

Billie Jean King’s 1973 match was about social change. The upcoming Sabalenka-Kyrgios event – with its rules tweaks and its participants’ questionable politics – may leave women’s tennis worse off....

Jaime Schultz, Professor of Kinesiology, Penn StateThe Conversation12/18/2025

World

Trump tariffs and warming India-China ties have silenced the Quad partnership … for now

A summit between the leaders of the US, India, Japan and Australia was expected in November. But it never happened....

Hyeran Jo, Associate Professor of Political Science, Texas A&M UniversityThe Conversation12/18/2025

World

Sudan’s civil war: A visual guide to the brutal conflict

Since fighting broke out in April 2023, some 150,000 people have been killed in Sudan and an estimated 13.5 million displaced....

Christopher Tounsel, Associate Professor of History, University of WashingtonThe Conversation12/18/2025

World

‘This year nearly broke me as a scientist’ – US researchers reflect on how 2025’s science cuts have changed their lives

US science lost a great deal in 2025, including tens of billions of dollars of federal funding, entire research agencies and programs, and a generation of researchers....

Carrie McDonough, Associate Professor of Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon UniversityThe Conversation12/18/2025

World

Social networks fuel youth mobilization on Argentina’s streets

Unlike movements in earlier decades, Argentina’s latest youth-led protests are increasingly organized digitally through platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Whatsapp, rather than through unions or po...

ForusGlobal Voices12/18/2025

World

China’s green power in Angola: When clean energy comes with heavy debt

In recent years, Chinese international investment schemes have increasingly emphasized “green development” and a “Green Belt and Road,” with hydropower positioned as a climate-friendly alternative to...

Vivian WuGlobal Voices12/17/2025

World

Karoline Leavitt’s White House briefing doublethink is straight out of Orwell’s ‘1984’

A historian analyzes how White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt’s claims about her boss and his administration are ‘doublespeak’ straight out of the pages of George Orwell’s ‘1984.’...

Laura Beers, Professor of History, American UniversityThe Conversation12/17/2025

World

Where the wild things thrive: Finding and protecting nature’s climate change safe havens

Protecting places that are likely to remain cool and moist as global temperatures rise can save wildlife of all kinds, but first we have to find them....

Toni Lyn Morelli, Adjunct Full Professor of Environmental Conservation, UMass Amherst; U.S. Geological SurveyThe Conversation12/17/2025

World

Billionaires with $1 salaries – and other legal tax dodges the ultrawealthy use to keep their riches

The richest Americans can largely avoid paying income and other taxes. A new book explains the history....

Ray Madoff, Professor of Law, Boston CollegeThe Conversation12/17/2025

World

The US already faces a health care workforce shortage – immigration policy could make it worse

About 1 in 4 doctors practicing in the US were born abroad....

Bedassa Tadesse, Professor of Economics, University of Minnesota DuluthThe Conversation12/17/2025

World

Unpaid caregiving work can feel small and personal, but that doesn’t take away its ethical value

Debating whether to step back from a career to take on caregiving responsibilities can be a tough decision – not just financially or emotionally but ethically as well....

Jen Zamzow, Instructor, University of California, Los Angeles; Concordia University IrvineThe Conversation12/17/2025

World

America faced domestic fascists before and buried that history

Although thousands of Americans embraced fascist ideas during the interwar years, a new study examines why the US has had little appetite to remember that past....

Arlene Stein, Distinguished Professor of Sociology, Rutgers UniversityThe Conversation12/17/2025

World

Supreme Court case about ‘crisis pregnancy centers’ highlights debate over truthful advertising standards

There are some 2,500 of these centers across the United States. Many are located within a mile of an abortion provider....

Carly Thomsen, Associate Professor of English and Creative Writing, Rice UniversityThe Conversation12/17/2025

World

Shaping the conversation means offering context to extreme ideas, not just a platform

Should all points of view be heard from? Defending certain values and ideas makes it a bit more complicated than simply listening to all sides....

Graham Bodie, Professor of Media and Communication, University of MississippiThe Conversation12/17/2025

World

Rising electricity prices and an aging grid challenge the nation as data centers demand more power

Energy projects are expensive and take a long time to build. Where to build them is often also a difficult, even controversial, question....

Barbara Kates-Garnick, Professor of Practice in Energy Policy, The Fletcher School, Tufts UniversityThe Conversation12/17/2025

World

The #iwasfifteen hashtag and ongoing Epstein coverage show how traffickers exploit the vulnerabilities of teens and tweens

The conversation around #iwasfifteen sheds light on the dynamics of abusive relationships and the experiences of trafficking victims....

Anne P. DePrince, Professor of Psychology, University of DenverThe Conversation12/17/2025

World

Trump’s second term is reshaping US science with unprecedented cuts and destabilizing policy changes

The Trump administration is rewriting the 80-year-old American social contract for science research....

Kenneth M. Evans, Fellow in Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy, Baker Institute for Public Policy, Rice UniversityThe Conversation12/17/2025

World

Hacked phones and Wi-Fi surveillance have replaced Cold War spies and radio waves in the delusions of people with schizophrenia

The delusions of people with thought disorders have had consistent themes of persecution for decades. But new technology provides fresh material for the content of delusions....

Alaina Vandervoort Burns, Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los AngelesThe Conversation12/17/2025

World

Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai found guilty under national security law

Lai was found guilty of conspiring to collude with foreign forces and sedition. The maximum penalty is life imprisonment and the court will determine the final sentence early next year....

Hong Kong Free PressGlobal Voices12/16/2025

World

School shootings dropped in 2025 - but schools are still focusing too much on safety technology instead of prevention

Prevention methods like lockdown drills do not account for many scenarios, including the likely case that a school shooter is a former or current student....

James Densley, Professor of Criminal Justice, Metropolitan State University The Conversation12/16/2025

World

From record warming to rusting rivers, 2025 Arctic Report Card shows a region transforming faster than expected

The 20th anniversary of the annual report tracks how sea ice, snow cover and many other vital signs of the Arctic have changed, and the impact that’s having on people and wildlife....

Matthew L. Druckenmiller, Senior Scientist, National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC), Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES), University of Colorado BoulderThe Conversation12/16/2025

World

The North Pole keeps moving – here’s how that affects Santa’s holiday travel and yours

There are actually two North Poles. One has been wandering over northern Canada and north of there for years. An earth scientist explains why and what it means for holiday travel....

Scott Brame, Research Assistant Professor of Earth Science, Clemson UniversityThe Conversation12/16/2025

World

2 superpowers, 1 playbook: Why Chinese and US bureaucrats think and act alike

The men and women tasked with implementing policy are governed by the same incentives and constraints − whether in Beijing or Washington....

Daniel E. Esser, Associate Professor of International Studies, American University School of International ServiceThe Conversation12/16/2025

World

How rogue nations are capitalizing on gaps in crypto regulation to finance weapons programs

North Korea was behind a $1.5 billion digital bank heist in February 2025. Other countries are similarly stealing crypto to fund nefarious activities....

Nolan Fahrenkopf, Research Fellow at Project on International Security, Commerce and Economic Statecraft, University at Albany, State University of New YorkThe Conversation12/16/2025

World

A, B, C or D – grades might not say all that much about what students are actually learning

Grades can magnify inequities that exist in American schools, making it harder for some students to succeed....

Joshua Rowe Eyler, Assistant Professor of Teacher Education, University of MississippiThe Conversation12/16/2025

World

Gazing into the mind’s eye with mice – how neuroscientists are seeing human vision more clearly

It was once believed that mice had relatively poor vision. Turns out mice are far from blind – and studying how their vision is shaped by their environment and behavior can clarify the same in people....

Bilal Haider, Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of TechnologyThe Conversation12/16/2025

World

The next frontier in space is closer than you think – welcome to the world of very low Earth orbit satellites

The closer to Earth a satellite flies, the clearer a picture it can take of the surface. But low-flying satellites also have to deal with atmospheric drag....

Sven Bilén, Professor of Engineering Design, Electrical Engineering and Aerospace Engineering, Penn StateThe Conversation12/16/2025

World

Fraudulent networks fuel deforestation and illegal timber exports in Cameroon

The Cameroonian state incurs a colossal loss amounting to billions of CFA francs each year due to uncollected logging rights, unpaid taxes, and losses related to the underdevelopment of local processi...

Jean SovonGlobal Voices12/16/2025

World

Life at the U.S.–Mexico border under the Trump administration

The Trump administration has reintroduced some of its most contentious border measures, leading to renewed targeting, detention, and deportation of migrant communities, leaving thousands seeking safet...

Migrant Women PressGlobal Voices12/15/2025

World

At COP30, civil society stepped into real, not symbolic, leadership

After several conferences shaped by restrictions and tensions between governments and social movements, this COP had active voices in the discussions from grassroots organizations, Indigenous peoples,...

Isabela CarvalhoGlobal Voices12/15/2025

World

Australia's under 16 social media ban under microscope at home and abroad

"The social media feeds that once connected us are now driving us apart. Social media algorithms are flooding young men’s feeds with radical misogynistic content, inciting real-world harm.'...

Kevin RennieGlobal Voices12/15/2025

World

Words across worlds: Moharaj Sharma on language, culture, and belonging in Nepal

Global Voices interviewed Moharaj Sharma to explore his path as a poet, journalist, and documentarian, and his enduring efforts to elevate Nepali literature, linguistic traditions, and diaspora narrat...

Sangita SwechchaGlobal Voices12/14/2025