Across the Country
National News
Top headlines from national outlets, refreshed every 15 minutes. Each story opens on the original publisher’s site.
Are American voters actually gloomy about the economy, or is something else going on?
Many standard measures of economic health are strong, but voters in both parties are increasingly pessimistic.
The Conversation
Fascism mixed into cringey online content is easy to mock – but no less dangerous
Cringe can generate enthusiasm among conservative voters by trolling the left while reducing serious policy debates to the level of online memes.
The Conversation
Presidents of both parties defended libraries as allies of democracy for a century – until Trump
An information science scholar analyzed statements by 17 presidents and found that Trump has rarely spoken of libraries at all – and when he has, he’s dismissed their importance.
The Conversation
Philadelphia’s Academy of Natural Sciences just closed – a blow for budding young scientists like me
Generations of young Philadelphians experienced science firsthand by wandering through Dinosaur Hall, examining dozens of wildlife dioramas or visiting the butterfly garden.
The Conversation
What the Cornell 7 sexual assault allegations reveal about how parents talk to their kids about rape
Repeatedly talking about consent with teenagers and young adults is necessary to help them understand the risks of sexual assault.
The Conversation
What is Sharia law, and why is it so controversial in the United States?
Ordinary Muslim religious practices can often be treated as political threats, writes a law professor.
The Conversation
Political information increasingly comes from pop culture, outside of partisan silos but where male creators – and sometimes misogyny – dominate
Younger Americans’ pop culture favorites have multipartisan appeal, but male creators dominate the list of top influencers, podcasters and comedians.
The Conversation
Democrats are the unwitting beneficiaries of Trump’s immigration policies
A quiet US-Mexico border, and the reduced urgency of undocumented immigration, has deprived Republicans of an issue that previously energized voters and offered conservatives an advantage.
The Conversation
We discovered an organism that lives at blistering temperatures – but what allows it to take the heat?
This amoeba lives at hotter temperatures than any other eukaryote previously discovered.
The Conversation
Driverless 18-wheelers are on a few highways, but widespread use is a long way down the road
Chaotic roads are still too difficult for automated trucks to navigate.
The Conversation
Faculty and students show how reporting is done when a university partners with local news
Some universities are developing innovative arrangements with universities where students help report and faculty provide guidance.
The Conversation
Who mapped Africa? Debunking the myth that Europeans alone plotted the continent
African guides drew lines in the sand to help Europeans understand the terrain. But they rarely got the credit.
The Conversation
How the law protecting Americans from surprise medical bills is driving up healthcare costs
A handful of providers are hijacking the arbitration process – and consumers are likely to foot the bill.
The Conversation
Federal policy helped widen rural America’s fresh food gap, but a 90-year-old law could help close it
A food systems researcher shows how trucking deregulation and lax antitrust enforcement let big grocery chains grow as rural distribution thinned.
The Conversation
King Charles’ visit to the Caribbean evokes specter of British slavery – and local demands for justice
For locals, the king’s Caribbean visit is an occasion to recognize the full story of Britain’s trafficking and enslavement of millions of people across the Atlantic.
The Conversation
Israel has voted, but what comes next? Dissecting a messy ballot and coalition-building process
With no clear majority for the ruling coalition or main opposition bloc, working out who will form the next government could take months.
The Conversation
3 major issues that Republican Byron Donalds or Democrat David Jolly will need to address as Florida’s next governor
Regardless of who wins the election, he’ll need to navigate these 3 major issues.
The Conversation
1 in 4 Pennsylvanians say they paid out of pocket for their annual checkup. Why isn’t insurance covering these preventive visits?
Billing errors, testing and questions about new symptoms can lead to unexpected bills, making some patients wary to go back for their next checkup.
The Conversation
Some states are stepping up after federal childcare cuts – and now offer lessons for the future
Improving both supply and quality of childcare has been the focus of several states trying to find solutions on their own.
The Conversation
Falcon 9 ushered in the modern space economy – retiring it could leave the industry vulnerable
SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket has allowed NASA, private companies, universities and nonprofits alike to launch satellites, spacecraft and even astronauts to orbit.
The Conversation
‘Let nothing be forgotten’: Holocaust survivors’ memorial books honored lives lost and vibrant hometowns
After the Holocaust, Eastern European survivors collaborated on memorial books called ‘yizker bikher’ – one way to reclaim their neighbors’ lives and memories.
The Conversation
Plans with cheaper premiums are risky business for Americans seeking lower healthcare costs
Some options that might look like health insurance actually aren’t – and they may leave you stranded with large, unexpected medical expenses.
The Conversation
Why over two-thirds of Americans say their country is in decline
A recent national survey reveals a US electorate that is unsettled, gloomy and likely looking for political change.
The Conversation
I’ve been talking to MAGA supporters for years, and here’s why some are sticking with Trump — and others are not
Despite the headwinds that have cratered support for Donald Trump – high prices, the Iran war, corruption – many of Trump’s MAGA loyalists still back him. A scholar who studies MAGA looks at why.
The Conversation
Pittsburgh’s ‘Green Man’ was a real person – why the legend outlives the facts
He wasn’t a monster. He was just a man who survived a terrible accident. So why won’t western Pennsylvania let go of its ‘Green Man’ legend? A folklorist explains.
The Conversation
AI may quickly generate ideas, but working with people leads to more creative ones
A recent experiment found that people working with ChatGPT generated fewer unique ideas than those who collaborated with other humans.
The Conversation
New restrictions on purchases with SNAP benefits in some states mean fewer convenience stores are accepting them
Stores in waiver states may need to update their checkout systems and train employees to prevent purchases that are no longer allowed with SNAP benefits – potentially a big burden for retailers.
The Conversation
Private equity is buying up more methadone clinics. Access to the lifesaving drug isn’t getting easier.
Despite acquiring more than one-third of US methadone clinics, private equity has not significantly expanded methadone availability.
The Conversation
How religion collided with race and politics in Brazil’s presidential election
Religion has become an important factor in Brazilian politics. But to see the whole picture, you need to analyze diversity within churches, a political scientist writes.
The Conversation
Earwax is both slippery and sticky – this weird combo might lead to safer insect repellents
Earwax’s unusual physical properties help it repel insects in the lab. Is this a job it evolved to do in animal ears?
The Conversation