The Conversation: In-depth analysis, research, news and ideas from leading academics and researchers.

The ocean with three cargo ships sailing on it

The ocean with three cargo ships sailing on it

What will it take to get ships going through the Strait of Hormuz again?

Jennifer Parker, The University of Western Australia; UNSW Sydney

People gather at the scene of an Israeli airstrike in the Corniche el-Mazraa neighbourhood of Beirut.

People gather at the scene of an Israeli airstrike in the Corniche el-Mazraa neighbourhood of Beirut.

Why is Israel continuing to attack Lebanon, despite the ceasefire? Expert Q&A

Scott Lucas, University College Dublin

Three reasons Donald Trump won’t pull the US out of Nato

Paul Whiteley, University of Essex

US president, Donald Trump, with Nato secretary-general, Mark Rutte.

US president, Donald Trump, with Nato secretary-general, Mark Rutte.

After ceasefire, negotiating a lasting deal with Iran would require overcoming regional rivalries and strategic incoherence

Ioana Emy Matesan, Wesleyan University

A man walks next to a damaged building.

A man walks next to a damaged building.

Iranian pro-governmentrally with traditionally dressed supporters holding rifles on a stage backed by patriotic images.

Iranian pro-governmentrally with traditionally dressed supporters holding rifles on a stage backed by patriotic images.

Middle East conflict: this ceasefire may have made Iran stronger

Will the conflict in Lebanon destroy the US-Iran ceasefire? Maybe, but it was already shaky

The wreckage of a multi-storey building with emergency workers at the bottom

The wreckage of a multi-storey building with emergency workers at the bottom

The US-Israel ceasefire with Iran presses pause on a costly war, but can peace last?

A crowd of people chanting and waving Iranian flags

A crowd of people chanting and waving Iranian flags

Donald Trump’s US ratings fall to a record low amid Iran war

‘A whole civilisation will die tonight’: Trump’s genocide threat against Iran was another new low for America

Donald Trump gestures as he responds to a question from the news media.

Donald Trump gestures as he responds to a question from the news media.

In mediating the US-Iran peace talks, Pakistan is flexing its geopolitical muscles

A crowd of people wave Pakistani flags at a rally while holding a large banner

A crowd of people wave Pakistani flags at a rally while holding a large banner

Artemis II crew will endure 3,000°C on re-entry. A hypersonics expert explains how they will survive

An illustration of a spacecraft, surrounded by orange plasma, as it reenters Earth's atmosphere.

An illustration of a spacecraft, surrounded by orange plasma, as it reenters Earth's atmosphere.

Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt and Saudi Arabia emerge as a new regional power bloc amid Iran war

The Turkish, Saudi, Egyptian and Pakistani foreign ministers attend a meeting in Islamabad.

The Turkish, Saudi, Egyptian and Pakistani foreign ministers attend a meeting in Islamabad.

Bollywood helped make me – now, it projects Modi’s Indian nationalism

A blue circle with lots of grey dots inside, against a black background.

A blue circle with lots of grey dots inside, against a black background.

‘First contact’ that may have led to complex life on Earth finally witnessed by scientists

Women dressed in black burqas walk on the beach in front of the ocean with two large ships sailing on the horizon

Women dressed in black burqas walk on the beach in front of the ocean with two large ships sailing on the horizon

How might the Strait of Hormuz be reopened? Here are 3 scenarios

Slopaganda wars: how (and why) the US and Iran are flooding the zone with viral AI-generated noise

A Lego depiction of Donald Trump sits in front of a big red button, flanked by Lego Benjamin Netanyahu and Lego Satan.

A Lego depiction of Donald Trump sits in front of a big red button, flanked by Lego Benjamin Netanyahu and Lego Satan.

How will the Iran war change the Middle East? We asked 5 experts

Lebanon’s political elites are using displacement and humanitarian crisis to delay elections again

A men in a suit gestures from his speaker's chair.

A men in a suit gestures from his speaker's chair.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard would fiercely resist a US ground invasion. History proves it

a row of soldiers dressed in green

a row of soldiers dressed in green

A commercial jetliner flies through black smoke over a city at night.

A commercial jetliner flies through black smoke over a city at night.

Israel isn’t just responding to threats – it’s reshaping the Middle East

Where is transatlantic intelligence-sharing headed under the Trump administration?

Trump welcomes Columbus to the White House – and reignites America’s history wars

Statue of a man holding a scroll, with stairs in the background

Statue of a man holding a scroll, with stairs in the background

Fake QR codes make for easy scams – be careful what you scan out there

Bypass the Strait of Hormuz with nuclear explosives? The US studied that in Panama and Colombia in the 1960s

A large mushroom cloud spreads above a beach and water.

A large mushroom cloud spreads above a beach and water.

Despairing at the state of the world? The ancient Greeks and Romans knew the feeling

All The President’s Men at 50: one of the finest films about investigative journalism ever made

Film still: Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman are two reporters.

Film still: Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman are two reporters.

Plagiarised research passed automated tests, and I detected it – but only because it copied my work

A close up shot of a person's hand flicking through pages of paper.

A close up shot of a person's hand flicking through pages of paper.

I watched Artemis II lift off — and witnessed the first humans venture to the Moon since 1972

The Earth seen from a distance in space. Only a crescent of it is visisble; the rest is in shadow

The Earth seen from a distance in space. Only a crescent of it is visisble; the rest is in shadow

New Israeli law could mean death penalty by default for Palestinians convicted of deadly attacks

Iran players and staff celebrate after qualifying for the FIFA World Cup.

Iran players and staff celebrate after qualifying for the FIFA World Cup.

A host nation at war with a participant: uncertainty and tension swirl around soccer’s World Cup

What is ‘muscle memory’ and can I improve mine?

Two senior couples dance while smiling.

Two senior couples dance while smiling.

‘Vegan leather’ isn’t as sustainable or eco‑friendly as brands might claim

Close-up of three small handbags that appear to be made from leather.

Close-up of three small handbags that appear to be made from leather.

Brutal Mau Mau camps in Kenya were an extension of Britain’s colonial prison system – historian traces their roots

Men huddled on the ground while two others stand towering over them.

Men huddled on the ground while two others stand towering over them.

Could the Middle East conflict open the door to price controls? Here’s how it works in Greece

selection of cheeses on a deli counter at a greek supermarket

selection of cheeses on a deli counter at a greek supermarket

A blurry image of a man in an orange shirt lifting a weight as he sits on the floor in front of a camera tripod.

A blurry image of a man in an orange shirt lifting a weight as he sits on the floor in front of a camera tripod.

Why the manosphere has an antisemitism problem

Silence: a brief literary history

Painting showing a mother reading while her children sleep behind her

Painting showing a mother reading while her children sleep behind her

Rock art thousands of years old sheds new light on the mysterious Tasmanian tiger

How medieval chess created a space in which players – regardless of race – could engage as equals

An illustration from the Libro de Axedrez showing two players, one white and one black, playing chess.

An illustration from the Libro de Axedrez showing two players, one white and one black, playing chess.

The revolution in dinosaur science started 50 years ago – here’s what we have learned

Artist's impression of a Tyrannosaurus rex chasing a Velociraptor

Artist's impression of a Tyrannosaurus rex chasing a Velociraptor

An ancient oracle warned invading Persia would backfire – from Croesus to Trump, rulers have failed to listen

Shrine to Apollo: The Oracle at Delphi - Coloured engraving by Heinrich Leutemann (1824-1905) - Bilder aus dem Altertume (Pictures from Antiquity) 1866

Shrine to Apollo: The Oracle at Delphi - Coloured engraving by Heinrich Leutemann (1824-1905) - Bilder aus dem Altertume (Pictures from Antiquity) 1866

Our modern vision evolved from an ancient one-eyed worm creature

Close up of woman's blue eye

Close up of woman's blue eye

A brief history of denim – and why the ‘perfect pair’ of jeans remains elusive

pile of denim jeans

pile of denim jeans

A Bible Belt track without a pulse – it’s no surprise fans hate the 2026 FIFA World Cup song Lighter

A heavily-tattooed singer in black clothes waves the US flag onstage at a concert.

A heavily-tattooed singer in black clothes waves the US flag onstage at a concert.

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Life and art

The Swedish concept of döstädning or death cleaning is about more than just getting rid of things

A woman looking at a chess board

A woman looking at a chess board

A New York Times critic used AI to write his review – but criticism is deeply human

a smiling man and a book cover

a smiling man and a book cover

My unsung hero of science: Buckminster Fuller, the architect who wanted to redesign the world (and inspired a nanosized one)

Buckminster Fuller stands in front of a large image of his radical design for a domed city, 1971.

Buckminster Fuller stands in front of a large image of his radical design for a domed city, 1971.

Moulin Rouge! turns 25: how Baz Luhrmann reinvented the movie musical

Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor holding hands

Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor holding hands

Environment

Scientists may be overestimating the amount of microplastics in the environment – and the culprit is lab gloves

Image of overlapping laboratory gloves.

Image of overlapping laboratory gloves.

The latest world climate report is grim, but it’s not the end of the story

Three firefighters put out a bushfire, with an orange sky in the background.

Three firefighters put out a bushfire, with an orange sky in the background.

Climate change is altering Saharan dust – and Europe is downwind

camels walk through dust storm in Sahara

camels walk through dust storm in Sahara

You probably agree with the animals on which bird calls, frog noises and cricket chirps are most attractive – new research

three birds perched on a rod cocking their heads in different directions

three birds perched on a rod cocking their heads in different directions

Health

Strongest evidence yet that vaping likely causes cancer

Back of a man vaping with mist around his head.

Back of a man vaping with mist around his head.

The four types of dementia most people don’t know exist

Is lighter sleep a normal part of ageing – or a sign of something more serious?

Una mujer en la cama con los ojos abiertos

Una mujer en la cama con los ojos abiertos

Couples share 30% of their gut bacteria. Here’s how that may affect health

A couple sitting next to each other on a sofa, sharing a bowl of blueberries.

A couple sitting next to each other on a sofa, sharing a bowl of blueberries.

Science and Technology

Ancient bones show dogs have been woven into human life for nearly 16,000 years

Human hands holding an pointed jawbone.

Human hands holding an pointed jawbone.

A million new SpaceX satellites will destroy the night sky — for everyone on Earth

A Starlink train passing through bright green and pink auroras over rural Saskatchewan

A Starlink train passing through bright green and pink auroras over rural Saskatchewan

Hundreds of hungry mosquitoes, a student volunteer and a mesh suit helped us figure out how these deadly insects reach their targets

white silhouette of a human upper body surrounded by what look like filaments, concentrated around the head

white silhouette of a human upper body surrounded by what look like filaments, concentrated around the head

All 5 fundamental units of life’s genetic code were just discovered in an asteroid sample

Business and economy

Why do men sexually harass women at work? Science offers two explanations – but only one of them holds up

Photo of a man and woman sitting next to each other at computers

Photo of a man and woman sitting next to each other at computers

Gold is meant to be a ‘safe haven’ in uncertain times. Why is it crashing amid a war?

Person's hands holding gold bars

Person's hands holding gold bars

Meta and Google just lost a landmark social media addiction case. A tech law expert explains the fallout

A man walking through a press pack, sunlight on his face.

A man walking through a press pack, sunlight on his face.

Oil price surge is hurting African economies: scholars in Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal and South Africa take stock

Women seated behind piles of fresh produce on the ground in a marketplace

Women seated behind piles of fresh produce on the ground in a marketplace

The Conversation Weekly Podcast

What a US military base lost under Greenland’s ice sheet reveals about the island’s real strategic importance

US soldiers digging tunnels in the snow in Greenland in the 1960s.

US soldiers digging tunnels in the snow in Greenland in the 1960s.

The American fixation on white Afrikaners in South Africa stretches back nearly a century

South African president Cyril Ramaphosa in the White House with US president Donald Trump.

South African president Cyril Ramaphosa in the White House with US president Donald Trump.

How trafficked American guns fuel Mexico’s cartel violence – podcast

Guns on a table in Mexico.

Guns on a table in Mexico.

Three scientists speak about what it’s like to have research funding cut by the Trump administration

A sign saying science helps you held up by a protestor.

A sign saying science helps you held up by a protestor.

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