The Conversation US - Explore Magazine

UF for The Conversation

Experts at University of Florida share their knowledge

An image of European hip-hop musician Eko Fresh performing on stage.

From its birth 50 years ago, hip-hop has spread throughout Europe and challenged outdated ideals of racial and ethnic identity — Armin Langer

His name is Alpha Diallo, and in his 2016 song “I am at...

An image of footprints in the sand.

You shed DNA everywhere you go – trace samples in the water, sand and air are enough to identify who you are, raising ethical questions about privacy — Jenny Whilde and Jessica Alice Farrell

Human DNA can be sequenced from small amounts of water, sand and...

An aerial footage image

Fed rate hikes, recession fears and political backlash leave ESG investors at a crossroads — Sehoon Kim

The Federal Reserve raised interest rates again on May 3, 2023, by a quarter...

An image of an ATM machine

5 policies that could make future bank failures less likely or severe — Brian Gendreau

The abrupt failures of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank and subsequent concerns about...

An image of two Adderall pills

Misuse of Adderall promotes stigma and mistrust for patients who need it – a neuroscientist explains the science behind the controversial ADHD drug — Habibeh Khoshbouei

The nationwide shortages of Adderall that began in fall 2022 have brought renewed attention to...

An image of a brain in the color pink with a teal background

3D-printing the brain’s blood vessels with silicone could improve and personalize neurosurgery – new technique shows how —Senthilkumar Duraivel and Thomas Angelini

A new 3D-printing technique using silicone can make accurate models of the...

An image of a road in the Amazon with vehicles on it.

The Amazon is not safe under Brazil’s new president – a roads plan could push it past its breaking point — Robert T. Walker

Conservationists breathed a sigh of relief when Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva won Brazil’s...

Senator John Fetterman

When does clinical depression become an emergency? 4 questions answered — John B. Williamson

The news that Sen. John Fetterman, a Pennsylvania Democrat, checked himself into...

A person holding a plate of everything bagels with poppy seeds on them

Can eating poppy seeds affect drug test results? An addiction and pain medicine specialist explains — Gary Reisfield

The U.S. Defense Department issued a memo on Feb. 17, 2023, warning service members...

Roman citizen, Lucian

What a second-century Roman citizen, Lucian, can teach us about diversity and acceptance — Eleni Bozia

People who don’t fit the dominant demographic of where they live can...

A frozen meal, silverware, napkin and a red and white checkered tablecloth

Ultra-processed foods – like cookies, chips, frozen meals and fast food – may contribute to cognitive decline — Sara N. Burke

Scientists have known for years that unhealthy diets – particularly those that...

Celine Dion in the blue dress holding a microphone, signing with her right arm in the air.

Celine Dion’s diagnosis of stiff-personsyndrome brought a rare neurological diagnosis into the public eye – two neurologists explain the science behind it — Bhavana Patel and Torge Rempe

The announcement by celebrated singer Celine Dion in early December 2022 that...

A smart phone and a gavel with a sky blue background.

What social media regulation could look like: Think of pipelines, not utilities — Theodore J. Kury

Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter, and his controversial statements and decisions as its owner, have fueled...

Three deer running across water.

Is China ready to lead on protecting nature? At the upcoming UN biodiversity conference, it will preside and set the tone — Vanessa Hull

As the world parses what was achieved at the U.N. climate change...

Florida coast after two hurricanes

Dreaming of beachfront real estate? Much of Florida’s coast is at risk of storm erosion that can cause homes to collapse, as Daytona just saw — Zhong-Ren Peng

Back-to-back hurricanes left an unnerving scene on the Florida coast in November...

Amazon rainforest

Ending Amazon deforestation: 4 essential reads about the future of the world’s largest rainforest — Jennifer Weeks

Brazil’s president-elect, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, was greeted with applause and...

Who invented music? The search for stone flutes, clay whistles and the dawn of song — Laura Dallman

The short answer is: No one knows who invented music. No historical...

Summer swimming season may be over, but you can still get swimmer’s ear – and you don’t even need to go in the water — Thomas Schrepfer and Rex Haberman

Many forms of ear infections strike children and adults alike, but among...

Puerto Rico’s vulnerability to hurricanes is magnified by weak government and bureaucratic roadblocks — Carlos A. Suárez Carrasquillo and Fernando Tormos-Aponte

Five years after Hurricane Maria wreaked havoc on Puerto Rico, Hurricane Fiona has killed at least...

Deepfake audio has a tell – researchers use fluid dynamics to spot artificial imposter voices — Logan Blue and Patrick Traynor

Imagine the following scenario. A phone rings. An office worker answers it...

Mosquito

Why are some people mosquito magnets and others unbothered? A medical entomologist points to metabolism, body odor and mindset — Jonathan Day

It’s rare to attend an outdoor party in warm weather without hearing...

African farmer standing with two cattle on a farm.

Storing cattle feed can improve milk and meat yields: why African farmers aren’t doing it — Mulubrhan Gebremikael

Africa’s cattle feed production is a boom-and-bust cycle. Most of the continent’s...

Woman with dark hair wearing eye glasses and a mask that reads "my right to breathe."

The UN just declared a universal human right to a healthy, sustainable environment – here’s where resolutions like this can lead — Joel E. Correia

Climate change is already affecting much of the world’s population, with startlingly high temperatures from...

Image of man standing in front of microphones and women standing in the distance

In Congress, the name of a bill may have nothing to do with what’s in it – it’s all about salesmanship — Angela Bradbery

Quick quiz: What’s the name of the compromise climate bill that U.S....

Image of house with fence and for sale sign in the yard

Dispirited homebuyers show why Fed’s unprecedented fight against inflation is beginning to succeed — Mark Flannery

I’ve studied finance and financial markets since the 1970s, and I have never...

Hammerhead shark in water

Why do hammerhead sharks have hammer-shaped heads? — Gavin Naylor

Hammerhead sharks are the strange-looking ones. They look like someone grabbed their...

A protestor faces off with Kenyan police in Nairobi after the 2017 general election

Kenya’s young voters have a dilemma: they dislike ethnic politics but feel trapped in it — Narrelle Gilchrist, Amanda B. Edgell and Sebastian Elischer

In elections and beyond, young Kenyans are an important political cohort. People...

What’s cellulitis? A dermatologist explains

What’s cellulitis? A dermatologist explains — Marjorie Montanez-Wiscovich and Arthur Mark Samia

Your skin usually deflects any bacteria it encounters, protecting you from all...

Federal gas tax holiday

Federal gas tax holiday: Biden says it will provide ‘a little bit of relief’ – but experts say even that may be a stretch — Jay L. Zagorsky, Erich Muehlegger, Sanya Carley and Theodore J. Kury

President Joe Biden called on Congress to suspend the federal gas tax to “bring...

What is curtailment? An electricity market expert explains

What is curtailment? An electricity market expert explains — Theodore J. Kury

Curtailment has a special meaning in electric power systems. It describes any...