The Conversation US - Explore Magazine

UF for The Conversation

Experts at University of Florida share their knowledge

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...

Conservation science still rests on how animals can benefit humans

Conservation science still rests on how animals can benefit humans — Heather Alberro, Bron Taylor and Helen Kopnina

The accelerating loss of other species around the globe is so extensive...

Could people breathe the air on Mars?

Could people breathe the air on Mars? — Phylindia Gant and Amy J. Williams

Let’s suppose you were an astronaut who just landed on the planet Mars....

Achoo! 5 essential reads for pollen season

Achoo! 5 essential reads for pollen season — Jennifer Weeks, Allison L. Steiner, Brian Lovett, Fiona Lo, Hamutahl Cohen, Richard L. Harkess and Yingxiao Zhang

As spring expands across North America, trees, shrubs and flowers are releasing pollen....

Ketanji Brown Jackson sworn in as Supreme Court justice

Ketanji Brown Jackson sworn in as Supreme Court justice: 4 essential reads — Matt Williams, Alexis Karteron, Bev-Freda Jackson, Margaret M.Russell and Sharon D. Wright Austin

Shortly after noon on June 30, 2022, Ketanji Brown Jackson took the judicial...

Planting mixes of flowers around farm fields helps keep bees healthy

Planting mixes of flowers around farm fields helps keep bees healthy — Hamutahl Cohen

It’s springtime in California, and bees are emerging to feast on flowering...

Ketanji Brown Jackson set for historic Supreme Court confirmation vote

Ketanji Brown Jackson set for historic Supreme Court confirmation vote: 3 essential reads — Matt Williams, Alexis Karteron, Margaret M. Russell and Sharon D. Wright Austin

Criminal justice algorithms: Being race-neutral doesn’t mean race-blind — Duncan Purves and Jeremy Davis

What the new science of authenticity says about discovering your true self

What the new science of authenticity says about discovering your true self — Matthew Baldwin

After following a white rabbit down a hole in the ground and...

Gas Station in Seattle

Would gas tax breaks make a big difference when prices are skyrocketing? We asked 4 experts — Jay L. Zagorsky, Erich Muehlegger, Sanya Carley and Theodore J. Kury

With gasoline prices trending over US$4 per gallon nationwide, politicians are feeling the...

Ketanji Brown Jackson’s path to Supreme Court nomination was paved by trailblazing Black women judges

Ketanji Brown Jackson’s path to Supreme Court nomination was paved by trailblazing Black women judge — Sharon D. Wright Austin

Just five women and two African Americans, both men, are among the...

Firefighters and a wildfire

6 wildfire terms to understand, from red flag warning to 100% containment — David Godwin

A wildfire fueled by dry, windy conditions forced hundreds of people to evacuate...