The Conversation is an independent, nonprofit publisher of commentary and analysis, authored by academics and edited by journalists for the general public. On a mission “to promote truthful information and strengthen journalism by unlocking the rich diversity of academic research for audiences across America,” The Conversation publishes short articles by academics on timely topics related to their research. CU Boulder provides funding as a member of The Conversation U.S. Learn more about the partnership and how and why to write for The Conversation.

 

The top of an outdoor structure called a sukkah, made of palm fonds, tree branches and reeds

On Jewish ‘festival of booths,’ each sukkah is as unique as the person who builds it

Sept. 27, 2023

There are myriad ways to be Jewish, and home-based holidays such as Sukkot help Jewish families honor all the parts of their identities. Read from CU expert Samira Mehta on The Conversation.

U.S. court documents

Trump’s classified-documents indictment does more than allege crimes

Aug. 23, 2023

Prosecutors could have composed a technocratic document intelligible only to other criminal law insiders when indicting Donald Trump in the documents case; they did much more. Read from CU law expert Derek Kiernan-Johnson on The Conversation.

Pedestrians walking

Ever-larger cars, trucks causing safety crisis—here’s how communities can fight back

Aug. 2, 2023

Deadly traffic incidents have declined in most developed countries in recent years, but in the U.S., both motor vehicle and pedestrian fatalities are becoming more common. Read more from Professor Kevin Krizek on The Conversation.

Smoke rising from an active fire in the Northwest Territories

‘Zombie fires’ occurring more frequently; impacts remain uncertain

July 17, 2023

Overwintering fires are becoming increasingly common in boreal forests. Smoldering through the winter and reigniting in the early spring, these “zombie fires” contribute to an earlier and longer fire season. Read more from INSTAAR expert Merritt Turetsky and others on The Conversation.

A graphic show a Threads and Twitter logo.

Threads surging, but mass migration from Twitter likely to remain an uphill battle

July 10, 2023

Twitter’s move on July 1 to limit the number of tweets users can see in a day was the latest in a series of decisions that has spurred millions of users to sign up with alternative microblogging platforms. Read more from CU Boulder’s Casey Fiesler on The Conversation.

original Beanie Babies in someone's home

Why are some Beanie Babies worth more than others? It's about supply and demand

July 5, 2023

CU Boulder expert Christophe Spaenjers answers Theo, age 8, In this Curious Kids installment of The Conversation, explaining why certain collectibles can become valuable as well as how they can lose worth. Read more.

Tree of Life

The tree of life—a powerful image in Judaism for thousands of years—signifies more than immortality

June 20, 2023

Jurors recently delivered a guilty verdict for the gunman who killed 11 worshippers in Pittsburgh's Tree of Life synagogue—the deadliest antisemitic attack in U.S. history. Tree of Life has almost become shorthand for the tragedy, yet it highlights a symbol from the Bible that has transformed over time. CU scholar Sam Boyd discusses on The Conversation.

Military vehicles carry an earlier version of China’s hypersonic missile during a 2019 parade

Aerospace engineer analyzes unique threats posed by China’s hypersonic missiles

May 25, 2023

China’s newest hypersonic missile, the DF-27, could sideline U.S. aircraft carrier groups in the Pacific. CU expert Iain Boyd discusses how the weapons work on The Conversation.

dark storm cloud

Cloud seeding can increase rain and snow, and new techniques may make it more effective

May 4, 2023

Cloud seeding—spraying materials into clouds to increase precipitation—has been around for nearly 80 years. But only recently have scientists been able to measure how effective it really is. CU’s Katja Friedrich lends expertise on The Conversation Weekly podcast.

Person holding a phone with Twitter logo in front of a Silicon Valley Bank sign

Twitter played a role in the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank—new research

May 4, 2023

Social media provides both a forum for communication and a public signal about what a bank’s customers believe. That means Twitter can facilitate coordination in real-time. CU expert Tony Cookson shares in The Conversation's Research Brief series.

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