Black, Hispanic and Native American kindergartners are nearly twice as likely as white students to score in the lowest 10% on reading assessments. New research correlates the disparities to family income and early academic skills.
The Conversation
Students of color are at greater risk for reading difficulties – even in kindergarten
The achievement gap in reading is evident by students’ first year of school, according to a new study – making early intervention all the more ...
Florida has executed 15 people in 2025 — more than in any year since 1976. Under Gov. Ron DeSantis, the state leads a national rise in executions after years of decline. One reason for the increase: Florida is one of the few states where only eight of 12 jurors are needed to impose the death penalty.
The Conversation
Under Ron DeSantis’ leadership, Florida leads the nation in executions in 2025
Florida leads the nation in executions in a year that has seen an increase in the number of inmates put to death nationwide.
Delivering a connection-building protein to star-shaped cells in the brain could reverse changes to neural circuits found in Down syndrome, according to a neuroscientist:
The Conversation
Star-shaped cells make a molecule that can ‘rewire’ the brains of mice with Down syndrome – understanding how could lead to new treatments
Down syndrome results in changes to the structure and function of neural circuits in the brain. Delivering a specific protein to neurons could reve...
The UN is trying an experimental model after decades of failed interventions in Haiti: a Gang Suppression Force run by a coalition of nations authorized by the UN – without being commanded or funded by the UN. The approach outsources peacekeeping while preserving UN authority.
The Conversation
The UN is reinventing peacekeeping – Haiti is the testing ground
A recent Security Council resolution to curb violence in Haiti was not just a local issue but a broader idea about how to stay relevant as a global...
Colorado’s rural school superintendents say they need more money to recruit teachers.
The Conversation
Colorado’s rural schools serve more than 130,000 students, and their superintendents want more pay for their teachers
Rural school leaders are most concerned about recruiting and retaining teachers.
“Fusarium graminearum”, a toxin smuggled into the US by a Chinese scientist now facing charges, is a fungus that can wipe out wheat and barley crops. A research professor of plant pathology says the case highlights serious vulnerabilities in American agricultural biosecurity:
The Conversation
What is Fusarium graminearum, the fungus a Chinese scientist pleaded guilty to smuggling into the US?
When Fusarium graminearum infects wheat, it can pose a risk to humans, animals and agriculture.
Community health centers serve 1 in 10 Americans on just 1% of total health care spending. But Medicaid cuts of up to $1 trillion and work requirements threaten their survival, potentially pushing millions more toward already overburdened emergency rooms.
The Conversation
Community health centers provide care for 1 in 10 Americans, but funding cuts threaten their survival
Millions of Americans rely on this network of federally funded health clinics for their primary care.
Political outrage over Bad Bunny's Super Bowl halftime show selection reveals a larger pattern: culture wars now begin in the political sector, manufactured by partisans and amplified by media before the actual event even occurs, according to the author of a book on propaganda.
The Conversation
Bad Bunny is the latest product of political rage — how pop culture became the front line of American politics
Culture wars once arose from impromptu events that struck a nerve among Americans, but they are now started by partisan agitators who introduce the...
Electric vehicles powered by sulfur batteries could go twice as far as today's EVson a single charge. Researchers are making progress on building batteries durable enough for real-world use.
The Conversation
Sulfur-based batteries could offer electric vehicles a greener, longer-range option
Battery researchers are seeking options with better performance, improved environmental sustainability and lower cost than lithium-ion batteries.
The Trump administration wants to rescind a 2009 finding that climate change endangers public health. Physicians and epidemiologists argue the move ignores mounting evidence linking climate change to heat deaths, epidemics, air pollution and mental health crises.
The Conversation
Want to make America healthy again? Stop fueling climate change
From extreme heat to mosquito-borne illnesses, climate change is making people sicker and more vulnerable to disease. Health scientists explain wha...