The marketing genius of Spotify Wrapped

Ishani Banerji Clinical,Clemson University I’m guessing I’ll be among Spotify’s top 1% of listeners for an obscure 2004 track titled “Rusty Chevrolet” by the Irish band

Sugar starts corroding your teeth within seconds

José Lemos, University of Florida Between Halloween candy, Thanksgiving pies and holiday cookies, the end of the year is often packed with opportunities to consume sugar. But

Can the world quit coal?

Stacy D. VanDeveer, UMass Boston As world leaders, researchers, activists and lobbyists gather in Brazil for the 30th annual United Nations climate conference, frustration is high that

The ‘supercenter’ effect: How massive, one-stop retailers fuel overconsumption – and waste

Suvrat Dhanorkar, Georgia Institute of Technology Imagine walking out of a Walmart, Target or Costco. As you push your large shopping cart to your car, you ask

Why index funds and ETFs are good for retirees

Christine Benz, Morningstar Older adults likely began their investing careers before exchange-traded funds existed and have stuck with traditional mutual funds. But as retirement approaches, many

Government shutdown hasn’t left consumers glum about the economy – for now, at least

Joanne Hsu, University of Michigan The ongoing federal shutdown has resulted in a pause on regular government data releases, meaning economic data has been in short supply of late. That has left

How does AI affect how we learn?

Brian W. Stone,Boise State University When OpenAI released “study mode” in July 2025, the company touted ChatGPT’s educational benefits. “When ChatGPT is prompted to teach or

Why journalists are reluctant to call Trump an authoritarian

Karrin Vasby Anderson,Colorado University In an authoritarian state, leaders use unconstitutional practices to consolidate power: rejecting democratic rules, delegitimizing opponents, tolerating political violence, and curtailing civil

Misunderstood Malthus: The English thinker has lessons for today

Roy Scranton, University of Notre Dame No one uses “Malthusian” as a compliment. Since 1798, when economist and cleric Thomas Malthus published An Essay on the Principles

Don’t write off the Putin–Trump summit just yet

Like many such encounters, the Aug. 15, 2025, Alaska red-carpet rollout for Russian President Vladimir Putin is classic Donald Trump: diplomacy as pageantry, emerging seemingly out of

Is ChatGPT making us stupid?

Back in 2008, The Atlantic sparked controversy with a provocative cover story: Is Google Making Us Stupid? In that 4,000-word essay, later expanded into a book, author

Are people at the South Pole upside down?

When I was standing at the South Pole, I felt the same way I feel anywhere on Earth because my feet were still on the ground and the

Trump’s justifications for the latest travel ban aren’t supported by the data on immigration

The Trump administration on June 4, 2025, announced travel restrictions targeting 19 countries in Africa and Asia, including many of the world’s poorest nations. All travel is banned

Nowadays autocrats use manipulation, not violence

President Donald Trump’s critics often accuse him of harboring authoritarian ambitions. Journalists and scholars have drawn parallels between his leadership style and that of strongmen abroad. Some Democrats

Harvard fights to keep enrolling international students

A federal judge in Boston on May 23, 2025, temporarily blocked a Trump administration order that would have revoked Harvard University’s authorization to enroll international students.

Why we fall for fake health information – and how it spreads faster than facts

In today’s digital world, people routinely turn to the internet for health or medical information. In addition to actively searching online, they often come across health-related information on social

The sharp decline in young Americans’ support for free speech

For much of the 20th century, young Americans were seen as free speech’s fiercest defenders. But now, young Americans are growing more skeptical of free speech. According

Pope Leo XIV: Why the College of Cardinals chose the Chicago native and Augustinian to lead the church after Francis

When 69-year-old Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost appeared on the main balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica for the first time as Pope Leo XIV on May 8, 2025, he

Japanese women have long sacrificed their surnames in marriage − politics and demographics might change that

Encouraged by a sexual double standard and shaped by a general perception of Japan as a society made for men, most women abandon their maiden names

What will happen at the funeral of Pope Francis

The 88-year-old pontiff had been well aware of his fragile state and advanced age. As early as 2015, Pope Francis had expressed the desire to be buried in

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