The Latest Breaking News from The Conversation

On Jan. 7, 2025, people across the Los Angeles area watched in horror as powerful winds began spreading wildfires through neighborhood after neighborhood. Over three weeks, the fires destroyed more than 16,000 homes and businesses. At least 31 people died, and studies suggest the smoke and stress likely contributed to…

The U.S. economy heads into 2026 in an unusual place: Inflation is down from its peak in mid-2022, growth has held up better than many expected, and yet American households say that things still feel shaky. Uncertainty is the watchword, especially with a major Supreme Court ruling on tariffs on…

How did life begin on Earth? While scientists have theories, they don’t yet fully understand the precise chemical steps that led to biology, or when the first primitive life forms appeared.

You stub your toe on the bedpost. Before your brain even registers the pain, a word explodes from your mouth – sharp, loud and oddly satisfying.

For many people, the run-up to Christmas is filled with excitement and anticipation. For others, it can quietly tip into something more difficult. A drop in mood is particularly common after Christmas, especially in the final week of the year and the first days of the new one. Understanding why…

We’re constantly told that spending time in nature is good for the body and the mind alike. A large body of research shows multiple health benefits from contact with nature, ranging from stress reduction to an improved immune system and even improved academic achievement in children.

Language learning is often a daunting prospect. Many of us wish we had learned a language to a higher level at school. But even though adults of all ages can do well in acquiring a new language, fear – or the memory of struggling to memorise grammar at school –…

Here are the answers to the festive maths quiz I set on December 23. I hope you enjoyed it.

The world of work today, in the 21st century, is far more unpredictable than it was in the 20th century. Jobs come and go, roles change constantly, and automation and digital disruption are the only constants. Many young people will one day do jobs that don’t yet exist or did…