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Has gentle parenting gone too far?

To be or not to be a gentle parent? That is the question. There is so much controversy these days about gentle parenting. What is it, and what is it not?

The Conversation · Sep 10

Six ways people have used magic to protect their homes throughout history – from witch bottles to ‘hag stones’

Virtually all cultures and epochs fizz with magic. You might call it a secret ingredient of human life, because magic takes so many forms and serves so many functions.

The Conversation · Sep 10

Why a small leftist party may help the radical right to power in Germany

The extreme right-wing Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) has won a decisive victory in a regional election in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt, gaining nearly 44% of the vote. However, it fell just short of the outright majority needed to govern alone, so negotiations are underway to determine who will run…

The Conversation · Sep 10

Americans agree their democracy is in crisis – yet the solution is as simple as it is elusive

Despite being divided on most issues, an overwhelming majority of Americans agree that their democracy is in a state of crisis or facing serious challenges.

The Conversation · Sep 10

What we remember when we remember 9/11

Do you remember where you were and what you were doing when you learned of the September 11 terrorist attacks that occurred 25 years ago?

The Conversation · Sep 10

Learning without a brain – how bacteria store memories and remember the past like artificial neural networks

Learning is often thought to require a brain. But learning is a broad concept that does not necessarily depend on neurons.

The Conversation · Sep 10

I’m a pediatrician in Michigan who created Rx Kids, one of the nation’s largest anti-poverty programs – here’s what I’ve learned about how medical schools can improve community health

As a pediatrician at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine in Flint, Michigan, I perform well-child checks, treat asthma and discuss nutrition with families. I prescribe medicine and arrange follow-up visits.

The Conversation · Sep 10

The tourism industry is slowly waking up to solo travelers’ needs

Solo travel is surging – and an industry still largely built for two is taking note.

The Conversation · Sep 10

He’s been in Canada for 27 years. Now a former refugee faces deportation over trips back home

Roman Slepcsik has lived in Canada for almost three decades. Federal Court records show he arrived from the Czech Republic in 1997 after fleeing persecution as a Roma man, was recognized as a refugee the following year and became a permanent resident in 1999.

The Conversation · Sep 10

The next frontier is not artificial intelligence, it’s artificial societies

There is a temptation to divide the future of AI into two possibilities: utopia or catastrophe. Neither extreme is particularly helpful.

The Conversation · Sep 10