FORGOTTEN HISTORY: 13 - Caught on Camera

Americans can now see a famous portrait of the Pacific Islander who captivated 18th-century England for the first time

In 1774, a young man in his early 20s named Mai arrived in England.

The Conversation · Oct 12

Ancient people relied on genetic variation already present in wild plants to domesticate crops like rice and corn

Oryza rufipogon is an ordinary-looking wild grass found today in parts of China, India and Southeast Asia. More than 8,000 years ago, people living in the Lower Yangtze Valley began cultivating it.

The Conversation · Oct 12

I teach doctors how to interpret test results – and the labels ‘normal’ and ‘abnormal’ often hide what matters most

Mr. V felt tightness across his chest. His deepest breaths felt shallow. He sought help at an emergency department, where a resident physician found several worrying signs, including swelling of his hands and legs as well as heart enlargement on a chest X-ray.

The Conversation · Oct 12

How dyspraxia can exhaust children and exclude them from social activities

Ask a parent of a child with dyspraxia what happens around 4pm, and many describe the same scene. Their child has spent a whole school day gripping pencils, fastening buttons and keeping up in the playground. By the time they get home, they are exhausted.

The Conversation · Oct 12

Will AI be good or bad for the climate? Here’s what the latest evidence on energy use suggests

Is AI a climate change villain, whose insatiable hunger for electricity will roast the planet? Or will it help predict where the next climate disaster will strike and what to do about it?

The Conversation · Oct 12

China’s panda diplomacy: how Beijing combines conservation and trade

Two giant pandas recently landed in Atlanta, a week after Donald Trump and Xi Jinping met in Washington.

The Conversation · Oct 12

How bionic eyes are becoming a reality

If you’ve delved into the worlds of Star Trek, The Terminator or William Gibson’s cyberpunk novel Neuromancer, you’ll know that enhanced, electronic vision is a staple of science fiction. Now, what was once futuristic fiction is becoming a reality.

The Conversation · Oct 12

Smarter cities need more than smart algorithms. They need trust

We’ve never had a better understanding of how cities move, but turning that knowledge into smoother, cleaner and more equitable trips remains a challenge. The main obstacle to sustainable mobility may not be technological, but rather political and organizational.

The Conversation · Oct 12

As the school year settles in, making room for the arts can support everyday well-being

As the days darken, making more room for arts-based practices and experiences is one way to bring useful, interesting or sustaining activities into the seasons ahead.

The Conversation · Oct 12

Universities are making different choices about AI. How will they fit with their public missions?

Artificial intelligence has moved quickly from being an emerging technology to one that is rapidly forcing universities to make consequential choices.

The Conversation · Oct 12