Zionist thinkers in the late 19th century reshaped #Hanukkah into a nationalist celebration of Jewish strength and self-determination. Then and now, many Jews disagreed.
The Conversation
Hanukkah celebrates both an ancient military victory and a miracle of light – modern Jews can pick from either tradition
Zionists draw on the military imagery of Hanukkah, while others look to the synagogue prayers that focus on the miracle of divine light.
Songbirds don’t just evolve alone 🐦 They swap color genes with related species! Hybrid warblers can pass along vivid plumage traits, revealing just how intertwined evolution really is. Brand new research from David Toews (seen here with a red-faced warbler):
The Conversation
Songbirds swap colorful plumage genes across species lines among their evolutionary neighbors
Interbreeding across species lines is one way helpful genes can spread into a bird population.
Maternal deaths are rising. Reproductive care is shrinking, especially in rural areas. And more states are finally recognizing what many parents already know: doulas save lives.
The Conversation
Doulas play essential roles in reproductive health care – and more states are beginning to recognize it
Doulas bring a holistic, person-centered approach that can improve birth outcomes and lower overall costs.
Want to support colleagues facing bias but feel like you’re “not good enough” to be an ally? You’re not alone. A new study finds 1 in 5 employees feel like impostors around allyship. The fix: small actions and not letting the desire to be a “perfect ally” get in the way of helping.
The Conversation
You care about fairness at work – so why do you feel like a fake?
The impostor phenomenon shows up with allyship too, new research shows. When people wrongly feel like they don’t have the skills to support their...
Pop culture loves the “divine feminine,” but often in a very binary way. Kundalini traditions offer something deeper: A concept of divine energy that’s feminine, nonbinary, and challenging to how we think about gender and spirituality.
The Conversation
Outside the West, the Kundalini tradition presents a model of the ‘divine feminine’ beyond binary gender
Drawn from tantric traditions, Kundalini points to spiritual practices that go beyond traditionally understood concepts of the masculine and feminine.
Pre-owned electronics now come with similar warranties as new devices, but at prices up to 50% lower. Supply chain researchers explore how the shift traces back to a 2003 California recycling law that forced the entire industry to rethink how it designs and manufactures products.
The Conversation
New industry standards and tech advances make pre-owned electronics a viable holiday gift option
Seeing more refurbished electronic devices on the market? Thank tech innovation – and the government regulation that sparked it.
By honoring the Council of Nicaea and meeting Muslim and Christian leaders, he spotlighted minority Christian communities and pushed for interfaith dialogue in two countries central to Christianity’s early history.
The Conversation
Pope Leo XIV’s visits to Turkey and Lebanon were about religious diplomacy
During his visit to Turkey and Lebanon, Pope Leo XIV met several leaders of Christian communities and worked to promote cooperation between Christi...
Illegal gold mining, cargo theft, contraband and deforestation are draining Brazil’s economy. The costs fall hardest on the poor, who depend most on public services and most exposed to violence.
The Conversation
How crime in Brazil drags down the economy and heaps economic pain on the nation’s poor
The percentage hit on Brazil’s GDP could be in the double digits.
Sexy pop didn’t start on TikTok. Sabrina Carpenter and Chappell Roan are tapping into a lineage that runs through “The Philadelphia Sound,” with soul artists like Teddy Pendergrass and Marvin Gaye.
The Conversation
Sabrina Carpenter’s and Chappell Roan’s sexy pop hits have roots in the bedroom ballads of Teddy Pendergrass and Philly soul
The soul singer-turned-R&B sex symbol Teddy Pendergrass helped define the Sound of Philadelphia in the 1970s.
Children who appear to have similar traumatic brain injuries may actually be responding very differently at the cellular level, according to new research. Scientists say understanding these epigenetic changes could eventually lead to more personalized treatment plans for recovery.
The Conversation
Newly discovered link between traumatic brain injury in children and epigenetic changes could help personalize treatment for recovering kids
Some children recover better after traumatic brain injury than others, despite appearing similarly to doctors. Looking at the genetic and cellular ...