The Conversation

The Conversation US arose out of deep-seated concerns for the fading quality of our public discourse – and recognition of the vital role that academic experts can play in the public arena: https://theconversation.com/us/who-we-are

Op-Ed: America Needs Fully-Funded Hurricane Forecasting

Published May 24, 2026 4:26 PM by The Conversation

Posted in: Government

[By Brian Tang] The 2026 Atlantic hurricane season starts June 1, and while early outlooks suggest that a developing El Niño might...

A giant guitarfish is among the species being caught by bottom trawling. (Sarah Foster)

Op-Ed: Bottom Trawl Operators Need to Prove That They Are Sustainable

Published May 17, 2026 3:34 PM by The Conversation

Posted in: Environment

[By Sarah Foster and Amanda Vincent] Bottom trawlers extract one-quarter of the world’s fisheries catches by weight and raise sign...

An Iranian FSO in more peaceful times, before the war (NIOC)

Why Does It Matter if Iran Shuts In its Oil Wells?

Published May 6, 2026 9:40 PM by The Conversation

Posted in: Offshore

[By Nima Shokri and Martin J. Blunt] The Strait of Hormuz – the narrow waterway through which between 20% and 25% of the world’s s...

What is Hantavirus, the Disease That Has Killed Three Cruise Passengers?

Published May 4, 2026 10:35 PM by The Conversation

Posted in: Cruise Ships

[By Dr. Thomas Jeffries] Three people have died after a suspected outbreak of hantavirus on a cruise ship in the middle of the Atl...

Can Coral be Bred for Better Tolerance to Heatwaves?

Published Apr 17, 2026 5:18 PM by The Conversation

Posted in: Environment

[By Liam Lachs, Adriana Humanes and James Guest] As global warming accelerates, extreme heatwaves are causing widespread death of...

Diego Garcia in the Chagos Islands is home to a strategic U.S./British air station, naval base and protected anchorage (NASA)

What Next for the Chagos Islands?

Published Apr 16, 2026 2:44 PM by The Conversation

Posted in: Government

[By Tom Frost] The UK government has shelved legislation to return the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, after the US government withdr...

Underway merchant traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, April 15 (Pole Star)

How Iran and the U.S. Justify Differing Views on Freedom of Navigation

Published Apr 15, 2026 2:20 PM by The Conversation

Posted in: Shipping

[By Elizabeth Mendenhall] The Strait of Hormuz exists in the eye of the beholder. While everyone agrees that, geographically speak...

Op-Ed: Mideast Conflict Provides a Test of Economic Resilience

Published Apr 14, 2026 6:13 PM by The Conversation

Posted in: Business

[By Adi Imsirovic and Antonio Fatas] The world economy survived the shocks of the Ukraine-Russia conflict, which has had limited i...

Loading terminal at Ras Laffan (Matthew Smith / CC BY 2.0)

Iran's Strike on Ras Laffan Could Raise LNG Prices for Years

Published Mar 23, 2026 5:26 PM by The Conversation

Posted in: Offshore

[By Dr. Adi Imsirovic] On March 19, Ras Laffan, the largest liquified natural gas (LNG) terminal in the world, supplying one-fifth...

The Iran War and Global Trade: Will the Cape Route Become the New Normal?

Published Mar 6, 2026 7:26 PM by The Conversation

Posted in: Shipping

[By Francois Vreÿ] Events in the Middle East during February and March 2026 again disrupted the flows of shipping trade to the eas...