Trump’s exchange with Pope Leo reflects deep-rooted tensions between the Vatican and the United States: 4 essential reads

Kalpana Jain, The Conversation

Pope Leo responded firmly to Trump’s scathing criticism. A deeper dive into our archives explains how the exchange might well show a recurring dynamic.

A justice department opinion arguing the Presidential Records Act is unconstitutional could revert the nation to a time when presidents freely burned their papers

Austin Sarat, Amherst College

Presidential records are the public’s property. The Justice Department wants to change that and revert to a time when presidents could do what they wanted with their papers, including burning them.

How debate about gender identity could undermine global efforts to protect victims of violence

Jenna Norosky, Binghamton University, State University of New York

The US and some voices at the UN are calling for a narrow interpretation of gender to align with sex assigned at birth. That could leave vulnerable groups at risk.

Antibiotics can trigger bacteria to release bubbles of inflammation tinder, making it harder to treat infection

Panteha Torabian, Rochester Institute of Technology

Bacteria don’t quietly die when exposed to antibiotics – they actively respond in ways that in turn change how your body responds to infection.

Using atomic nuclei could allow scientists to read time more precisely than ever – what this research could mean for future clocks

Eric R. Hudson, University of California, Los Angeles; Andrei Derevianko, University of Nevada, Reno

Atomic clocks undergird modern timekeeping. A nuclear clock could be even more precise.

New federal figures reveal 1 in 3 US households struggle to pay energy bills, but the reality is likely even worse

Diana Hernández, Columbia University

Households once confident they could afford energy costs are at risk of falling behind on their bills and are making hard trade-offs to keep the lights on.

What if Texas’ destructive Tax Day flood had centered on inner Houston instead? It’s why cities should plan for the improbable

James R. Elliott, Rice University; Dominic Boyer, Rice University; Yilei Yu, Rice University

Computer models of the storm hitting different areas show how much damage is possible, yet flood maps still focus on where flooding is most likely instead.

Rural hospitals are closing across Pennsylvania and the US − the reasons probably aren’t what you think

Shayann Ramedani, Penn State; Daniel R. George, Penn State

Rural hospitals have high fixed costs, low patient volume and a large portion of patients insured through Medicaid, which typically pays less than private insurers.

Industries most exposed to AI are not only seeing productivity gains but jobs and wage growth too

Christos Makridis, Arizona State University; Institute for Humane Studies

Estimates of artificial intelligence’s impact on jobs and the economy range from the apocalyptic to the utopian, but the data tells a more nuanced story.

Teenagers and younger kids are learning coded predator phrases like ‘MAP’ online, long before their parents have even heard of it

As a philosopher, I’m convinced that Trump isn’t lying − he’s doing something worse

What I learned from analyzing 789 ‘Shark Tank’ pitches: Narcissists get funding if they’re not arrogant or defensive