China’s Everest obsession: following Mallory’s footsteps a century on, I saw how tourism and climate change are transforming the mountain

A century after the disappearance of explorer George Mallory, his photos and diary offer a valuable baseline for investigating impacts of tourism and climate change on the Tibet side of Everest.

Carl Cater, Associate Professor in Tourism Marketing, Swansea University • conversation
June 13, 2025 ~28 min

How lichens are bringing stone to life and reconnecting us with the natural world

Lichens bridge the living and non-living – understanding them allows us to better see how to conserve our heritage, and also ourselves.

Nicholas Carter, Lecturer in Physical Geography, University of Oxford • conversation
May 16, 2025 ~14 min


Pollution scientist talks to freshwater ecologist who warned of Isle of Man toxic silt dumps

Despite achieving Unesco biosphere status on the basis of its marine reserves, hazardous chemical contaminants pollute the seas around the Isle of Man.

Patrick Byrne, Professor of Water Science, Liverpool John Moores University • conversation
April 22, 2025 ~20 min

Toxic chemical pollution continues on Isle of Man as government defends Unesco conservation status

Biosphere status is ‘not a hallmark of perfection’, says island administration.

Patrick Byrne, Professor of Water Science, Liverpool John Moores University • conversation
April 22, 2025 ~19 min

DeepSeek: how China’s embrace of open-source AI caused a geopolitical earthquake

A big bet on open-source technology has enabled China to rapidly scale its AI innovation while Silicon Valley remains limited by corporate structures.

Peter Bloom, Professor of Management, University of Essex • conversation
Feb. 12, 2025 ~39 min

The Silicon Valley venture capitalists who want to ‘move fast and break things’ in the defence industry

Enormous sums of venture capital money and influence is pouring into a defence industry which is being reshaped in the image of Silicon Valley.

Elke Schwarz, Reader in Political Theory, Queen Mary University of London • conversation
Jan. 16, 2025 ~33 min

How Britain got its first internet connection – by the late pioneer who made it happen

Peter Kirstein had to overcome various hurdles to connect the UK to the internet, including intransigent governments, dismissive industry and the taxman.

Peter T. Kirstein, Professor of Computer Communications Science, UCL • conversation
Jan. 8, 2025 ~24 min

How Britain got its first internet connection – by the late pioneer who created the first password on the internet

Peter Kirstein had to overcome various hurdles to connect the UK to the internet, including intransigent governments, dismissive industry and the taxman.

Peter T. Kirstein, Professor of Computer Communications Science, UCL • conversation
Jan. 8, 2025 ~24 min


Writing long reads for The Conversation can be ‘instrumental’ in developing research – Insights story updates

Our expert authors explain the value in bringing the story of their research to a much wider audience.

Paul Keaveny, Investigations Editor, Insights, The Conversation • conversation
Dec. 31, 2024 ~13 min

Greenland is getting greener – helped by a mining company and a group of tree enthusiasts

Greening sounds good compared to deforestation, but in the Arctic, the expansion of plant life amplifies dangerous feedback loops and could harm the carbon-storing permafrost.

Adriana Craciun, Institute Associate at the Scott Polar Research Institute, University of Cambridge, and Emma MacLachlan Metcalf Chair of Humanities, Boston University • conversation
Dec. 6, 2024 ~33 min

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