The Conversation U.S.

Małgorzata K. Citko-DuPlantis in ‘The Conversation:’ How tourism, a booming wellness culture and social media are transforming the age-old Japanese tea ceremony

Małgorzata (Gosia) K. Citko-DuPlantis, University of Tennessee One of Japan’s most recognizable cultural practices – the Japanese tea ceremony, known as chanoyu, or chadō – is being reshaped by tourism, wellness culture and social media. Matcha, the Japanese powdered green tea that is used during the ceremony, has entered the global marketplace. Influencers post highly…
Jack Swab in ‘The Conversation:’ From flammable neighborhoods to moral hazards, fire insurance maps capture early US cities and the landscape of discrimination

1909 Sanborn map of Suffolk County in Boston, Mass. Library of Congress Jack Swab, University of Tennessee Imagine a map that allows you to see what your neighborhood looked like a century ago in immense detail. What you’re thinking of is probably very much like the fire insurance maps produced from the 1860s to the…
Steven Wilhelm in ‘The Conversation:’ Viruses aren’t all bad: In the ocean, some help fuel the food web – a new study shows how

A research ship sails in the Atlantic Ocean, where scientists are studying the roles of marine viruses. SW Wilhelm Steven Wilhelm, University of Tennessee and Joshua Weitz, University of Maryland Virus. The word evokes images of illness and fears of outbreaks. Yet, in the oceans, not all viruses are bad news. Some play a helpful,…
Jeff Moersch in ‘The Conversation:’ What is below Earth, since space is present in every direction?

Our solar system is mostly arranged along one plane in space, as in this not-to-scale artist’s diagram. NASA/JPL, CC BY Jeff Moersch, University of Tennessee Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to [email protected]. What is below Earth, since…
Writing for The Conversation Adds to Scholarship ROI

Faculty from UT’s College of Arts and Sciences reach millions of people with their research by writing articles distributed through news organizations around the world. Faculty from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, are sharing their expertise with a wide audience through The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization with a vast global reach. During the 2025 calendar…
UT Research Shows Viral Impact on Ocean Oxygen

An international research team unveils how viral lysis of blue-green algae in the Sargasso Sea enhances ecosystem-scale productivity. Newly published interdisciplinary research led by the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and University of Maryland shows viral infection of blue-green algae in the ocean stimulates productivity in the ecosystem and contributes to a rich band of oxygen…
Mary Dzon in ‘The Conversation:’ The Bible says little about Jesus’ childhood – but that didn’t stop medieval Christians from enjoying tales of him as holy ‘rascal’

An illustration from the Vernon Manuscript, from around 1400, shows the familiar motif of an ox and ass watching over the newborn Jesus. © Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford, CC BY-NC Mary Dzon, University of Tennessee Manger scenes displayed around Christmastime usually feature an ox and an ass beside the infant Jesus. According to the…
Steven Lautzenheiser in ‘The Conversation:’ Why can’t I wiggle my toes one at a time, like my fingers?

Steven Lautzenheiser, University of Tennessee Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to [email protected]. Why can’t I wiggle my toes individually, like I can with my fingers? – Vincent, age 15, Arlington, Virginia One of my favorite activities is…
Carolyn E. Holmes in ‘The Conversation:’ The American fixation on white Afrikaners in South Africa stretches back nearly a century

Gemma Ware, The Conversation A few days after Donald Trump boycotted a G20 summit in Johannesburg, he announced South Africa would not be invited to the next G20 meeting, taking place at his resort in Miami in March 2026. Trump said it was a “total disgrace” that South Africa hosted the November event, citing allegations…
Seth Kannarr in ‘The Conversation:’ Trump administration replaces America 250 quarters honoring abolition and women’s suffrage with Mayflower and Gettysburg designs

Seth T. Kannarr, University of Tennessee The culture wars have arrived at the U.S. Mint. Commemorative coins aimed at celebrating America’s 250th anniversary in 2026 were unveiled by the mint on Dec. 10, 2025, and they reflect the country’s currently divided politics and views of history. In an unexpected move, most of the original designs…