Local news and analysis from The Conversation

Highlighting emerging research and expert analysis on issues important to five communities in the U.S. Funded by the Knight Foundation and R.K. Mellon Foundation.

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The 214-year-old museum closed on Sept. 27, 2026.

The 214-year-old museum closed on Sept. 27, 2026.

Philadelphia’s Academy of Natural Sciences just closed – a blow for budding young scientists like me

Lili Mei Granda Argianas, Washington University in St. Louis

Allegheny County is reassessing every property – here’s how your tax bill is calculated now

Elizabeth Jane Beckett-Camarata, Penn State

A line of row houses in a neighborhood.

A line of row houses in a neighborhood.

1 in 4 Pennsylvanians say they paid out of pocket for their annual checkup. Why isn’t insurance covering these preventive visits?

Sujeong Park, Penn State

Doctor examines patient's lymph nodes in examination room

Doctor examines patient's lymph nodes in examination room

School librarians are vanishing from Michigan schools just when they are needed most

Shannon Oltmann, Wayne State University and Kafi Kumasi

Man stands over student reading a book.

Man stands over student reading a book.

Where humans build, mosquitoes follow – bringing dengue, West Nile and other diseases with them

Kylee Rae Noel, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Sadie Jane Ryan, University of Florida

A mosquito lunches on a human.

A mosquito lunches on a human.

Detroit

A teen girl puts her hands on her forehead

A teen girl puts her hands on her forehead

Detroit and Flint teens are struggling with their mental health – and worried adults around them feel ‘helpless’

Crystal Cederna, Michigan State University

Black moms and pregnant women forced out of their homes in metro Detroit face health and safety threats

Shawnita Sealy-Jefferson, The Ohio State University

A mother stands behind son.

A mother stands behind son.

I’m a pediatrician in Michigan who created Rx Kids, one of the nation’s largest anti-poverty programs – here’s what I’ve learned about how medical schools can improve community health

Mona Hanna, Michigan State University

Two moms play with their babies.

Two moms play with their babies.

Plans to improve Michigan’s K-12 schools depend on how the state funds public education

Jason Burns, Michigan State University and Madeline Mavrogordato, Michigan State University

Teacher sits at desk with students

Teacher sits at desk with students

Michigan’s local election officials are confident in voting integrity ahead of November’s midterm election

Stephanie Leiser, University of Michigan

Female voter fills out ballot

Female voter fills out ballot

Read more Detroit news

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Philadelphia

I’m a Philly forensic psychologist who has conducted dozens of psychopathic evaluations – here’s why an evaluation of R.C. Horsch in the ‘80s didn’t identify him as a possible psychopath

David DeMatteo, Drexel University

If Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts can get dangerous blood clots, so can you – here’s how some states are trying to reduce the risk

Ali Ataya, University of Florida

Football player wearing black jacket in stadium with fans wearing green

Football player wearing black jacket in stadium with fans wearing green

An AI model’s false tip to Philadelphia police reveals how digital agents can do as they’re told and still cause trouble

Anat Lior, Drexel University

Closeup of flashing lights on police patrol car

Closeup of flashing lights on police patrol car

Murder of Black suffrage leader Octavius Catto reveals why Election Day 1871 was one of the most violent in Philadelphia history

Timothy Welbeck, Temple University

Chest and head of statue of man wearing 19th Century attire

Chest and head of statue of man wearing 19th Century attire

Philly voters care about local issues, but election integrity fears make them wonder if their vote matters

Heather LaMarre, Temple University

A sign encouraging people to vote hangs from the facade of a building

A sign encouraging people to vote hangs from the facade of a building

Read more Philadelphia news

Pittsburgh

A line of row houses in a neighborhood.

A line of row houses in a neighborhood.

Allegheny County is reassessing every property – here’s how your tax bill is calculated now

Elizabeth Jane Beckett-Camarata, Penn State

Pittsburgh’s ‘Green Man’ was a real person – why the legend outlives the facts

Jeffrey Tolbert, Penn State

A dark rural highway at night.

A dark rural highway at night.

The oil market that sets today’s gas prices was invented in western Pennsylvania

Brian C. Black, Penn State

A group of businessmen in a black and white photo.

A group of businessmen in a black and white photo.

Does your sleep tracker get it right? A Pittsburgh neuroscientist weighs in

J. David Creswell, Carnegie Mellon University

A woman wearing a smartwatch is asleep.

A woman wearing a smartwatch is asleep.

Can development happen without displacement? Pittsburgh’s Hazelwood neighborhood is a test case

Ira Goldstein, University of Pennsylvania

A neighborhood of older homes surrounded by a hill and trees.

A neighborhood of older homes surrounded by a hill and trees.

Read more Pittsburgh news

South Florida

mother taking temperature of crying child with rash

mother taking temperature of crying child with rash

Florida Department of Health considers dropping 4 school vaccine requirements – here’s what that could mean for kids

Katrine L. Wallace, University of Illinois Chicago

More than 119 million Brazilians voted in the Oct. 4 election – including about 21,000 Florida residents

Rafael R. Ioris, University of Denver

a woman signs a piece of paper while a man sitting at a table holds her id card

a woman signs a piece of paper while a man sitting at a table holds her id card

How Hurricane Isaias broke through to become the first Atlantic hurricane in an extremely quiet 2026 season

Christopher Davis, UMass Amherst

Satellite view of a hurricane

Satellite view of a hurricane

We blasted mobile homes with hurricane-force winds to test how they fail – and found clues for making affordable housing safer

Elaina Sutley, University of Kansas and Arindam Chowdhury, Florida International University

An engineer examines a rolled mobile home, with a building containing large fans in the background.

An engineer examines a rolled mobile home, with a building containing large fans in the background.

Florida’s limited ban on Flock cameras only scratches the surface of widespread surveillance concerns

Abigail Hall, University of Tampa

camera with solar panel aimed at a highway with the Miami skyline in the background

camera with solar panel aimed at a highway with the Miami skyline in the background

Read more South Florida news

Colorado

Scientists on skis stand on a glacier with mountains in the background.

Scientists on skis stand on a glacier with mountains in the background.

300 glaciers have disappeared from the American West since the mid-20th century – the survivors have a few things in common

Andrew Fountain, Portland State University

At-home drug disposal products can play an important role in keeping rural Coloradans safe

Sunny Linnebur, University of Colorado Anschutz

A high-angle, close-up shows a woman holding an open jar with pills in it above a plastic container of pill containers.

A high-angle, close-up shows a woman holding an open jar with pills in it above a plastic container of pill containers.

Wildfire strategy doesn’t need a winner – with 3 camps fighting for dominance, the system can’t keep up with the risk

Tony Cheng, Colorado State University and Matt Thompson, Colorado State University

A firefighter stands at the edge of a fire set to clear away brush.

A firefighter stands at the edge of a fire set to clear away brush.

Question of whether taxpayers or fossil fuel companies pay for climate change damage heads to Supreme Court

Patrick Parenteau, Vermont Law & Graduate School

A sprinkling of snow covers the remains of homes destroyed in a wildfire.

A sprinkling of snow covers the remains of homes destroyed in a wildfire.

A Colorado preschool case will be the Supreme Court’s latest to test boundaries of LGBTQ rights and religious freedom

Mark Satta, Wayne State University; Institute for Humane Studies

A tall white building with ornate pillars is seen through a hole in a row of trees.

A tall white building with ornate pillars is seen through a hole in a row of trees.

Read more Colorado news

Data centers and energy costs

A view of open grassland with a barn and a sign reading 'No data center.'

A view of open grassland with a barn and a sign reading 'No data center.'

Data center fights pit social values, democracy and capitalism against each other

Lauren Mullenbach, University of Michigan

How Pennsylvania towns are protecting themselves from the noise, heat and utility costs of massive data centers

Michael Helbing, Penn State

Man stands on front porch above yellow sign that says 'No Data Centers'

Man stands on front porch above yellow sign that says 'No Data Centers'

Abandoned Pennsylvania mines and waste-heat recycling could make the state’s massive new data centers far more sustainable

Wangda Zuo, Penn State

Aerial view of industrial area

Aerial view of industrial area

Data centers don’t have to be a burden on local communities – and can even support them by generating power and repurposing waste heat

Gregor Henze, University of Colorado Boulder and Sean Shaheen, University of Colorado Boulder

An aerial view shows a large building in the foreground with homes and businesses nearby, and skyscrapers in the distance.

An aerial view shows a large building in the foreground with homes and businesses nearby, and skyscrapers in the distance.

AI’s growing appetite for power is putting Pennsylvania’s aging electricity grid to the test

Shixiang (Woody) Zhu, Carnegie Mellon University

Smoke puffs out of a power plant with an American flag in the foreground of the photo.

Smoke puffs out of a power plant with an American flag in the foreground of the photo.

Maternal health

A woman sits in a hallway while an infant plays in the room beyond her.

A woman sits in a hallway while an infant plays in the room beyond her.

Nearly 20% of new moms have anxiety or depression, but a promising psychedelic treatment is on the horizon

Camille Hoffman, University of Colorado Anschutz

How Colorado hospitals are caring for pregnant patients with substance use disorders by overcoming stigma

Karli Swenson, University of Colorado Anschutz

A pregnant woman sits in a hospital gown and chats with a man in scrubs.

A pregnant woman sits in a hospital gown and chats with a man in scrubs.

Nearly half of maternal deaths in Pennsylvania occur more than 6 weeks after giving birth

Yenupini Joyce Adams, University of Notre Dame

A Black mother kisses her newborn on its head.

A Black mother kisses her newborn on its head.

Mobile clinics offer a practical way to improve health care access in maternity care deserts

Adetola F. Louis-Jacques, University of Florida; Arielle Ayotte, University of Florida, and Michelle Nall, University of Florida

Bus repurposed as a mobile clinic

Bus repurposed as a mobile clinic

Fewer new moms are dying in Colorado – naloxone might be one reason why

Kaylin Klie, University of Colorado Anschutz

A woman in a blue dress holds a swaddled baby in a hospital room.

A woman in a blue dress holds a swaddled baby in a hospital room.

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