Most popular stories of the last month

Learn from experts daily [Click here to view this message in your web-browser](. [The Conversation]( Academic rigor, journalistic flair Is this newsletter what you want? The Conversation is a unique collaboration among journalists, academics and readers. Our team of editors works with experts to help them write articles based on their research and which help you understand the world of politics, the latest scientific breakthroughs and interesting phenomena in the world around us. We want to make sure our email newsletter is meeting your needs. Some people have told us we email them too often. Some people want only our science headlines. Please [gives us your feedback]( on that, or reply to this email. To remind you of the breadth of stories in our daily newsletter, here’s a selection of our most popular stories during the last month. Joel Abrams Manager, Media Outreach Read these Yes, I am a bit chilly, why? tim elliott/Shutterstock.com [Is winter miserable for wildlife?]( Bridget B. Baker, Wayne State University When you're warm and cozy inside, it can be natural to wonder if the animals you see outside your window this winter are doing OK. Don't worry – they're doing better out there than you would. Ethical dilemmas - [Is it unethical to give your cat catnip?]( Debra Merskin, University of Oregon Catnip can induce changes in cat behavior. An expert argues that giving it to cats raises questions about human power and animal autonomy. - [Yes, there is a war between science and religion]( Jerry Coyne, University of Chicago An evolutionary biologist makes the case that there's no reconciling science and religion. In the search for truth, one tests hypotheses while the other relies on faith. - [Should I kill spiders in my home? An entomologist explains why not to]( Matt Bertone, North Carolina State University This Speed Read makes the case why you should be nice to spiders you encounter in your home and consider a live-and-let-live policy. Politics and business - [What Aristotle can teach us about Trump’s rhetoric]( Anthony F. Arrigo, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth Trump appeals to his base in a way that philosophers knew was effective thousands of years ago. - [Why care about undocumented immigrants? For one thing, they’ve become vital to key sectors of the US economy]( Mary Jo Dudley, Cornell University A researcher takes a closer look at the millions of unauthorized workers who play an essential role in the U.S. economy – and why they matter. - [Your deeply held beliefs may just be wrong – 5 essential reads]( Naomi Schalit, The Conversation Popular wisdom may be popular, but sometimes it's downright wrong. Five stories from The Conversation's 2018 politics coverage interrogate popular wisdom – and find it lacking. Science and health - [What the flu does to your body, and why it makes you feel so awful]( Laura Haynes, University of Connecticut Anyone who's had the flu can attest that it makes them feel horrible. But why? What is going on inside the body that brings such pain and malaise? An immunologist explains. - [Change your phone settings so Apple, Google can’t track your movements]( Jen King, Stanford University Most tech companies make it difficult for users to say no to aggressive surveillance practices. But it is helpful to know about the default settings on your smartphone and how to change them. - [Rotating black holes may serve as gentle portals for hyperspace travel]( Gaurav Khanna, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth Feel like visiting another star system or dimension? You can do this by traveling through a spacetime portal of a black hole. But you better choose carefully. All black holes are not created equal. Just plain interesting [Why people become vegans: The history, sex and science of a meatless existence]( Joshua T. Beck, University of Oregon A behavioral scientist explains why people become vegans, why some meat-eaters find them so irksome and how scientists may be nudging us all toward a more plant-centric existence. [Listening to nature: How sound can help us understand environmental change]( Garth Paine, Arizona State University From bird songs to wind patterns, sound is a key but often underappreciated element of natural places. Learning how to listen to nature can alert us to changes in the environment before we see them. [Medieval medical books could hold the recipe for new antibiotics]( Erin Connelly, University of Pennsylvania A team of medievalists and scientists look back to history – including a 1,000-year-old eyesalve recipe – for clues to new antibiotics. [In ‘Mary Poppins Returns,’ an ode to the gas lamp]( Jennifer Tucker, Wesleyan University The lamps that once lit London's streets have come to symbolize a certain time and place in British history. Noted [Today some 500,000 bison have been restored in over 6,000 locations, including public lands, private ranches and Native American lands. As they return, researchers like me are gaining insights into their substantial ecological and conservation value.]( [Bison are back, and that benefits many other species on the Great Plains]( Matthew D. Moran Hendrix College [Matthew D. Moran] [Follow us on Twitter.]( [Join us on Facebook.]( You’re receiving this newsletter from [The Conversation](. Not interested anymore? [Unsubscribe instantly](. We’ll miss you. 89 South Street - Suite 202 Boston, MA 02111