Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – A new study by Dilek Koptekin et al., a Swiss-Turkish team, has appeared in Science that combines archeological and genetics research to shed new light on the emergence of farming in the Middle East in the transition from hunting and gathering called the Neolithic Revolution. The authors find that big […]
Archives for June 2025
12 Days Of War: Takeaways From The Israel-Iran Conflict
By Kian Sharifi ( RFE/ RL) – After 12 days of unprecedented direct hostilities, Israel and Iran have agreed to a cease-fire that has brought a tense and uneasy calm to the region. The war, marked by devastating air strikes, missile barrages, and covert operations, has left both countries reeling. While the immediate fighting […]
Chaotic new Aid System means getting Food in Gaza has become a Matter of Life – and often Death
By Leonie Fleischmann, City St George’s, University of London (The Conversation) – With all eyes on the ceasefire between Israel and Iran, which came into effect 12 days after Israel launched a major attack on Iran’s nuclear and military structure, attention towards Gaza has waned. This is at a time when attempting to gain access […]
America’s worsening Solar Gap with China, which installs 100 Panels per Second
Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – According to Asia Society Policy Institute Senior Fellow Lauri Myllyvirta, China installed 93 gigawatts of solar in May, along with 27 gigawatts of wind. She points out that this is equivalent to 100 solar panels being put in every second. China has passed the 1 terrawatt milestone for installed solar […]
Guterres: “Seeking Food Must Not Be A Death Sentence”
( IMEMC ) – UN Secretary-General António Guterres stated Friday that the search for food in Gaza must never amount to a death sentence, underscoring the deepening humanitarian catastrophe in the besieged and devastated Gaza Strip. On Friday, Day 102 since the resumption of the genocide in Gaza on March 18 (when Israel broke the […]
Earth is Trapping much more Heat than Climate Models Forecast – and the Rate has Doubled in 20 Years
By Steven Sherwood, UNSW Sydney; Benoit Meyssignac, Université de Toulouse, and Thorsten Mauritsen, Stockholm University (The Conversation) – How do you measure climate change? One way is by recording temperatures in different places over a long period of time. While this works well, natural variation can make it harder to see longer-term trends. But another […]
The Day Evin Prison Burned: Why Israel’s Attack Crossed a Moral Line
Braga, Portugal and and San Marcos, Ca. (Special to Informed Comment; Feature) – In the final days of Israel’s eleven-day war with Iran, the targeted strikes reached deep into the heart of Tehran. Israeli fighter jets and cruise missiles bombed military headquarters, government ministries, communication infrastructure, and even the national TV broadcaster, IRIB. Yet among […]
Netanyahu’s ‘New Middle East:’ Same old Colonialism
( Middle East Monitor ) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu persistently declares his ambition to “change the face of the Middle East”. Yet, his repeated assertions seem to clash with the unfolding reality on the ground. Netanyahu’s opportunistic relationship with language is now proving detrimental to his country. The Israeli leader undoubtedly grasps fundamental […]
How Zohran Mamdani’s win in the New York City mayoral Primary could Ripple across the Country
By Lincoln Mitchell, Columbia University (The Conversation) – Top Republicans and Democrats alike are talking about the sudden rise of 33-year-old Zohran Mamdani, a state representative who won the Democratic mayoral primary in New York on June 24, 2025, in a surprising victory over more established politicians. While President Donald Trump quickly came out swinging […]