The Conversation Daily — June 13, 2026
10 stories · June 13, 2026
In this issue
- 1
How Amazon workers made glamour a form of protest
theconversation.com · Eileen G'Sell, Teaching Professor in College Writing, Washington University in St. Louis
GettyImages Strutting down the catwalk in a Cindy Castro frock, 37-year-old Amazon worker Samari Jomar Mercado looked like an ethereal punk-rock fairy: sleeve tattoos, lace bag on her wrist and a…
- 2
World Cup creates perfect conditions for infectious diseases to spread – here are the biggest threats health experts are watching for
theconversation.com · Andrés Henao, Associate Professor of Medicine and Infectious Disease, University of Colorado Anschutz
When the 2026 FIFA World Cup begins on June 11, 2026, matches will be played across 16 cities in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Millions of fans will arrive through multiple airports and will…
- 3
Building more renewable energy sources means rethinking land use for agriculture and conservation
theconversation.com · Adam Gallaher, Assistant Professor of Geography and Environmental Studies, Central Michigan University
Large-scale solar power plants are key elements of energy policies in New York and other states. Lev Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images The state of New York could meet its goal of…
- 4
What Pennsylvania’s AI chatbot lawsuit teaches us about the psychology behind medical trust
theconversation.com · Gretchen Chapman, Professor of Psychology, Carnegie Mellon University
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro is suing Character.AI to stop its chatbot from posing as doctors. Gilbert Carrasquillo/GC Images via Getty Images In May 2026, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s…
- 5
As an American, should you feel guilty about rooting against the US in the World Cup?
theconversation.com · Adam Kadlac, Teaching Professor of Philosophy, Wake Forest University
The 2026 World Cup promises to be the planet’s most-watched sporting event. It’s also poised to generate its fair share of controversy. Taking into account the history of corruption in FIFA, the…
- 6
Methane rocket fuel is easier to handle and convenient but, as Blue Origin saw, it can be very explosive
theconversation.com · Ryan C. Fortenberry, Associate Professor of Chemistry, University of Mississippi
Blue Origin's New Glenn explodes on the launchpad at Cape Canaveral on May 28, 2026. @JConcilus via AP Going straight up is hard. It takes a lot of energy. For those of us who enjoy hiking, cycling or…
- 7
Wildfires are reversing America’s progress on ozone pollution, the main ingredient in smog
theconversation.com · Weizhi Deng, Ph.D. Student in Atmospheric and Environmental Science, University of Iowa · Jun Wang, Professor of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, University of Iowa · Meng Zhou, Researcher in Atmospheric and Earth Sciences, University of Maryland, Baltimore County
Smoky haze from wildfires in Canada blankets a New York City neighborhood on June 7, 2023. David Dee Delgado/Getty Images For decades, the United States made steady progress in reducing surface ozone…
- 8
Bison restoration efforts and grazing rights hinge on one question: Are bison wildlife?
theconversation.com · Madison Stevens, Assistant Professor of Earth Sciences, Montana State University · Elizabeth (Libby) Lunstrum, Associate Professor, School of Public Service, Boise State University
Part of a bison herd maintained by the Blackfeet Nation on a private reserve in Montana. Madison Stevens, CC BY-NC-ND Bison are political animals. A federal decision to revoke grazing leases for bison…
- 9
Fossil fishes buried in the desert reveal a missing chapter in marine history
theconversation.com · Sanaa El-Sayed, PhD student, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences and Museum of Paleontology, University of Michigan
A complete skeleton of the oldest jack fish, found at Qreiya 3. Professor Hesham Sallam, Mansoura University Vertebrate Paleontology Center When an asteroid struck Earth about 66 million years ago, it…
- 10
From oversight to coercion: How authoritarian governments are twisting AI safety to get tech companies to fall in line
theconversation.com · Michael Gregory, Assistant Professor of Philosophy, Clemson University
President Trump's 2025 executive order about 'woke AI' put the tech industry on notice about aligning with the administration's views. AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson When researchers founded…