The Conversation Daily — June 18, 2026
10 stories · June 18, 2026
In this issue
- 1
Juneteenth’s real meaning is written on the plates of smoked meats, potato salad and watermelon
theconversation.com · Bobby J. Smith II, Associate Professor of African American Studies, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
A Juneteenth celebration at Franklin Park in Boston's Roxbury neighborhood in 2014. Zack Wittman/The Boston Globe via Getty Images “Visiting Comanche Crossing on Juneteenth felt like freedom,” my…
- 2
How LGBTQ employees at Kodak risked their careers to build a safer, more inclusive workplace
theconversation.com · Tamar Carroll, Associate Professor of History, Rochester Institute of Technology
Kodak employees attend Toronto's Pride parade in 2005. Remembering the Lambda Network at Kodak, CC BY-SA As corporations sponsor floats and employee marches during Pride Month parades, it’s important…
- 3
How Messi, Mbappe and Haaland use their brains (as well as feet) to gain a psychological edge at the World Cup
theconversation.com · Eric Zillmer, Professor of Neuropsychology, Drexel University
Norway's Erling Haaland celebrates scoring his side's opening goal during the World Cup group match against Iraq on June 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner) AP Photo/Martin Meissner Part of soccer’s…
- 4
Where nature draws the map – here are 5 ways to look at the US, without state boundaries
theconversation.com · Stewart Edie, Research Geologist and Curator of Paleobiology, Smithsonian Institution · Torben Rick, Curator of North American Archaeology, Smithsonian Institution
Varied landscapes and natural contours transcend state boundaries. Smithsonian/Esri, CC BY-ND State boundaries can be iconic. Many were drawn by human hands, but some of the most recognizable contours…
- 5
NASA announces its Artemis III crew, which will test important equipment and systems in Earth orbit and is testing public opinion
theconversation.com · Margaret Landis, Assistant Professor of Earth and Space Exploration, Arizona State University
The Artemis III crew takes a photo during the crew announcement on June 9, 2026. From left: Andre Douglas, Luca Parmitano, Randy Bresnik, Frank Rubio. NASA/Robert Markowitz Over the span of a few…
- 6
Quartz countertops are driving a public health crisis in the US – 2 occupational health experts explain the surge of lung transplants and lawsuits
theconversation.com · David Michaels, Professor of Public Health, George Washington University · Robert Harrison, Senior Attending Physician in Occupational Health, University of California, San Francisco
Engineered stone, also called quartz, has become the most popular material for kitchen countertops. Guillermo Spelucin Runciman/iStock/Getty Images Plus If you walk into a Costco, Home Depot or Lowe’s…
- 7
First new US sunscreen ingredient since 1999 approved by FDA – a skin scientist explains how bemotrizinol works
theconversation.com · Guy German, Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Binghamton University, State University of New York
Chemical sunscreens have come a long way since they were first developed in 1891. mihailomilovanovic/iStock via Getty Images Plus As summer in the U.S. heats up, people become more diligent about…
- 8
How local communities are challenging Big Tech data centers’ noise, pollution and rising electricity bills
theconversation.com · Rachel Mural, Senior Research Associate in Environment and Natural Resources and Science, Technology, and Public Policy, Harvard Kennedy School
Citizens attend a City Council hearing in Pocatello, Idaho, to discuss the prospect of a new $2.6 billion data center in their community. Natalie Behring/Getty Images As the race to build data centers…
- 9
The drawer problem: Why so many of us can’t let go of our old electronics, and what we can do about it
theconversation.com · Eric Williams, Professor of Sustainability, Rochester Institute of Technology · Payam Saeedi, Ph.D. Candidate in Sustainability, Rochester Institute of Technology · Stacey Watson, Assistant Professor of Computer Science, University of Waterloo
This look familiar? Peter Dazeley/Photodisc via Getty Images Think about the last smartphone, tablet or smartwatch you stopped using. Odds are it is not in a recycling bin or a new owner’s hands; it…
- 10
PFAS leave fingerprints in your blood – researchers are figuring out how forever chemicals transform in your body to read these clues
theconversation.com · Carrie McDonough, Associate Professor of Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon University
Virtually every living thing on Earth, from Patagonian penguins to newborn human babies, has been touched by the synthetic chemicals known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS. In fact, you…