The Conversation Daily — July 2, 2026
10 stories · July 2, 2026
In this issue
- 1
Alcohol is one of the most dangerous drugs, yet its presence is ubiquitous in social settings and celebrations
theconversation.com · Emma Fenske, Addiction Medicine Fellow and Internal Medicine Physician, Oregon Health & Science University
Alcohol is woven into the thread of American life, from work events to major holidays and everything in between. TravisLincoln/iStock via Getty Images Plus Few substances are as deeply woven into…
- 2
How did it feel to be an American colonist in 1776? Probably itchy, achy and slightly nauseated
theconversation.com · Katherine Ott, Curator of Medicine and Science, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
Life went on in the late 18th century, regardless of your everyday ailments. Archive Photos/Getty Images Trade the tricorn hats, bonnets and homespun shirts for flip flops, sneakers and soccer…
- 3
How health insurers get a free pass to deny coverage from a 52-year-old law meant to protect worker pensions
theconversation.com · Miranda Yaver, Assistant Professor of Health Policy and Management, University of Pittsburgh
Hurdles in accessing health insurance are major drivers of health and economic inequities. veeranggull orachon/iStock via Getty Images Plus Florence Corcoran, an employee of South Central Bell…
- 4
Supreme Court bars states from protecting consumers if federal agencies won’t
theconversation.com · Sarah J. Morath, Professor of Law and Associate Dean for International Affairs, Wake Forest University
As of April 2026, the U.S. government has not required a warning label on Roundup weed killer. AP Photo/Haven Daley Chemical giant Monsanto has argued for years that if the U.S. Environmental…
- 5
How a box set from 1964 attempted to capture the sweep of American music from the colonial era to the counterculture
theconversation.com · Ted Olson, Professor of Appalachian Studies and Bluegrass, Old-Time and Roots Music Studies, East Tennessee State University
American folk musician Pete Seeger sings and plays banjo for a group of people that includes first lady Eleanor Roosevelt in 1944. Joseph A. Horne Long before the Revolutionary War, numerous…
- 6
Heat waves increase wildfire risk – a new study explains how much, and it’s not a small number
theconversation.com · Dmitri Kalashnikov, Postdoctoral Research Scholar, University of California, Merced · Cong Yin, Postdoctoral Researcher in Climate and Hydrology, University of California, Merced · Madhulika Gurazada, Ph.D. Student in Management of Complex Systems, University of California, Merced · Mukesh Kumar, Postdoctoral Researcher in Wildfires and Complex Systems, University of California, Merced
A record-tying heat wave helped spread a wildfire in Northern California's Shasta and Trinity counties in July 2018. Terray Sylvester/Getty Images When heat waves hit the Western United States, the…
- 7
Rural areas lag behind in cancer treatment and prevention – even as rich, urban areas increasingly leave dying from cancer in the rearview
theconversation.com · Arthur Cosby, Professor of Sociology, Mississippi State University
Cancer treatment and prevention strategies are lagging in the rural U.S. MoMo Productions/DigitalVision via Getty Images Cancer in the United States experienced a dramatic turnaround in 1991. Prior to…
- 8
Energy costs are high and unaffordable – what utilities, governments, communities and you can do to help save consumers money
theconversation.com · Sanya Carley, Presidential Distinguished Professor of Energy Policy and City Planning, University of Pennsylvania · Alexandra Klass, James G. Degnan Professor of Law, University of Michigan · Alison L. Knasin, Lab Manager, Energy Justice Lab, University of Pennsylvania · David Konisky, Lynton K. Caldwell Professor of Public Affairs, Indiana University · Shelley Welton, Professor of Law and Energy Policy, University of Pennsylvania
There are a few ways to get help in handling high energy costs. Carme Parramon/DigitalVision Vectors via Getty Images For many Americans, energy bills are becoming increasingly unaffordable. Energy…
- 9
Many college students already have well-formed cheating habits – that, not AI, is the real problem
theconversation.com · Austin Sarat, William Nelson Cromwell Professor of Jurisprudence and Political Science, Amherst College
Students are using AI to cheat, but the problem isn't limited to that. VectorMine/iStock/Getty Images Plus My colleagues and I recently spoke with a group of talented, interesting students who just…
- 10
DIY zines are helping queer communities tell their own stories and craft their own culture
theconversation.com · Rachel Schneider, Associate Teaching Professor in English and Technical Communication, Missouri University of Science and Technology
A volunteer at the Papercut Zine Library in Cambridge, Mass., which has roughly 16,000 zines in its collection. Michele McDonald/The Boston Globe via Getty Images At Pride festivals held across the…