The Conversation Daily — July 15, 2026
10 stories · July 15, 2026
In this issue
- 1
‘Heartstopper’ is helping LGBTQ+ fans find hope and community across time and space
theconversation.com · Annaliese Grant, Assistant Professor of Sociology, University of Nevada, Las Vegas · Carrie Grant, Associate Professor of English, Towson University
Nick and Charlie's love story may be coming to an end on TV, but it lives on in the minds of their fans. Samuel Dore/Netflix Despite the success of shows like “ Heated Rivalry ” and “ Euphoria,”…
- 2
What does it mean to be ‘quantum’? A physicist explains the basics behind Einstein’s spooky actions at a distance
theconversation.com · Aldo Romero, Professor of Physics and Astronomy, West Virginia University
In quantum entanglement, you can learn something about one particle by observing the other in its pair, even across vast distances. koto_feja/E+ via Getty Images Imagine shining a flashlight across a…
- 3
Philadelphia’s rich history of children’s television includes ‘Double Dare’ and a golden age of local hosts like Chief Halftown and Captain Noah
theconversation.com · Jared Bahir Browsh, Assistant Teaching Professor of Critical Sports Studies, University of Colorado Boulder
NFL wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. competes during Nickelodeon's 'Double Dare Takes the Gridiron' at Super Bowl LIII in Atlanta in 2019. Mike Coppola/Getty Images for Nickelodeon A generation of kids…
- 4
FDA drug approval affects healthcare around the world, but political shortcuts could hurt the agency’s international reputation
theconversation.com · C. Michael White, Distinguished Professor of Pharmacy Practice, University of Connecticut
At the beginning of July 2026, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the first gene therapy for young children with sickle cell disease. While this is good news for children in the U.S. born…
- 5
You’ve never heard of these glaciers, but they’re becoming critical climate havens as America’s iconic mountain glaciers and their water fade
theconversation.com · Dan McGrath, Associate Professor of Cryospheric Sciences, Colorado State University · Ashlesha Khatiwada, Ph.D. Candidate in Geoscience, Colorado State University · Scott Hotaling, Assistant Professor of Watershed Sciences, Utah State University
A large rock glacier fills a valley in Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. Google Earth: Google, Airbus, Landsat, Copernicus If you have ever hiked in the high peaks of Colorado, the Wasatch Range…
- 6
Banning transgender girls from school sports affects all children – why allowing strangers to scrutinize children’s bodies may put all girls at risk of harassment
theconversation.com · Megan Gandy, Associate Professor of Social Work, West Virginia University
Legislators and influencers have made school sports contentious political spaces. Edwin Tan/E+ via Getty Images Youth sports have a significant impact on the development of all children. Sports…
- 7
As a major heat wave grips the eastern US, here’s how to stay safe – and the heat stroke warning signs to watch for
theconversation.com · Brian Bossak, Professor of Public Health, College of Charleston
Millions of Americans are facing dangerous heat and humidity going into the July Fourth holiday as a major heat wave spreads across large parts of the central and eastern United States. For many…
- 8
Data center fights pit social values, democracy and capitalism against each other
theconversation.com · Lauren Mullenbach, Assistant Research Scientist in Environmental Justice, University of Michigan
A sign in a small town in Kansas opposes a proposal for a data center nearby. Michael Siluk/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images Data center projects continue to generate controversy around the…
- 9
200 years after his birth, controversial composer Stephen Foster still sings to America’s contradictions
theconversation.com · Christopher Lynch, Head of the Finney Music Library, University of Pittsburgh
Though many of Foster's songs were written to be performed in racist minstrel shows, the lyrics were ambiguous enough to find fans among antislavery Americans. Lyn Alweis/The Denver Post via Getty…
- 10
Supreme Court rules against trans girls participating in single-sex sports, but leaves open larger questions of trans rights
theconversation.com · Marie-Amelie George, Associate Professor of Law, Wake Forest University
People who support blocking transgender athletes from participating on school sports teams gather in front of the Supreme Court on June 30, 2026. Alex Wong/Getty Images The U.S. Supreme Court ruled on…