The Conversation Daily — July 18, 2026
10 stories · July 18, 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
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…
- 7
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…
- 8
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…
- 9
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…
- 10
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…