The Conversation Daily — July 20, 2026
10 stories · July 20, 2026
In this issue
- 1
The rise of Yemeni coffeehouses in Dearborn and beyond
theconversation.com · Sally Howell, Professor of History, University of Michigan-Dearborn
A barista prepares drinks at Qahwah House in Dearborn, Mich. Valaurian Waller for The Conversation The mayor of Dearborn, Michigan, Abdullah Hammoud, declared the city the “Coffee Capital of America”…
- 2
Many cancer survivors have impairments that make using mobile devices and websites difficult
theconversation.com · Rachel F. Adler, Associate Professor of Information Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign · Devorah Kletenik, Associate Professor of Computer and Information Science, Brooklyn College
Better software interfaces can improve quality of life for cancer survivors. FatCamera/iStock via Getty Images Megan (not her real name) had always taken pride in her ability to meet someone once and…
- 3
South Carolina is allowing teachers to give zeros again, but the problem with grading goes deeper
theconversation.com · Laura Link, Associate Professor of Teaching and Leadership, University of North Dakota
Because course grades get averaged, a student who receives just one zero can be dragged down more than a perfect score can lift them. Mariia Vdovychenko/iStock/Getty Images Plus The grades that…
- 4
How hot does it get in the desert? A climate scientist explains its blazing heat
theconversation.com · Shuang-Ye Wu, Professor of Geology and Environmental Geosciences, University of Dayton
Travelers to Death Valley are warned of the extreme heat conditions they may encounter. tobiasjo/iStock via Getty Images Plus Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question…
- 5
Keeping drugs free of contaminants – pharmaceutical manufacturers filter medications through tiny pores to keep them sterile and safe
theconversation.com · Shreya Kapila, Ph.D. Candidate in Chemical Engineering, Penn State
Sterile filtration acts as a shield between a manufactured drug and a patient. Andriy Onufriyenko/Moment via Getty Images Every year, the global pharmaceutical industry produces trillions of doses of…
- 6
Most Americans support conservation – here’s how the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative got politicians from both parties on board too
theconversation.com · Mike Shriberg, Professor of Practice & Engagement, School for Environment & Sustainability; Director of the University of Michigan Water Center, University of Michigan
A person walks the trail along Lake Michigan at Chicago's North Avenue Beach. AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast In a time of political polarization, it’s easy to forget that the vast majority of Americans…
- 7
Colorado was the first state to cap a drug’s price – then a federal court stepped in
theconversation.com · Shweta Kumar, Assistant Professor of Law, University of Kentucky
The pharmaceutical company Amgen argues that Colorado's price cap interferes with federal patent law. philipdyer/iStock via Getty Images Plus Colorado is one of a handful of states with a review board…
- 8
Climate change means an earlier spring, which can be disorienting and threatening for migrating birds
theconversation.com · Morgan Tingley, Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles
A pair of sandhill cranes take flight over Nebraska. Diana Robinson Photography/Moment via Getty Images Spring migration has taken flight, but with rising temperatures and shifting seasons, birds are…
- 9
Why are our fingers different lengths?
theconversation.com · Steven Lautzenheiser, Assistant Professor of Biological Anthropology, University of Tennessee
Hand development is shaped by evolution, biology and environment. Cunaplus_M.Faba/iStock via Getty Images Plus Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you’d like an…
- 10
It may be almost impossible to make data centers pay their ‘fair share’ of electricity costs
theconversation.com · Theodore J. Kury, Director of Energy Studies, University of Florida
How much your electricity costs depends on some seriously complicated calculations. AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster Many major tech companies have pledged to pay their fair share of the costs associated with…