The Conversation Daily — July 25, 2026
10 stories · July 25, 2026
In this issue
- 1
How redefining one word strips the Endangered Species Act’s ability to protect vital habitat
theconversation.com · Mariah Meek, Associate Professor of Integrative Biology, Michigan State University · Karrigan Börk, Professor of Law, University of California, Davis
Northern spotted owls living in old growth forests in the Pacific Northwest were listed as threatened species because of habitat loss. Kyle Sullivan/Bureau of Land Management, CC BY It wouldn’t make…
- 2
A rare bipartisan housing bill just became law – but Americans will still struggle with affordability
theconversation.com · Kirk McClure, Professor Emeritus of Urban Planning, University of Kansas · Alex Schwartz, Emeritus Professor of Urban Policy, The New School
As sweeping as the bill is, its impact is likely to be modest. Ilia Yefimovich/Picture Alliance via Getty Images A sweeping housing measure, which became law on July 11, 2026, is being widely…
- 3
The ball is round – and contrary to some keepers’ views, in this World Cup it has performed just fine
theconversation.com · John Eric Goff, Professor of Engineering Practice, Purdue University
Not every World Cup goal is a classic. Sometimes a half-hearted shot goes in as a result of little more than goalkeeper error. And on those occasions, goalies may be inclined to find an excuse. During…
- 4
Teachers are worried about students cheating with AI, but my survey suggests the deeper issue is learning
theconversation.com · Brett DeJager, Assistant professor of psychology and education, University of Wisconsin-Stout Polytechnic
Students cheating while using AI is a common concern among educators, but not the only one. Phiwath Jittamas/iStock/Getty Images Plus The risk of students using AI to cheat tends to get a lot of…
- 5
Earthquakes in Venezuela expose a severely under-resourced and unprepared healthcare system
theconversation.com · Hermes Florez, Professor of Medicine and Public Health Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina · Zeina Hannoush, Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine, University of Miami
In the days immediately following the earthquakes, neighbors came together to search for survivors. picture alliance/picture alliance via Getty Images Twin earthquakes struck Venezuela on June 24,…
- 6
Judges block Trump administration’s attempts to deny access to public service loan forgiveness to its perceived foes
theconversation.com · Benjamin Leff, Professor of Law, American University
Grads who work for the government or nonprofits can get their debt canceled after they make payments on their loans for a decade. Brandon Bell/Getty Images Two federal judges in different courts have…
- 7
Cacti spines, snake fangs, snail love darts – oh my! How function drives the evolution of nature’s puncture tools
theconversation.com · Philip Anderson, Associate Professor of Biology and Biomechanics, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Jumping cholla cacti spines are a prime example of how evolution creates specialized puncture tools. Tony Cyphert/Flickr, CC BY-NC-SA Most people probably aren’t thinking about the complexity of…
- 8
Creating synthetic life in a lab? SpudCell falls short of the goal, but raises even more useful questions
theconversation.com · Tara Deans, Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology
If synthetic cells are ever made, they may look like this illustration of translucent bubbles under the microscope. Westend61/Getty Images Nature is beautiful, powerful and essential. But nature is…
- 9
From maternal health to influenza rates, gaps in CDC’s public health data are creating dangerous blind spots for disease tracking and prevention
theconversation.com · John Kubale, Research Assistant Professor at the Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan
Pauses in data collection and staff cuts have affected many CDC databases. James Gathany, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention via Wikimedia Commons Public health relies on data – whether it is…
- 10
Beyond birds and mice, free-ranging cats eat a surprising number of insects
theconversation.com · Christopher A. Lepczyk, Professor of Wildlife Biology and Conservation, Auburn University · Daniel Rubinoff, Professor of Entomology, University of Hawaii · Jean E. Fantle-Lepczyk, Research Fellow, College of Forestry, Wildlife and Environment, Auburn University
Does that look tasty? SKashkin/iStock / Getty Images Plus It’s pretty commonly known, and not very startling, that free-ranging cats eat birds and small rodents. But the degree to which they eat…