The Conversation Daily — July 28, 2026
10 stories · July 28, 2026
In this issue
- 1
Play is essential for young children, including when it comes to their learning
theconversation.com · Kelley Mayer White, Professor, College of Charleston
Dramatic play can improve children’s emotion regulation, among other benefits. Ariel Skelley/Photodisc via Getty Images Prioritizing play offers a variety of benefits for children, from helping them…
- 2
Cyclosporiasis sickens some people worse – why your diarrhea could be more explosive than others
theconversation.com · Azadeh Nasuhidehnavi, Assistant Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Binghamton University, State University of New York · Wesley Kufel, Clinical Assistant Professor of Pharmacy Practice, Binghamton University, State University of New York
Cyclosporiasis can cause severe gastrointestinal distress, including explosive diarrhea. wildpixel/iStock via Getty Images Plus As you may have seen in news headlines or social media memes, there’s…
- 3
French climate lawsuit offers a window into the next round of the global legal fight
theconversation.com · Aminta Ossom, Lecturer on Law, Senior Clinical Instructor, Harvard University; Harvard Kennedy School
A worker stands at a TotalEnergies refinery in northwestern France. Lou Benoist/AFP via Getty Images A recent decision by a French court requires a major European oil and gas company to report not…
- 4
Sargassum, the smelly nemesis of beach vacations, has become a self-sustaining disaster that will keep coming back
theconversation.com · Xing Zhou, Postdoctoral Fellow in Oceanography, Georgia Institute of Technology · Annalisa Bracco, Senior Research, Euro-Mediterranean Center on Climate Change; Professor of Ocean and Climate Dynamics, Georgia Institute of Technology · Joseph Montoya, Professor of Ocean Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology
Sargassum littered beaches in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., in spring 2023, making a mess during spring break. Joe Raedle/Getty Images You’ve been planning your dream beach vacation for months, only to…
- 5
What science loses when ‘T. rex’ becomes a trophy
theconversation.com · Kristi Curry Rogers, DeWitt Wallace Professor of Biology and Geology, Macalester College
On July 14, 2026, “Gus,” one of the most complete specimens of Tyrannosaurus rex, went to an as yet unidentified buyer for US$50.1 million. This auction at Sotheby’s set a record for most valuable…
- 6
Building a long-term base on the Moon will require extensive planning – a planetary geologist describes the considerations that go into it
theconversation.com · Clive Neal, Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame
NASA plans to build a semipermanent base on the Moon in the 2030s, as shown in this illustration. NASA Lots of excitement for space bubbled up in spring 2026. The Artemis II mission took a crew of…
- 7
A lack of pies for a pack of lies – what spoonerisms reveal about how the brain produces speech
theconversation.com · Karen Stollznow, Senior Research Fellow of Linguistics, University of Colorado Boulder; Griffith University
'Lack of pies' wasn't meant to describe a bakery case missing certain treats. Prasit photo/Moment via Getty Images “You have hissed the mystery lecture. In fact, you’ve tasted the whole worm!” If…
- 8
Children’s books about Black people’s everyday, joyful lives are sometimes banned – but they help all kids explore what it means to be human
theconversation.com · Wintre Foxworth Johnson, Assistant Professor, Department of Curriculum, Instruction, and Special Education, University of Virginia · Brooke Harris Garad, Assistant Professor of Education, Butler University · Jennifer D. Turner, Professor of Education, University of Maryland · Tiffany D. Meadows, PhD candidate in education, University of Virginia
Reading contemporary children's books that showcase the daily lives of Black kids and their families have benefits for all children. Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images North America Since 2021, there have…
- 9
When a police officer is shot, how they get to the hospital depends on the city – and Philadelphia stands apart
theconversation.com · Prachi Sanghavi, Associate Professor of Public Health Sciences, University of Chicago · Cal Chengqi Fang, Ph.D. Candidate of Public Health Sciences, University of Chicago
Nearly two-thirds of gunshot victims in Philadelphia are brought to trauma centers by police, according to a 2021 study. Thomas Hengge/Anadolu via Getty Images When five police officers were shot in…
- 10
Most Americans prefer to die at home, but the US healthcare system often prevents it
theconversation.com · Karen Lutfey Spencer, Professor of Health and Behavioral Sciences, University of Colorado Denver · Jane Callahan, Master's Student in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, North Carolina Central University
Talking about the dying process early can be supportive for caregivers and their loved ones. AlexanderFord/E+ via Getty Images Ask people what they want at the end of their lives, and overwhelmingly…