The Conversation Daily — July 29, 2026
10 stories · July 29, 2026
In this issue
- 1
Should you wash your prewashed lettuce? An infectious disease expert explains how to eat your greens safely during the cyclospora outbreak
theconversation.com · Lisa Cuchara, Professor of Biomedical Sciences, Quinnipiac University
Prewashed greens are extremely convenient, but whole heads of lettuce may be less risky during a cyclospora outbreak. CostaPPPR via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA Salads – along with other fresh produce…
- 2
AI in healthcare is an evolving landscape of new technologies, productivity benefits and legal uncertainties
theconversation.com · Jodyn Platt, Associate Professor of Learning Health Sciences, Medical School Associate; Professor of Health Management and Policy, School of Public Health, University of Michigan · David Kao, Associate Professor, Medicine-Cardiology, University of Colorado Anschutz
Physicians use AI tools to support their decision-making. Luis Alvarez/DigitalVision via Getty Images AI tools are already being used in hospitals, clinics and doctors’ offices. Who is making…
- 3
Better guacamole? How avocado import rules helped cut Mexico’s water pollution – it holds lessons for future US trade deals
theconversation.com · Jayash Paudel, Associate Professor of Economics, University of Oklahoma
Growing avocados can contribute to water pollution, but there are ways to reduce the harm. Estúdio Bloom/Unsplash, CC BY At picnics and World Cup watch parties across the United States this summer,…
- 4
Got money questions? How to get chatbots to give you accurate answers
theconversation.com · Pawan Jain, Associate Professor of Finance, University of Michigan Flint
Financial advisers are pricey, and chatbots can be a good free substitute if you have basic questions. Badhan Ganesh on Unsplash, CC BY Finding good financial advice can be stressful – and expensive.…
- 5
As AI reshapes newsrooms, leading media outlets are charting different paths for its use
theconversation.com · Erik P. Bucy, Regents Professor of Strategic Communication, Texas Tech University · Milad Jalalian Ebrahimi, Researcher, Texas Tech University
The BBC has taken a cautious approach to AI, using the technology for specific, low-risk tasks. Lucy North/PA Images via Getty Images A labor dispute erupted at The Guardian’s London headquarters in…
- 6
Nearly 100 years ago, Philadelphia’s Inez Patterson integrated pools and encouraged other Black girls to swim too
theconversation.com · Samantha Adams, Ph.D. in English and Women's & Gender Studies, University of Michigan
Many public pools were segregated until the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Afro American Newspapers/Gado via Getty Images I first encountered her when my sister and I visited an exhibit at the Fairmount…
- 7
Cholera still kills thousands each year – in places without clean water, it’s far from history
theconversation.com · Katrine L. Wallace, Assistant Professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Illinois Chicago
Many Americans have heard about cholera only from “ The Oregon Trail,” the retro computer game in which players try to get their 1830s pioneers to the Oregon Territory. If your wagon train comes down…
- 8
What I found when I scanned the brains of kids creating tunes on the piano
theconversation.com · Karen Barrett, Assistant Professor, Institute for Health & Aging, University of California, San Francisco
Research finds that jazz musicians use different parts of their brain when improvising, compared with playing something they know. pasha999/iStock via Getty Images Research shows that improvisation…
- 9
‘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,”…
- 10
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…