The Conversation Daily — August 18, 2026
10 stories · August 18, 2026
In this issue
- 1
Severe flooding raises deadly overdose risk in rural Appalachia, study finds – and the harm lasts for years
theconversation.com · Kristina P. Brant, Assistant Professor of Rural Sociology, Penn State
Flooding has torn apart homes in eastern Kentucky several times in recent years. Michael Swensen/Getty Images When she went to sleep on July 27, 2022, McKayla wasn’t worried about the storm that was…
- 2
What happens when your hospital is also your insurance company? We’re starting to see the effects
theconversation.com · Geronimo Bejarano Cardenas, PhD Candidate, Health Services, Policy & Practice, Brown University · Grace Mackleby, Research Scientist of Health Policy and Economics, University of Southern California
Is your hospital under the same corporate roof as your health insurance company? Michael Siluk/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images Historically, hospitals have provided care for people, while…
- 3
They’re content creators with thousands of adoring fans – so why do they feel so terrible?
theconversation.com · Julianna Pillemer, Associate Professor of Management and Organizations, New York University
Previously, only the truly famous – actors, rock stars, pro athletes – were at risk of experiencing the psychic pain of public scrutiny. Malte Mueller/fStop via Getty Images If given the chance to…
- 4
Many youth athletes quietly struggle with eating disorders – Colorado mandates new training that could turn things around
theconversation.com · Erin Harrop, Assistant Professor of Social Work, University of Denver
A new Colorado law requires youth coaches to attend trainings that focus on the mental health issues among young athletes. Thomas Barwick/DigitalVision via Getty Images Colorado requires middle,…
- 5
Florida lost 450,000 ACA enrollees in 2026 as premiums rose an average of 37% nationally, new data shows
theconversation.com · Robert Applebaum, Senior Research Scholar in Gerontology, Miami University
In 2025, Democrats in the U.S. Senate argued to extend COVID-era subsidies on Affordable Care Act insurance plans into 2026. Anadolu/Anadolu via Getty Images At 40%, Florida has the smallest…
- 6
Elite sports are laboratories of health and performance innovation, but not every experiment belongs in your routine
theconversation.com · Adam Annaccone, Clinical Associate Professor of Kinesiology, University of Texas at Arlington
It's easy to assume that if elite athletes do something, it must be effective for everyone. mihailomilovanovic/E_ via Getty Images Walk into a gym or wellness store and you might encounter compression…
- 7
The financial dilemma that wound up helping US churches thrive
theconversation.com · Thomas Adam, Professor of Political Science, University of Arkansas
Andover Theological Seminary was founded in the early 1800s to train Congregational ministers. J. Kidder/Yale University Art Gallery/Wikimedia Commons By many measures, Americans are growing less…
- 8
What the panic over Gen Z’s reading habits gets wrong
theconversation.com · Kathi Inman Berens, Professor of Book Publishing and Digital Humanities, Portland State University · Rachel Noorda, Associate Professor of Publishing, Portland State University
Members of Gen Z are more likely to identify as readers if books are folded into their social lives. FilippoBacci/E+ via Getty Images A trove of recent articles bemoan the collapse in recreational…
- 9
Producing spider silk is a biological feat – scientists are using it to develop materials for drug delivery and wound care
theconversation.com · Aliasger K. Salem, Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Iowa
Spiders produce silk from a specialized gland and use it to build incredible web structures. James Rowland/500px via Getty Images “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” turns organic web production into a…
- 10
How to do your own online health research like a scientist – a biostatistician’s step-by-step guide
theconversation.com · Lucy McGowan, Associate Professor of Statistical Sciences, Wake Forest University
The instinct to “do your own research” when it comes to your health is a good one. The challenge often is not lack of information, but the opposite. People are surrounded by studies, headlines,…