The Conversation Daily — August 22, 2026
10 stories · August 22, 2026
In this issue
- 1
Trump’s slapdash Reflecting Pool renovations stand in stark contrast to years of deliberation and engineering ingenuity that went into its creation
theconversation.com · Jennifer Tucker, Professor of History, Wesleyan University
Work on the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool began in 1919. Bettmann/Getty Images In the latest twist in one of the strangest ongoing scandals in Washington, D.C., U.S. Attorney for the District of…
- 2
Parents putting screens in front of their kids is more about their own stress than other factors
theconversation.com · Enid A. Moreira, Doctoral Student of Child and Adolescent Clinical Psychology, Florida International University · Daniel M. Bagner, Professor of Psychology and Director of Clinical Training, Florida International University · Shayl Griffith, Associate Professor, Department of Counselling, Recreation, and School Psychology and the FIU Center for Children and Families, Florida International University
About 70% of caregivers say that managing their children's screen use is a primary source of parenting stress. Maria Korneeva/Moment via Getty Images It is 6 p.m. after a full workday. A tired parent…
- 3
The typical gig worker is changing – and struggling more than ever to make ends meet
theconversation.com · Jacob Lederman, Associate Professor of Sociology, University of Michigan Flint
The number of gig workers on public benefits has surged in recent years. AP Photo/John Minchillo The next time you call an Uber ride or order food delivery with an app, there’s a good chance that the…
- 4
White House plan for a ‘golden age’ of science ignores the structures that made the US a scientific superpower
theconversation.com · H. Christopher Frey, Professor of Environmental Engineering, North Carolina State University
Does the White House report Science: A New Golden Age signal twilight for US global scientific leadership? Charles Smith/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images A new White House report argues that eight decades…
- 5
A lot of casual friends, or only a few you’re really close with? New research questions that trade-off
theconversation.com · Jessica D. Ayers, Assistant Professor of Psychological Science, Boise State University · Diego Guevara Beltran, Assistant Professor of Social Psychology, University of Arizona
Friends are essential to a healthy, happy life. Alina Rudya/Bell Collective/DigitalVision via Getty Images Is there a natural trade-off between quantity and quality when it comes to the friends in…
- 6
DIY peptide injections are risky, and people may make serious mistakes when administering them
theconversation.com · C. Michael White, Distinguished Professor of Pharmacy Practice, University of Connecticut
Gray-market peptides are not regulated by any health authority. Westend61/Getty Imaages DIY peptide injections, which promise to boost everything from weight loss and muscle-building to longevity and…
- 7
Employers everywhere are using AI – but business schools aren’t preparing students for the shift
theconversation.com · Murugan Anandarajan, Professor of Decision Sciences and Management Information Systems, Drexel University · Stacy Kline, Learning Clinical Professor of Accounting, Drexel University
Just knowing how to use AI isn't enough to prepare students for entry-level positions. J Studios/DigitalVision/Getty Images Artificial Intelligence has become part of routine business operations, as…
- 8
First mRNA flu shot approved by FDA bodes well for improving drugs of the future – though a few hurdles remain before mRNA can move beyond vaccines
theconversation.com · Li Li, Assistant Professor of Biomedical Sciences, UMass Chan Medical School
Two hurdles mRNA drugs face are a short half-life and impurities that trigger immune responses. Christoph Burgstedt/Science Photo Library via Getty Images Vaccines have been reliably and affordably…
- 9
Why Christopher Nolan turned Circe into a vindictive witch
theconversation.com · Bailey Sincox, Lecturer in Comparative Literature, Binghamton University, State University of New York
Nolan's Circe, played by Samantha Morton, is more like a fairy-tale witch than an ancient goddess. Melinda Sue Gordon/Universal Pictures I’ve taught “The Odyssey” to college students for over a…
- 10
Just weeks before devastating wildfires hit, Spokane practiced a mass evacuation – the drill paid off
theconversation.com · Ashley Bosa, Postdoctoral Researcher, The Resilience Institute at Boise State University, Boise State University
Police create evacuation corridors to quickly move vehicles out of a neighborhood threatened by a wildfire on Aug. 1, 2026. AP Photo/Young Kwak When a wildfire is headed your way, evacuating may sound…