The Conversation Daily — August 31, 2026
10 stories · August 31, 2026
In this issue
- 1
Federal stimulus money bought new technology for Philly students, but many schools lost track of where items went
theconversation.com · Suzanne McLeod, Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership, Binghamton University, State University of New York · Kathryn Blackman, Adjunct Lecturer, Teaching, Learning and Educational Leadership Program, Binghamton University, State University of New York
Better tracking systems can help ensure students have the equipment they need. FatCamera/E+ Collection via Getty Images Back-to-school season is underway, and school personnel have been busy cleaning,…
- 2
Trust is a behavior, not a credential – and that explains the Rodgers-Fauci divide
theconversation.com · John C. Besley, Professor of Public Relations, Michigan State University
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers recently called Dr. Anthony Fauci an 'absolute coward' and a 'criminal.' Lauren Leigh Bacho/Getty Images Sport Following an appearance on The Pat McAfee…
- 3
What would you see if you had one eye on the back of your head and the other in the front?
theconversation.com · Abigail Witmer, Assistant Clinical Professor of Optometry, The Ohio State University
A 360-degree view of the world around you would come with trade-offs. Svetlana Repnitskaya/Moment via Getty Images Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you’d like…
- 4
Worms navigate narrow paths faster than wide ones – these findings could inform robot design
theconversation.com · K. R. Prathyusha, Research Associate, BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado Boulder
The walls of a tube help keep worms moving forward on a straight path. Wicki58/iStock via Getty Images You might naturally expect a wide, open path to be faster and easier to navigate than a narrow…
- 5
How does ‘Salmonella’ contaminate everything under the sun? A food safety specialist explains how you can stop its spread
theconversation.com · Kimberly Baker, Food Systems and Safety Program Team Director, Clemson University
Will salmonellosis turn your eggs sunny-side up into a biohazard? wildpixel/iStock via Getty Images Does it feel like Salmonella is contaminating everything these days? From the food you eat and the…
- 6
One of the most common brain disorders is one of the most misunderstood – how functional neurological disorder is both ‘all in your head’ and beyond it
theconversation.com · Mackenzi Moore, Program Manager, University of Colorado Anschutz
From hysteria to conversion disorder, to psychogenic or psychosomatic illness, functional neurological disorder has gone by many names. anilakkus/iStock via Getty Images Plus “It’s all in your head.”…
- 7
Staying hopeful and true to oneself is a lesson these 5 kids books offer to kindergartners and other children
theconversation.com · Liz Rosenberg, Professor of English, General Literature and Rhetoric, Binghamton University, State University of New York
Reading can be a way for children to safely try out experiencing something new, or possibly stressful, like starting school. Jorm Sangsorn/iStock/Getty Images Plus What does a child need to prepare…
- 8
Small businesses at the gateways to America’s national parks face 4 big risks – including changing boundaries and extreme weather
theconversation.com · Nancy Forster-Holt, Clinical Associate Professor of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, University of Rhode Island
Rafting on the Colorado River is one of the outdoor activities available at the Red Cliffs Lodge near Moab, Utah. George Rose/Getty Images A record 332 million people visited U.S. national parks in…
- 9
Radio telescopes help scientists map molecules in space and uncover where and how stars form
theconversation.com · Olivia Harper Wilkins, Assistant Professor of Chemistry, Dickinson College
ALMA, a powerful radio telescope in the Atacama Desert of Chile. J.F. Salgado (ESO), CC BY You may have heard the phrase “ we are made of star-stuff.” This statement by the astronomer Carl Sagan…
- 10
Quitting alcohol changes the brain and can increase the risk of compulsive drinking – new research in mice
theconversation.com · Danny G. Winder, Professor and Chair of Neurobiology, UMass Chan Medical School · Marie Doyle, Instructor in Neurobiology, UMass Chan Medical School
Activity in certain areas of the brain may drive alcohol cravings. Yana Iskayeva/Moment via Getty Images For some, abstaining from alcohol can subsequently increase compulsive drinking. Our research…