The Conversation Daily — September 3, 2026
10 stories · September 3, 2026
In this issue
- 1
Hiking canyons can quickly turn deadly when storms hit – what you should know before going in
theconversation.com · Anner Paldor, Professor of Hydrogeology, University of Tennessee
Mud and debris, including a mangled piece of construction equipment, remain after a flash flood in Grand Canyon National Park on Aug. 31, 2026. Katherine Hensel/National Park Service via AP Hiking a…
- 2
Do you need to worry about the Sun turning into a black hole?
theconversation.com · Anuradha Gupta, Assistant Professor of Physics & Astronomy, University of Mississippi
Black holes have a gravitational pull so strong that no objects close to them can escape. Victor de Schwanberg/Science Photo Library via Getty Images Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages.…
- 3
Stars and Stripes shows how government-funded journalism can work – if it’s free to report the truth
theconversation.com · Cindy Elmore, Professor of Journalism, East Carolina University
A drawing that appeared in an edition of Stars and Stripes depicts American troops participating in the predawn attack on Omaha Beach during D-Day on June 6, 1944. Ed Vebell/Getty Images As local and…
- 4
Compared to driving, flying is extraordinarily safe – but why doesn’t it feel that way?
theconversation.com · Mihhail Berezovski, Associate Professor of Mathematical Sciences, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University · Alex Chaparro, Professor of Human Factors and Behavioral Neurobiology, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Millions of people fly safely every day, but when plane crashes do happen, they can be catastrophic. RM Bulseco/Flickr, CC BY A commercial airplane crash can change how people behave long after the…
- 5
AI skin cancer detection tools are getting better – but only for people with light skin
theconversation.com · Mohamed Akrout, Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Tennessee
Melanoma and other skin conditions can look different in people with darker versus lighter skin – but image databases include many more examples from people with lighter skin. SeventyFour/iStock via…
- 6
Satellite images show how penguins’ diets are changing in response to Antarctic climate change
theconversation.com · Casey Youngflesh, Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences, Clemson University
An Adélie penguin swims through the ocean. Casey Youngflesh, CC BY The color of penguin poop, as seen from space, is offering a new window into how the ecology and the environment of Antarctica are…
- 7
Nearly 1 in 4 students are chronically absent from school – kids who feel happy and safe are less likely to miss class
theconversation.com · Jerome A. Graham, Assistant Professor of K-12 Educational Administration, Michigan State University · Su Yon Choi, Assistant Professor of School Leaders, Florida Atlantic University · Yi-Chih Chiang, Assistant Professor of P-12 Educational Administration, Idaho State University
Close to 1 in 4 students in the U.S. do not attend school for at least 10% of the academic year. Antonio Hugo Photo/Moment via Getty Images Chronic absenteeism – referring to students who miss 10% or…
- 8
The CDC has a new director – now comes the hard part
theconversation.com · Syra S. Madad, Fellow at the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard Kennedy School · Nahid Bhadelia, Associate Professor of Infectious Diseases, Boston University
After nearly a year-long gap, the CDC again has a permanent director. James Gathany, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention via Wikimedia Commons The new director of the Centers for Disease…
- 9
Traumatic memories are often fragmented – a psychologist explains how and why that happens
theconversation.com · Michele Patterson Ford, Lecturer in Psychology, Dickinson College
Traumatic memories are not recalled the same way pleasant memories are. Filmstax/E+ via Getty Images When survivors of trauma recount their experiences, they are often questioned because of how they…
- 10
Just because the bill is low doesn’t mean energy is affordable
theconversation.com · Destenie Nock, Alex Hills Career Development Associate Professor of Engineering and Public Policy, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University
To keep energy bills manageable, people often set heating and cooling temperatures to uncomfortable levels. Olga Dobrovolska/Moment via Getty Images One light bulb. That was what electrification…