The Conversation Daily — September 5, 2026
10 stories · September 5, 2026
In this issue
- 1
Using thunderquakes to X-ray Earth – a new study shows urban seismology in action
theconversation.com · Nolan Roth, Postdoctoral Researcher in Marine Geology and Geohazards, The Ohio State University · Tieyuan Zhu, Associate Professor of Geophysics, Penn State
As lightning lights up apartment buildings, the thunder creates useful vibrations. Philip Fong/AFP via Getty Images When lightning strikes, it superheats the air around it and creates a shock wave…
- 2
More protein in your breakfast or snacks won’t give you more muscle without more work – a biologist separates the science from the marketing
theconversation.com · Linda M. Boland, Professor of Biology, University of Richmond
Do you really need all those protein supplements in your diet? Djavan Rodriguez/Moment via Getty Images Growing up, my brothers were fascinated by the first “Rocky” movie. They were trying to get…
- 3
The importance of teaching students what AI can’t do
theconversation.com · Billy J. Stratton, Professor of English and Literary Arts, University of Denver
Emile Bernard's 'Madeleine in the Bois d'Amour' (1888). Art Media/The Print Collector via Getty Images It’s disconcerting to envision human thought becoming redundant or deemed inferior due to…
- 4
Antarctic krill fishing is now concentrated in the exact pattern conservation rules were designed to prevent
theconversation.com · Kim S. Bernard, Professor of Biological Oceanography, Oregon State University
A trawler fishes for krill in the Southern Ocean. AP Photo/David Keyton The companies fishing for Antarctic krill have harvested so much so quickly that the season had to close in August 2026, three…
- 5
A seemingly technical change to international student visas could disrupt teaching and research at US universities
theconversation.com · Abigail Boggs, Assistant Professor of Sociology and Education Studies, Wesleyan University
New visa changes for international students are the latest step the Trump administration has taken that can make it harder for students to come to the U.S. to complete their degrees. LVector/iStock…
- 6
16% of Pennsylvania teens have considered suicide – but everyday connection may help
theconversation.com · Xue Zhang, Assistant Professor of Biobehavioral Health, Penn State · Jonathan Wright, Assistant Research Professor of Health and Human Development, Penn State
Teens who feel connected at home, school and in their community are less likely to experience suicidal thoughts, research shows. The Washington Post/The Washington Post Collection via Getty Images…
- 7
Jason Arday and the new politics of plagiarism
theconversation.com · Roger J. Kreuz, Associate Dean and Feinstone Interdisciplinary Research Professor, University of Memphis
Cambridge professor Jason Arday was found dead at his home in London on Aug. 14, 2026, days after he resigned from his position amid accusations of plagiarism, which he had denied. Nordin Catic/Getty…
- 8
Puerto Rico is rationing water, but many residents stopped trusting the tap long before the drought
theconversation.com · Ivis García, Associate Professor of Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning, Texas A&M University
Residents collect water from a tanker truck amid government-imposed water rationing in San Juan, Puerto Rico, in August 2026. Ricardo Arduengo/AFP via Getty Images Imagine turning on your kitchen…
- 9
Colorado River water conservation efforts get only halfway to a solution
theconversation.com · Sarah Porter, Director of the Kyl Center for Water Policy, ASU Morrison Institute for Public Policy, Arizona State University
A view over Lake Mead shows how far the lake's level has fallen. AP Photo/Ty ONeil In August 2026 the nation’s two largest reservoirs, Lake Mead and Lake Powell, both on the Colorado River, hit their…
- 10
Cursive is making a comeback. But does it deserve one?
theconversation.com · Mary Jean Tecce DeCarlo, Clinical Professor of Literacy Studies, Drexel University
More than 25 states currently require students to learn cursive. PeopleImages/iStock via Getty Images Plus Learning to read and write cursive was once a rite of passage for practically every American…