The Conversation Daily — September 9, 2026
10 stories · September 9, 2026
In this issue
- 1
A second hurricane just sideswiped Hawaii – why the islands’ usual force field seems to be down in 2026
theconversation.com · Nicholas Grondin, Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies, University of Tampa
A satellite closeup of Hurricane Lowell on Sept. 8, 2026, after it passed just west of Kauai in the Hawaiian Islands. NASA The Hawaiian Islands rarely see significant hurricane damage, but they just…
- 2
‘Fountain’ might make you laugh or scowl but asks important questions – a Philly art historian explains why Marcel Duchamp’s iconic 1917 sculpture still provokes
theconversation.com · Matthew Palczynski, Adjunct Faculty, Art History, Temple University
'Fountain' by Marcel Duchamp at the Barbican Art Gallery in London in 2013. Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Marcel Duchamp’s “Fountain” is not for everyone – and it does not need to be. But it does…
- 3
The Women’s Professional Baseball League is betting that women’s baseball has a future in the US
theconversation.com · Callie Maddox, Associate Professor of Sport Leadership and Management, Miami University
Ashton Lansdell of the Los Angeles Queens bats during the Women's Professional Baseball League Opening Day game against the New York Heights on Aug. 1, 2026, in Springfield, Ill. Chris…
- 4
People with Tourette syndrome, like Billie Eilish, use everything in their power to suppress tics – this exhausting process is key to treatment
theconversation.com · Michael Okun, Professor of Neurology, Norman Fixel Institute, University of Florida
Many people with Tourette's suppress their tics until they can release them in a safe space. Klaus Vedfelt/DigitalVision via Getty Images Imagine trying not to blink, resisting the urge to sneeze or…
- 5
American women in communities with ample broadband access lose less time waiting for services, reducing time poverty
theconversation.com · Mattia Caldarulo, Assistant Professor of Public Policy, Rochester Institute of Technology · Andrea Hetling, Professor of Public Policy, Rutgers University · Gregory Porumbescu, Associate Professor of Public Affairs and Administration, Rutgers University - Newark
Greater access to broadband could cut the time women wait in line. Colin Anderson Productions pty ltd/DigitalVision via Getty Images Drawing on 14 years of data, we examined whether access to…
- 6
Space weather can cause both beautiful auroras and infrastructure challenges – 5 essential reads on protecting life and technology
theconversation.com · Mary Magnuson, Associate Science Editor, The Conversation
The Sun can send out eruptions of energetic particles. NASA/SDO via AP Most days, you can look up and see the Sun shining above. Even if it’s hidden behind clouds, you know it’s there, lighting up the…
- 7
FDA approves breakthrough pancreatic cancer drug – an oncologist explains how daraxonrasib nearly doubles survival
theconversation.com · Christopher Lieu, Professor of Medical Oncology, University of Colorado Anschutz
Pancreatic cancer has been notoriously difficult to target and treat. wildpixel/iStock via Getty Images Plus For a long time, the likelihood of surviving pancreatic cancer has been extremely low. For…
- 8
Why Trump’s plan to rescind the Roadless Rule protecting national forests will struggle in court
theconversation.com · Patrick Parenteau, Professor of Law Emeritus, Vermont Law & Graduate School
Roadless areas in Alaska contain important old-growth forests. Mike Reid Photography/Moment via Getty Images Over 368,000 miles of roads wind through U.S. national forests, eight times more than the…
- 9
I’m part of the team writing the next bible of psychiatry – for the first time, the DSM will use biology to understand mental disorders
theconversation.com · Anand Kumar, Professor and Department Head of Psychiatry, University of Illinois Chicago
Part of the challenge of finding a biomarker for mental illness is the environment's significant influence. rudall30/iStock via Getty Images Plus The “ bible” of clinical psychiatry – the DSM, short…
- 10
Stop trying to maintain constant productivity: Your ability to cope with stress changes with the seasons and your own biological clocks
theconversation.com · Masha Remskar, Psychologist and Postdoctoral Researcher in Behavioral Science, Arizona State University
Stress resilience is a dynamic balance rather than a fixed trait. Maskot via Getty Images Do you feel like the same person in February as in June? For most people, the answer is a resounding no.…