The Conversation Daily — September 11, 2026
10 stories · September 11, 2026
In this issue
- 1
Here’s how teachers and parents can collaborate and help Michigan’s 1.4M students succeed
theconversation.com · Patricia Edwards, Professor of Education, Michigan State University
Family engagement can help students regularly attend classes, according to researchers. Paul Sancya/AP About 1.4 million Michigan students returned to the state’s K-12 public school classrooms this…
- 2
CDC vs. Pennsylvania: Why conflicting public health messages jeopardize public safety
theconversation.com · Katrine L. Wallace, Assistant Professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Illinois Chicago
Pennsylvania has seen more than 600 cases of measles in 2026. Science Photo Library via Getty Images If you’ve been following the dispute between Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Health and Human…
- 3
‘The Uprising’ shows how medieval people weren’t so obedient after all
theconversation.com · Joëlle Rollo-Koster, Professor Emerita of Medieval History, University of Rhode Island
Woody Norman as King Richard II in 'The Uprising,' which tells the story of the 1381 Peasants' Revolt, a major uprising across England that was triggered by high taxes and economic exploitation.…
- 4
Why the Trump administration’s bid to end diversity efforts at nonprofit schools is likely to get tied up in court
theconversation.com · Elizabeth Schmidt, Professor of Practice in Public Policy, Nonprofit Organizations, and Social & Environmental Enterprises, UMass Amherst
Some 18,000 private schools could be affected by a proposed new rule if it goes into effect. Jumping Rocks/Universal Images Group via Getty Images The Trump administration wants to strip all nonprofit…
- 5
What the settlement left out: Meta can still collect data from kids
theconversation.com · Randolph A Robinson II, Associate Professor of Law, University of Illinois Chicago
Meta's surveillance business model has kids as well as adults in its sights. AP Photo/Noah Berger In August 2026, Meta agreed to one of the largest consumer protection settlements in American history.…
- 6
How soybeans took over the American diet – without anyone noticing
theconversation.com · Edward D. Melillo, William R. Kenan, Jr. Professor of History and Environmental Studies, Amherst College
A combine harvests soybeans in a Minnesota field. Richard Hamilton Smith/Design Pics Editorial/Universal Images Group via Getty Images U.S. farmers will produce a record-breaking harvest of 4.52…
- 7
Dolly Parton took control of her career by making men the butt of the joke
theconversation.com · Stephanie Vander Wel, Associate Professor of Music, University at Buffalo
Dolly Parton was fond of saying, 'It takes a lot of money to look this cheap.' Paul Natkin/Getty Images Of all the moments that capture Dolly Parton’s musical talents, fierce intelligence and driving…
- 8
‘Must I take all my antibiotics?’ Why infectious disease experts are rethinking this longstanding rule
theconversation.com · Amy J. Mathers, Associate Professor of Medicine and Pathology, University of Virginia
For decades, researchers thought that bacteria become resistant to antibiotics if patients stopped taking these drugs early. Liudmila Chernetska/iStock via Getty Images Plus You’ve probably heard it…
- 9
Communicating uncertainty in research is hard, so we worked on how best to do it – here’s what you can watch out for
theconversation.com · Matthew Facciani, Research Scientist, Yale University · Aleeza Gerstein, Associate Professor in Microbiology and Statistics, University of Manitoba · Kristi Heather Kenyon, Associate Professor of Human Rights, University of Winnipeg · S. Michelle Driedger, Professor of College of Community and Global Health, University of Manitoba
Uncertainty is inherent in science, but communicating it effectively requires more than explaining how much error is present in graphs. Tom Werner/DigitalVision via Getty Images Earlier this summer,…
- 10
Professional gaming is brutal on the body – inside the growing field of treating esports injuries
theconversation.com · Erica D. Henn, Assistant Professor of Kinesiology and Exercise Science, Temple University
A Taiwanese gamer from the esports team Flash Wolves takes pills during a training session for the 'League of Legends' World Championship at a boot camp in Shanghai. Chandan Khanna/AFP via Getty…