The Conversation Daily — September 24, 2026
10 stories · September 24, 2026
In this issue
- 1
Cholesterol control gets personalized – a cardiologist explains how new guidelines tailor treatment to your unique risk profile
theconversation.com · William Cornwell, Associate Professor of Cardiology, University of Colorado Anschutz
Diet is an important lifestyle factor influencing your risk of cardiovascular disease. Huizeng Hu/Moment via Getty Images At least a quarter of Americans suffer from high levels of cholesterol or…
- 2
Friendship is built over time, through ordinary moments – I teach lonely college students to notice them
theconversation.com · Justin Vaughn, Professor of Political Science and Director of the Center for Applied Civic Leadership, Coastal Carolina University
Nearly 6 in 10 college students said in 2026 that they felt lonely sometimes or always. Denis Novikov/iStock/Getty Images Plus The first skill I learned when I became a political science professor…
- 3
Why making Americans bet with cash could protect people from gambling problems
theconversation.com · Jay L. Zagorsky, Associate Professor of Business, Boston University
U.S. Army Special Forces soldier Gannon Ken Van Dyke, left, was indicted for making wagers on the arrest of Nicolás Maduro while being part of the military operation that captured the Venezuelan…
- 4
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…
- 5
‘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…
- 6
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…
- 7
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…
- 8
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…
- 9
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…
- 10
You can’t shield kids from scary news – here’s what ‘Sesame Street’ and other children’s shows did after 9/11
theconversation.com · Julie Dobrow, Teaching Professor, Eliot-Pearson Department of Child Study and Human Development, Tufts University
Mourners on Staten Island watch a funeral procession for a firefighter killed during the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Peter Turnley/Getty Images On back-to-school night in 2005, I eagerly entered my…