From catching cod to fighting the British

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US Edition - Today's top story: How out-of-work fishermen saved the American Revolution View in browser   US Edition | 2 June 2026 Top headlines Disgruntled fishermen made up the first the American Navy TMZ descends on Washington to cover the scandal-ridden capital Facial recognition technology is getting scary good A note from our Executive Editor In this world of AI slop, deep expertise matters more than ever. The Conversation brings you this expertise in our research-based news. Every day. For free. For everyone. We are kicking off a reader-support campaign today to help us end our fiscal year in a strong financial position. We are a nonprofit, which means we rely on the generosity of our readers who can afford it to help us produce this work. I know the world can seem a bit dark these days. But solutions are there – and The Conversation is one very important part of it. The only way to fight against the dark forces is with truth and light, and we strive every day to do that through our journalism. Will you partner with us to build a better-informed community? Thank you in advance for your generosity (and a special thanks to those who have already supported us this year). Beth Daley Executive Editor and General Manager Schooners like these played a vital role in the American Revolution. wynnter/iStock via Getty Images Plus How out-of-work fishermen saved the American Revolution Christopher Magra, University of Tennessee A British ban stripped thousands of skilled mariners of their livelihoods overnight – and gave Washington a chance to turn the tide. Arts + Culture TMZ descends on Washington in a test of whether tabloid tactics can serve the public interest Angelica Kalika, University of Colorado Boulder With spectacle, personality clashes and corruption increasingly defining American politics, it was only a matter of time before TMZ would set its sights on the Beltway. 💬 Comments open The next World Cup won’t be only about passion for soccer. It will also be about betting obsession David Nemer, University of Virginia Betting has turned passion into a transaction, with poor families in Brazil and elsewhere spending money that could have gone to food, transport, diapers, electricity, or rent. Science + Technology Powerful AI is making facial recognition better at identifying you Vijayan Asari, University of Dayton New AI-based facial recognition techniques are reducing false positive and false negative matches. Politics + Society The more Fox News a white American watches, the more likely they are to believe in a racist conspiracy theory, regardless of party affiliation and demographics Tatishe Nteta, UMass Amherst; Adam Eichen, UMass Amherst; Jesse Rhodes, UMass Amherst White Americans who watch Fox News are more likely to agree that shadowy political elites are embracing permissive immigration policies to replace native-born white Americans. Ethics + Religion Who are hospital ethics consultants, and why should you care? Jennifer McCurdy, Michigan State University Hospitals rely on ethics consultants to help navigate difficult decisions about life support, consent and a patient’s wishes when the path forward is unclear. Why Mary, as the Immaculate Conception, became the patron saint of the US in the 1840s Stephanie Shreffler, University of Dayton; Bridget Retzloff, University of Dayton Mary, as the Immaculate Conception, became patroness of the United States before the Vatican officially defined that belief as dogma. International In Iran war’s shadow, Israel’s renewed Lebanon campaign risks repeating failed lessons – and occupations – of the past Asher Kaufman, University of Notre Dame Unable to defeat Iran, Israel shifts its focus to Lebanon, fearing U.S. negotiations with Tehran could limit operations against Hezbollah. Trending on site Blue Origin rocket exploded on launchpad, throwing the future of NASA’s Artemis program into question Is rubbing your eyes bad for you? 2 eye specialists explain what’s behind the urge to rub and what to do about it Is my brain wired to never see a ghost? A psychologist on three factors that make a paranormal experience more likely Today's graphic 📈 From the story, Rice feeds billions of people – but its role in fueling climate change is growing More of The Conversation Like this newsletter? You might be interested in our other emails: • The Afternoon Story (A new daily Substack) • Weekly Highlights• Science Editors' Picks • Artificial Intelligence• Giving Today • This Week in Religion • Politics Weekly • Global Perspectives • Global Economy & Business Follow us on social media: • Bluesky • Mastodon • Threads • TikTok • LinkedIn • Instagram • Facebook • Or get a daily text from us Tell your friends about us! Forward this email to them so they can sample our journalism. About The Conversation We're a nonprofit news organization dedicated to bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. We can give away our articles thanks to the help of foundations, universities and readers like you. 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