Cancer survivors may struggle with tech

Plus: How hot can a desert get? ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

US Edition - Today's top story: Many cancer survivors have impairments that make using mobile devices and websites difficult View in browser 20 July 2026 US Edition   Top headlines Keeping the good World Cup vibes going in cities No kings in democracy, except for Trump’s $250 bill How Yemeni coffee houses are pouring cups across America Lead story People who develop cancer are living longer than ever before, a testament to medical science. But surviving cancer doesn’t necessarily mean a return to life as it was. Many cancer survivors report physical or cognitive impairments that affect their everyday lives. Cancer survivors with impairments sometimes struggle with activities like using computers, phones and other digital devices. Computer scientists Rachel F. Adler and Devorah Kletenik explain that these difficulties often go unacknowledged by healthcare providers, employers and even friends and family. They describe cancer survivors as a hidden population of people with disabilities – and lay out steps that technology developers can take to address the problem. [ Understand what’s going on in Washington and around the world. Get our Politics Weekly newsletter. ]   Eric Smalley Science + Technology Editor   Better software interfaces can improve quality of life for cancer survivors. FatCamera/iStock via Getty Images Many cancer survivors have impairments that make using mobile devices and websites difficult Rachel F. Adler, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; Devorah Kletenik, Brooklyn College Cancer survivors often experience cognitive, visual or physical challenges that hinder software use. Better designs can help. Education South Carolina is allowing teachers to give zeros again, but the problem with grading goes deeper Laura Link, University of North Dakota “No-zero” grading policies are becoming more common in US schools. South Carolina is the first state to ban these policies. Science + Technology How hot does it get in the desert? A climate scientist explains its blazing heat Shuang-Ye Wu, University of Dayton Death Valley set a record when the temperature reached 134 degrees Fahrenheit. Here’s why deserts can reach such scorching temperatures – and also very cold ones. Keeping drugs free of contaminants – pharmaceutical manufacturers filter medications through tiny pores to keep them sterile and safe Shreya Kapila, Penn State History has shown that when manufacturers skimp on sterile filtration of drugs, the consequences can amount to the loss of hundreds of lives and millions of dollars. Environment + Energy Most Americans support conservation – here’s how the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative got politicians from both parties on board too Mike Shriberg, University of Michigan An analysis of one major effort shows how to get Democrats and Republicans to agree to spend billions of dollars on a decades-long environmental restoration project. Politics + Society Featuring Trump on US coins and bills would put America in rare company Jacques Hymans, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences; University of Southern California A professor of international relations counted the sitting leaders on over 1,000 of the world’s banknotes and coins; almost every one of them is a king or a queen. How America’s newspapers lost their voice Ken Paulson, Middle Tennessee State University Despite the steady decline in daily newspaper editorials, a longtime editor suggests ways for news organizations to restore the spirit of editorials that can hold public officials accountable. Health + Medicine Colorado was the first state to cap a drug’s price – then a federal court stepped in Shweta Kumar, University of Kentucky The price cap would have lowered costs for Enbrel, an immunosuppressant drug made by Amgen. What Allegheny County’s new court-ordered mental health treatment program can and can’t do Erica Maloney, Chatham University Allegheny County can now order treatment for people with serious mental illness. But what’s driving results – the order itself or the services behind it? Arts + Culture The rise of Yemeni coffeehouses in Dearborn and beyond Sally Howell, University of Michigan-Dearborn Yemeni coffeehouses have gained culinary prominence in recent years, offering brews of coffee and tea seasoned with cardamom, ginger, cloves and other ingredients. Economy + Business Now that the World Cup is over, can host cities turn their investment into a lasting social impact? Yuhei Inoue, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; Alessio Norrito, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; Yohan Lee, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Studies suggest that, played right, hosting large sporting events can pay lasting noneconomic dividends. But it needs sustained effort. Trending on site Viktor Orbán is gone, but scores of public monuments show the potency of his legacy and Hungarian nationalism How redefining one word strips the Endangered Species Act’s ability to protect vital habitat Why is Venus hotter than Mercury, when Mercury is closer to the Sun? Today's chart Fertilizers carry a hidden cost for soil’s crucial microbes – using less as prices rise might pay off for farms in unexpected ways Read the article     You’re receiving this newsletter from The Conversation 303 Wyman Street, Suite 300 Waltham, MA 02451 Forward to a friend  •  Unsubscribe