US Edition - Today's top story: Learning another language may be one of the best ways to keep your brain healthy as you age September 18, 2026 US Edition   Top headlines Immigration as a human right – making the case Politicizing the military harms soldier morale Have you ever seen a news quiz so edifying and fun? Lead story I’ve often heard that the younger you are, the easier it is to learn a new language. But taking on a language has no age limits – and there are some unique benefits to trying to master the vocabulary and grammar of another language as an adult, writes Karen Stollznow, a linguistics scholar at the University of Colorado Boulder. Learning to speak a new language may even be particularly beneficial for the brain health of older adults. It isn’t a cure-all to ward off Alzheimer’s disease or other kinds of dementia, Stollznow cautions. But similar to doing crossword puzzles, trying to find the right word or conjugate a verb in a new language can exercise the brain and help maintain cognitive function throughout the course of someone’s life. Sign up for our newsletter on how AI is impacting society. Every Friday.   Amy Lieberman Education Editor   Age changes the way languages are learned, but adults remain capable of learning new languages throughout life. DrAfter123/DigitalVision Vectors via Getty Images Learning another language may be one of the best ways to keep your brain healthy as you age Karen Stollznow, University of Colorado Boulder; Griffith University; University of New England Learning another language is not a miracle cure for aging, and it cannot guarantee protection against Alzheimer’s disease. But it does have various other benefits. Science + Technology How to know if you can trust an AI’s answer to your question Leo S. Lo, University of Virginia One Google response asked for my medical history. Another answered a personal health question without asking who I was. Both replies came across as authoritative advice. Health + Medicine Does my kid have COVID-19 or just a cold? A pediatric nurse explains how to tell – and why it matters Ann Sheehan, Michigan State University Keeping children home from school if they have COVID-19 protects family and school community members at high risk of serious illness. At-home drug disposal products can play an important role in keeping rural Coloradans safe Sunny Linnebur, University of Colorado Anschutz Flushing drugs or throwing them in the trash can have unintended consequences. Black moms and pregnant women forced out of their homes in metro Detroit face health and safety threats Shawnita Sealy-Jefferson, The Ohio State University Detroit had 20,370 eviction cases filed in 2025. But evictions that do not go through the formal court process are not included in the city’s official eviction data. Politics + Society Pete Hegseth is rebuilding the Army’s ‘brass ceiling’ Jeremiah Favara, Gonzaga University Half of the officers who have been fired or blocked from promotion are women or Black. A scholar who studies the US military explains why that’s dangerous. Ethics + Religion The ethical cases for immigration as a human right J. Toby Reiner, Dickinson College A political philosopher explains the ethical arguments in favor of free movement. Why the closing prayers of Judaism’s holiest holiday focus on repairing relationships with each other Reuven Kimelman, Brandeis University A central theme of the High Holidays – and Judaism itself – is that to do right by God, people must first do right by each other. Environment + Energy Flood-damaged Nepal wants help from the global climate Loss and Damage Fund – but it’s waiting, along with 118 other countries Tarun Gopalakrishnan, Tufts University Getting Loss and Damage Fund money would be worth a lot more than the $20 million Nepal is asking for. The foreign minister calls it a demand for justice and ‘legal and moral liability.’ Iran war pushes diesel – the economy’s lifeblood – to record high prices, with no relief on the horizon Morgan Bazilian, Colorado School of Mines; Jamie Webster, Colorado School of Mines The country, and the world, have been losing diesel refining capacity for many years and can’t just ramp up production to fill the shortages. International Houthi advance boosts Iran’s leverage over the US and Saudi Arabia – but may cost rebel group its legitimacy back in Yemen Mahad D. Darar, Colorado State University Seizure of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait complicates a widening conflict in the Persian Gulf. It also risks reigniting Yemen’s civil war. Trending on site Why the Supreme Court blocked Trump and the Postal Service from restricting mail-in voting for the midterms Learning without a brain – how bacteria store memories and remember the past like artificial neural networks Why the Trump administration’s bid to end diversity efforts at nonprofit schools is likely to get tied up in court The Conversation's News Quiz On Sept. 12, while seated next to Irish Taoiseach (prime minister) Micheál Martin, President Donald Trump startled Martin and observers by stating that he would “love to see” what? Martin's airplane Martin's wife A leprechaun A unified Ireland   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 generosity of readers like you. Learn more about us Support our work More from The Conversation Like this newsletter? 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