+ Taylor Swift, philosopher US Edition - Today's top story: Removing PFAS from public water will cost billions and take time â here are ways to filter out some harmful 'forever chemicals' at home [View in browser]( US Edition | 17 April 2024 [The Conversation]
[The Conversation]( Top headlines - [A 37-year-old prime minister seeks to steer a âNew Irelandâ](
- [Fermented foods as a window into ancient cultures](
- [Searching for life on icy moons]( Lead story PFAS, known as âforever chemicals,â are everywhere today, including in a large percentage of U.S. public water systems. A growing number of studies have connected these synthetic chemicals with serious health problems. New EPA regulations will soon require public water systems to filter out dangerous levels of PFAS, but thatâs not simple to do â or cheap. And as University of Notre Dame environmental engineer Kyle Doudrick explains, [removal is just the first step](. He maps the states that have the most public water systems with PFAS levels exceeding the new standards and offers some steps you can take at home to reduce your exposure. [ [Science from the scientists themselves. Sign up for our weekly science email newsletter.]( ] Stacy Morford Environment + Climate Editor
PFAS are showing up in water systems across the U.S. Jacek Dylag/Unsplash
[Removing PFAS from public water will cost billions and take time â here are ways to filter out some harmful âforever chemicalsâ at home]( Kyle Doudrick, University of Notre Dame Filtering out PFAS is only the first step. These âforever chemicalsâ still have to be destroyed, and there are many questions about how to do that safely. International -
[Ireland at the crossroads: Can the ancient Brehon laws guide the republic away from anti-immigrant sentiment]( Christine Kinealy, Quinnipiac University New Irish prime minister takes over as the republic faces challenges that include a wave of xenophobia. -
[To understand the risks posed by AI, follow the money]( Tim O'Reilly, UCL; Ilan Strauss, UCL; Mariana Mazzucato, UCL; Rufus Rock, UCL Unlike the risks from AIâs capabilities, the economic risks from new technologies are knowable and can be mitigated Science + Technology -
[Fermented foods sustain both microbiomes and cultural heritage]( Andrew Flachs, Purdue University; Joseph Orkin, Université de Montréal From kimchi to kombucha and sauerkraut to sourdough, many traditional food staples across cultures make use of fermentation. And these variations are reflected in your microbiome. -
[Saturnâs ocean moon Enceladus is able to support life â my research team is working out how to detect extraterrestrial cells there]( Fabian Klenner, University of Washington Saturnâs moon Enceladus has geysers shooting tiny grains of ice into space. These grains could hold traces of life â but researchers need the right tools to tell. Ethics + Religion -
[Know thyself â all too well: Why Taylor Swiftâs songs are philosophy]( Jessica Flanigan, University of Richmond Introspection, argument, exploring paradoxes: These are hallmarks of great artists, not just philosophers. -
[Reaganâs great America shining on a hill twisted into Trumpâs dark vision of Christian nationalism]( Diane Winston, USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism Reagan and Trump â two of the most media-savvy Republican presidents â used religion to advance their political visions, but their messages and missions could not be more different. Environment + Energy -
[Native American voices are finally factoring into energy projects â a hydropower ruling is a victory for environmental justice on tribal lands]( Emily Benton Hite, Saint Louis University; Denielle Perry, Northern Arizona University The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission recently ruled that it wonât approve energy projects on Native lands without tribal consent. But many more applications are pending. Politics + Society -
[âThe former guyâ versus âSleepy Joeâ â why Biden and Trump are loathe to utter each otherâs name]( Roger J. Kreuz, University of Memphis Both politicians are exploiting some tried and true rhetorical and psychological tactics. -
[Other states, like Arizona, could resurrect laws on abortion, LGBTQ+ issues and more that have been lying dormant for more than 100 years]( Dara E. Purvis, Penn State There are many outdated laws that states keep on the books, even if they arenât used. If the Supreme Court overturns legal precedents on rights like same-sex and interracial marriage, that can change. -
[Worried about housing shortages and soaring prices? Your communityâs zoning laws could be part of the problem]( Jessica Trounstine, Vanderbilt University More than one-third of U.S. households pay more than 30% of their income for housing. Trending on site -
[Does âvirtue signalingâ pay off for entrepreneurs? We studied 81,799 Airbnb listings to find out]( -
[Human brains and fruit fly brains are built similarly â visualizing how helps researchers better understand how both work]( -
[Rural counties increasingly rely on prisons to provide firefighters and EMTs who work for free, but the inmates have little protection or future job prospects]( Today's graphic ð [Traditional rankings, like those done by ShanghaiRanking, use researchers' publications in a curated group of elite academic journals to create a list of the ]( From the story, [Chinaâs universities just grabbed 6 of the top 10 spots in one worldwide science ranking â without changing a thing]( -
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