Beethoven's Ninth at 200

+ 'Pat the Bunny' is a powerful learning tool US Edition - Today's top story: Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony at 200: Revolutionary work of art has spawned two centuries of joy, goodwill and propaganda [View in browser]( US Edition | 4 May 2024 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 turns 200 on May 7, 2024. The deaf, disheveled, irascible but beloved composer’s revolutionary work took the world by storm and went on to be widely viewed as the pinnacle of Western classical music. Musicologist Ted Olson [explains why the composition was groundbreaking]( and what made it so broadly accessible. Beethoven’s message of universal brotherhood has stood the test of time, exemplified by the European Union adopting the symphony’s signature “Ode to Joy” melody as its anthem. “The aspiration of Beethoven’s ‘goodwill’ symphony continues to inspire a vision of a united humanity,” Olson writes. This week we also liked articles about Japan’s [charm offensive](, the toll taken by [cyber warfare between Israel and Hamas](, and why it’s not far-fetched to believe that someday you may [take a ride in an air taxi](. [ [Get a global perspective on the news, with the best of The Conversation’s journalism from around the world, twice weekly.]( ] Eric Smalley Science + Technology Editor Symphony No. 9 was the pinnacle of Beethoven’s remarkable career. Boston Public Library/Flickr [Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony at 200: Revolutionary work of art has spawned two centuries of joy, goodwill and propaganda]( Ted Olson, East Tennessee State University It stands as the crowning achievement of Western classical music. In an increasingly digital world, children still enjoy the sensory power of being able to touch the books they read. Klaus Vedfelt via Getty Images [The power of touch is vital for both reading and writing]( Naomi S. Baron, American University When asked, students say that touch is important in developing reading and writing skills. Research backs them up. Joby Aviation tests its electric air taxi in Manhattan. Courtesy of Joby Aviation [Electric air taxis are on the way – quiet eVTOLs may be flying passengers as early as 2025]( Jamey Jacob, Oklahoma State University These electric aircraft take off and land vertically so they don’t need runways. And they promise a quieter, more accessible and less polluting form of short-distance air travel than helicopters. - [A look inside the cyberwar between Israel and Hamas reveals the civilian toll]( Ryan Shandler, Georgia Institute of Technology; Daphna Canetti, University of Haifa; Tal Mimran, Zefat Academic College The consequences of cyber conflict are primarily felt by civilians, who call for retaliation, fueling cycles of violence. - [Japan’s diplomatic charm offensive in US aims to keep Washington in committed relationship]( Mary M. McCarthy, Drake University Meetings with Joe Biden and Donald Trump suggest Japan is hedging over the outcome of the US election. - [Many immigrants to the US are fleeing violence and persecution − here’s how the federal government can help cities absorb them]( Karen Jacobsen, Tufts University People who enter the US as refugees or with asylum generally adapt quickly and become productive members of society. But cities need help getting them settled and employed. - [What students protesting Israel’s Gaza siege want — and how their demands on divestment fit into the BDS movement]( - [High interest rates aren’t going away anytime soon – a business economist explains why]( - [What the Supreme Court is doing right in considering Trump’s immunity case]( - [Brain cancer in children is notoriously hard to treat – a new mRNA cancer vaccine triggers an attack from within]( - [Cassava: The perilous past and promising future of a toxic but nourishing crop]( - [Boeing’s Starliner is about to launch − if successful, the test represents an important milestone for commercial spaceflight]( - [The biblical character who goes ‘down the rabbit hole’ into an alternate reality − just like Alice in Wonderland]( - [For the ancient Maya, cracked mirrors were a path to the world beyond]( - [To reduce Black-on-Black crime, two criminal justice experts explain why offering monthly stipends to people at risk makes sense]( The Conversation News Quiz 🧠- Here's the first question of [this week's edition:]( University president Minouche Shafik called in the police on April 30 to quell student protests at what New York City school? - A. 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