Tragedy in Las Vegas

Edition: US - Today's top story: Six things to know about mass shootings in America [Click here to view this message in your web-browser](. Edition: US 3 October 2017 [[The Conversation]Academic rigor, journalistic flair]( Editor's note Sunday night’s indiscriminate shooting in Las Vegas has left almost 60 dead and over 500 wounded. Once again, Americans are horrified by a domestic massacre. Once again, the country and its politicians are divided over what to do about gun violence. Charleston, San Bernardino, Orlando and now Las Vegas – the insights our scholars have provided in the past resonate today. That is why we have reached into our archive to bring you articles that remain must-reads: from analyses of what drives [lone wolf attackers]( and [how dangerous people procure guns](, to a criminologist challenging [common misconceptions]( about mass shootings and [scholars from Australia and the U.K.]( looking at what happens when guns are more tightly regulated than in the U.S. In the past couple of years, partisan gerrymandering lawsuits have cropped up in Maryland, North Carolina, Texas and Virginia. Now, the Supreme Court will hear arguments in Gill v. Whitford, a fight over voter districts in Wisconsin. Jonathan Entin at Case Western University walks us through the potential implications of [this groundbreaking case](. For more background on gerrymandering, don’t miss our [essential reads](. And UC Santa Cruz biochemist Carrie Partch explains why this year’s Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was justly awarded to research that untangled the [molecular mechanisms living cells use to keep time](. Maria Balinska Editor Las Vegas shooting [Six things to know about mass shootings in America]( Frederic Lemieux, Georgetown University In the wake of the tragedy in Las Vegas, a criminologist reviews recent research to dispel common misconceptions about mass shootings. [When gun control makes a difference: 4 essential reads]( Emily Schwartz Greco, The Conversation Australian and UK scholars weigh in on what firearm regulations in their countries have accomplished. [What drives lone offenders?]( Randy Borum, University of South Florida Lone offender – sometimes called "lone wolf" – attacks may become a more prevalent threat. What can we understand about them and the people who carry them out? [How dangerous people get their weapons in America]( Philip Cook, Duke University While mass shooting tragedies in Las Vegas and elsewhere make headlines, the reality is gun violence is becoming almost routine in many American neighborhoods. Where do the guns come from? Politics + Society - [Is partisan gerrymandering illegal? The Supreme Court will decide]( Jonathan Entin, Case Western Reserve University In an upcoming case about Wisconsin's voting districts, the Supreme Court will tackle legal questions that have long gone unanswered. Science + Technology - [Nobel winners identified molecular ‘cogs’ in the biological clocks that control our circadian rhythms]( Carrie L. Partch, University of California, Santa Cruz Americans Jeffrey Hall, Michael Rosbash and Michael Young share the 2017 Nobel in Physiology or Medicine for work that explained how our cells keep track of time. - [Governments, car companies must resolve their competing goals for self-driving cars]( Lily Elefteriadou, University of Florida If all the elements in the transportation system are going to talk to each other, the people at the companies and government agencies that make those items need to talk to each other too. Environment + Energy - [Scientists join forces to save Puerto Rico's 'Monkey Island']( Alexandra Rosati, University of Michigan Puerto Rico's Cayo Santiago Research Station has been a world-famous site for primate studies since 1938. Now scientists are working to save its staff and rhesus monkey colony after Hurricane Maria. Health + Medicine - [After a disaster, contaminated floodwater can pose a threat for months to come]( Timothy B. Erickson, Harvard University; Julia Brooks, Harvard University Natural disasters expose people to toxic gases, bacterial illness and other serious dangers. How can people maximize their safety as they return home? - [How to talk to your kids about opioids]( Margie Skeer, Tufts University While talking about drugs with young people isn't always comfortable, research has shown that it's critical for prevention. Economy + Business - [What business can learn from buddhism]( Haley A Beer, Warwick Business School, University of Warwick; Edward Gamble, Montana State University Employees increasingly want jobs that they care about and find fulfilling. Buddhism can help companies make this a reality. From our international editions - [What Jagmeet Singh's historic NDP leadership win means for Canada]( Megan Dias, University of British Columbia Jagmeet Singh has become the first ethnic minority to become leader of a federal political party. Will his message of "love and courage" best Justin Trudeau's "sunny ways" in the next federal election? - [Spanish government crushes Catalan independence dreams – at a high price]( Andrew Dowling, Cardiff University The referendum that wasn't a referendum can't have a winner. - [How to work out which coral reefs will bleach, and which might be spared]( Clothilde Emilie Langlais, CSIRO; Andrew Lenton, CSIRO; Scott Heron, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Regional variations in sea temperature can make all the difference between a coral reef suffering major bleaching or surviving as a refuge for corals, new research shows. Today’s quote [Many parents and guardians don't think their child is at risk for misusing opioids. While that may be true, consider this: In 2013, one in eight U.S. high school seniors reported using opioids for nonmedical reasons.]( [How to talk to your kids about opioids]( Margie Skeer Tufts University [Margie Skeer] [Follow us on Twitter.]( [Join us on Facebook.]( You’re receiving this newsletter from [The Conversation](. Not interested anymore? [Unsubscribe instantly](. We’ll miss you. 625 Massachusetts Avenue Cambridge, MA 02139 USA