+ scientists who chase storms US Edition - Today's top story: Why the Olympic Games are a 'civil religious' ceremony with a global congregation [View in browser]( US Edition | 13 July 2024 [The Conversation]
[The Conversation]( The French capital is getting ready to host millions of spectators during the 2024 Paris Olympics, which begin on July 26. Flags and other patriotic symbols will be on display, and fans will cheer for the feats of their countryâs athletes. The Olympic Games can be interpreted as a â[civil religious ceremony](â that convenes every four years, writes Arizona State Universityâs Terry Shoemaker. Civil religion includes events in which Americans, regardless of their religious affiliation, gather for shared rituals, such as watching fireworks displays on the Fourth of July. Winning gold during the Games may thus reflect more than an individual athleteâs accomplishment. Playing a national anthem during a medal ceremony acknowledges the âcollective strength of the entire country,â Shoemaker argues. This week we also liked articles about [the rising average age of U.S. lawmakers](, [unregulated online political ads]( and [supermassive black holes](. [ [The latest on philanthropy and nonprofits. Sign up for our weekly newsletter, Giving Today.](] Kalpana Jain Senior Religion + Ethics Editor/ Director of the Global Religion Journalism Initiative
The U.S. gymnastics team selected for the 2024 Paris Olympics celebrates in Minneapolis. AP Photo/Abbie Parr
[Why the Olympic Games are a âcivil religiousâ ceremony with a global congregation]( Terry Shoemaker, Arizona State University Sporting events form a vital space where Americans display their âcivil religious devotion,â according to a scholar of religion and sports.
Scientists in a truck outfitted with instruments race toward a storm. National Severe Storms Lab/NOAA
[What do storm chasers really do? Two tornado scientists take us inside the chase and tools for studying twisters]( Yvette Richardson, Penn State; Paul Markowski, Penn State To capture the data needed to understand how tornadoes behave, scientists have to be near the storm. The âTwisterâ movies get some of it right.
President Joe Biden makes his way to Marine One, flanked by aides and staff, in May 2024. Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images
[Biden isnât the first to struggle to pop the presidential bubble that divides him from the public]( Shannon Bow O'Brien, The University of Texas at Austin Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush and other presidents showed that getting limited information as president can have some benefits â but also risks. -
[Why is Congress filled with old people?]( Charlie Hunt, Boise State University Nearly 20% of House and Senate members are 70 or older, and only 6% are under 40. What explains Congressâ advanced age? -
[Unregulated online political ads pose a threat to democracy]( Steven Caplan, USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism Political ad transparency â whoâs paying for ads and whether candidates stand behind them â is well-regulated for TV and radio. Online, not so much. -
[How political party platforms â like the Republicansâ Trump-inspired one for 2024 â can help voters understand American politics]( Marjorie Hershey, Indiana University Though largely unread, party platforms are a vital clue about which groups hold real power in the two major national parties and can help predict what the government will actually do. -
[Supermassive black holes have masses of more than a million suns â but their growth has slowed as the universe has aged]( -
[Mike Bloombergâs $1B gift to Johns Hopkins will make med school free for most students â a philanthropy expert explains why that matters]( -
[Storytelling strategies make communication about science more compelling]( -
[Toxoplasma is a common parasite that causes birth defects â but the US doesnât screen for it during pregnancy]( -
[4 books by Black Philadelphia women that depict struggle and joy in the City of Sisterly Love]( The Conversation News Quiz ð§ -
[The Conversation U.S. weekly news quiz]( Fritz Holznagel, The Conversation Hereâs the first question of [this weekâs edition:]( President Joe Biden said in a July 5 interview that he would drop out of the 2024 presidential race if who told him to? - A. âMy wife, Jillâ
- B. âBarack Obamaâ
- C. "The Lord Almighty"
- D. "Commander, my talking dog" [Test your knowledge]( -
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