You're a weirdo! No, you're the weirdo!

+ mpox explained; real-time crime centers spread US Edition - Today's top story: In praise of the weird [View in browser]( US Edition | 15 August 2024 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( Top headlines - [How trees actively jockey for space and light]( - [Student mental health woes tied to academic struggles]( - [Voters stick to party line in local politics – to a point]( Lead story In a quip that launched a million memes, VP candidate Tim Walz called Republicans “weird people.” Since then, GOP pundits have tried to turn the tables, labeling Democrats as the true freaks. Gothic fiction scholar Jeffrey Weinstock is dismayed by it all. To him, [weirdness is something that ought to be celebrated](, not condemned. He describes the etymology of “weird.” While today it usually means “odd” or “bizarre,” in Shakespeare’s time, “wyrd” referred to the ability to manipulate human destiny. Perhaps its true meaning is somewhere in the middle. “Where would we be,” Weinstock wonders, “without the artists and scientists and thinkers developing ‘weird’ ideas and unorthodox ways to see and appreciate the world?” [ [Get perspectives from around the world with our weekly global newsletter](. ] Nick Lehr Arts + Culture Editor The three witches in ‘Macbeth’ – also known as the ‘weird,’ or ‘wyrd,’ sisters – are prophetesses who often do the opposite of what’s expected of them. Royal Shakespeare Company Collection [In praise of the weird]( Jeffrey Andrew Weinstock, Central Michigan University Despite feeling some schadenfreude at watching politicians squirm over being derided as such, a scholar of speculative fiction wants to keep America weird. Science + Technology - [What is mpox? A microbiologist explains what’s known about this smallpox cousin]( Rodney E. Rohde, Texas State University The World Health Organization yesterday declared mpox a global health emergency, the second time since 2022. While most mpox infections are mild, some can be fatal, and cases are spreading in Africa. - [Real-time crime centers are transforming policing – a criminologist explains how these advanced surveillance systems work]( Kimberly Przeszlowski, Quinnipiac University As police departments across the US and the world adopt real-time crime centers, there’s a need for better public understanding of how these centers work. Ethics + Religion - [Catholics are debating whether to remove paintings by a priest accused of abusing women − but let’s not confuse the artist and the art, writes an art historian]( Virginia Raguin, College of the Holy Cross Marko Rupnik’s art is on display in many churches. Should his paintings be removed in light of recent allegations? International - [Raising the retirement age won’t defuse China’s demographic time bomb – but mass immigration might]( Dudley L. Poston Jr., Texas A&M University By 2100, China’s population will likely be half its current size. It will also be a lot older, with fewer working-age men and women. - [Mpox cases are soaring in Africa – what must be done to prevent a global pandemic]( Cheryl Walter, University of Hull The mpox outbreak in Africa is cause for concern – here’s why. Health + Medicine - [Hispanic women are less likely to get PrEP treatment − new intervention could change that]( Maria Jose Baeza Robba, University of Michigan; Evelyn Iriarte Parra, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus; Rosina Cianelli, University of Miami Despite higher than average rates of HIV infection, Hispanic women have relatively low awareness of PrEP, an effective HIV-prevention medication. Politics + Society - [Chicagoans watch films of the violent 1968 convention protests to get ready for the Democratic convention]( Heather Hendershot, Northwestern University As the Democratic National Convention returns to Chicago, there’s an appetite in that city to revisit films from the bloody and violent time the convention was last held in that city: 1968. - [Kamala Harris’ sudden political rise echoes that of another female politician, New Zealand’s Jacinda Ardern]( Lydia Nobbs, The New School Jacinda Ardern, like Kamala Harris, unexpectedly became the leader of her political party close to the election. The similarities don’t stop there. - [Local elections are less partisan because voters will cross party lines when issues hit close to home]( Edward L. Lascher Jr., California State University, Sacramento; Brian Adams, San Diego State University; Danielle Martin, California State University, Sacramento 4 in 10 voters would back a candidate from the opposing party for local office if that politician shared their views on homelessness and housing, according to survey data from California. Education - [Students with mental health struggles linked to absenteeism and lower grades, showing clear need for more in-school support]( Amie Rapaport, University of Southern California; Morgan Polikoff, University of Southern California More preteen boys are struggling with behavioral issues, while more teen girls are experiencing anxiety and depression. Environment + Energy - [Trees compete for space, light and resources, and those clashes can leave battle scars]( Wayne K. Clatterbuck, University of Tennessee For trees, growing to maturity involves much more than just reaching upward. Trending on site - [SpaceX’s Elon Musk endorsed Donald Trump for president – what this could mean for US space policy]( - [JD Vance is no pauper − he’s a classic example of ‘poornography,’ in which the rich try to speak on behalf of the poor]( - [Dementia risk factors identified in new global report are all preventable – addressing them could reduce dementia rates by 45%]( Today's graphic 📈 [A bar chart shows how many students from different countries study abroad in the US. China is in first place, followed by India and South Korea.]( From the story [International students will offer a big boost to the US economy this back-to-school season]( - - More of The Conversation Like this newsletter? 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