Marooned in the city

People are stranded in 'transit deserts' in dozens of US cities [Click here to view this message in your web-browser](. Edition: US 13 March 2018 [[The Conversation]Academic rigor, journalistic flair]( Editor's note People move to cities to live near jobs and other resources, but some urban dwellers are more mobile than others. When community and regional planning scholar Junfeng Jiao analyzed 52 U.S. cities, he found that they all had areas he calls “transit deserts,” where demand for transportation exceeded supply. In his view, better access to transit is [a key priority in an urbanizing world](. Ever since an earthquake struck Mexico City in September, killing 300, scientists have been mining data to determine what caused the deadly shock. Yesterday, seismologists Diego Melgar from the University of Oregon and Xyoli Pérez-Campos from the National Autonomous University of Mexico released key new findings: The [7.1-magnitude quake occurred when a bent tectonic plate snapped and broke]( near the nation’s capital. This type of “bending” earthquake is very rare, they write – but not so rare it couldn’t happen again, perhaps even closer to the city. (Disponible en español [aquí](.) And today, the Catholic Church marks the fifth anniversary of Francis becoming pope. “Since his election,” writes Boise State historian Lisa McClain, “Pope Francis has engaged the estimated 1.2 billion Catholics and innumerable non-Catholics worldwide with his frank, inclusive talk on issues as diverse as poverty and homosexuality.” [But there is one thing Francis will not do](: support women becoming priests. McClain explains why. Jennifer Weeks Environment + Energy Editor Top stories Where’s my bus? www.shutterstock.com [People are stranded in 'transit deserts' in dozens of US cities]( Junfeng Jiao, University of Texas at Austin; Chris Bischak, University of Texas at Austin Even in cities with good public transportation, some areas can be 'transit deserts,' where demand exceeds supply. Living in these zones makes it hard to access good jobs, health care and other services. The epicenter of Mexico’s lethal September 2017 earthquake was less than 65 miles outside the nation’s capital. Nacho Doce/Reuters [Potent Mexico City earthquake was a rare 'bending' quake, study finds – and it could happen again]( Diego Melgar, University of Oregon; Xyoli Pérez-Campos, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) Not all earthquakes are made equal. A new study on the 2017 quake that killed 300 in Mexico City finds that both its location and cause were unusual — but seismologists say another strike is possible. Leer [en español](. Pope Francis will not ordain women to priesthood. L'Osservatore Romano/Pool Photo Via AP [Pope Francis won't support women in the priesthood, but here's what he could do]( Lisa McClain, Boise State University The Catholic Church has historically been unwilling to extend full priesthood to women. However, Pope Francis could take the lead in ordaining women to become deacons, a scholar says. Politics + Society - [How Trump can avoid the setbacks that doomed North Korean nuclear talks in the past]( Jeffrey Fields, University of Southern California – Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences A former US Department of Defense and State Department official explains why a hard-line approach on North Korea will likely fail, as it did with Iran. Health + Medicine - [Giving patients the 'right to try' experimental drugs is a political maneuver, not a lifesaver]( Morten Wendelbo, Texas A&M University ; Timothy Callaghan, Texas A&M University The House plans to vote on 'right to try' legislation. Politically, it's a winner. But will it give terminally patients the help they need or only bring false hope? Education - [DeVos and the limits of the education reform movement]( Jack Schneider, College of the Holy Cross The cycle of overpromising and disappointment has left donors, politicians and policymakers of all stripes looking to improve K-12 public schooling with an underwhelming track record. - [Booze and basketball: Why binge drinking increases during March Madness]( Dustin R. White, University of Nebraska Omaha; Benjamin Cowan, Washington State University; Jadrian Wooten, Pennsylvania State University Binge drinking rises during March Madness among male college students who attend schools that made it to the men's basketball tournament. Researchers take a deeper look at the reasons why. Science + Technology - [This March Madness, we're using machine learning to predict upsets]( Matthew Osborne, The Ohio State University; Kevin Nowland, The Ohio State University Can a computer model correctly predict the results of the first round in this year's tournament? These mathematicians think so. Arts + Culture - [Why bland American beer is here to stay]( Ranjit Dighe, State University of New York Oswego The unique role of the temperance movement in US history might explain why, when it comes to Americans' tastes, bland beer is still king. From our international editions - [Sex: birds do it, bees do it - and fungi do it too. Here's how, and why it matters]( Andi Wilson, University of Pretoria Understanding the sex lives of fungi can help in finding answers about disease control. - [Explainer: why you can hear gravitational waves when things collide in the universe]( David Blair, University of Western Australia From a slow hum to a chirp or a bleep, what is that sound you hear whenever there's a new detection of gravitational waves? - [The price of 'exemptionalism' in Canada-U.S. relations]( Christopher Sands, Johns Hopkins University U.S. President Donald Trump has exempted Canada, for now, from hefty tariffs on steel. An increase in defence spending would likely stand Canada in greater stead with the president. - [Antisemitism: how the origins of history’s oldest hatred still hold sway today]( Gervase Phillips, Manchester Metropolitan University Antisemitic incidents are on the rise across the globe. To understand this modern hatred we need to look into the past and understand its origins. Today’s quote [I've extensively researched the political economy of alcohol prohibition, and the unique history of the U.S. temperance movement might bear some responsibility for country's exceptionally bland beer.]( [Why bland American beer is here to stay]( Ranjit Dighe State University of New York Oswego [Ranjit Dighe] [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. 89 South Street - Suite 202 Boston, MA 02111