Car wars

How have CAFE standards shaped the cars we drive today? [Click here to view this message in your web-browser](. Edition: US 6 April 2018 [[The Conversation]Academic rigor, journalistic flair]( Editor's note The Trump administration is pulling back fuel economy standards, negotiated under President Obama, that required new passenger cars and trucks to be twice as fuel-efficient as current models by 2025. This shift has big implications for oil use, air quality, climate change – and consumers’ wallets. As economist James Sallee of the University of California, Berkeley observes, if U.S. consumers drove 1970s-style gas guzzlers today, they would [spend thousands of dollars more on gasoline]( annually. The DNA contained in human remains can help scientists answer questions about the long history of our species. But a rush to the lab might overlook ethical concerns from present-day descendants or communities of the individuals in question. Anthropologist Chip Colwell describes how [“the current ‘bone rush’ to make new genetic discoveries has set off an ethical crisis.”]( Every day we have disagreements with friends, family and co-workers that don’t do lasting damage to our relationships. So why do we feel so anxious whenever anything political gets raised – especially if it’s in front of someone we know doesn’t hold the same views? University at Buffalo’s Melanie Green wanted to explore this phenomenon, so she conducted a study that explores [why we feel stressed and threatened]( when we argue over some things but not others. Jennifer Weeks Environment + Energy Editor Top Stories Customers line up to buy gasoline in San Jose, California, on March 15, 1974, during an Arab oil embargo. The crisis spurred enactment of the first U.S. vehicle fuel economy standards. AP [How have CAFE standards shaped the cars we drive today?]( James M. Sallee, University of California, Berkeley Since the federal government started setting fuel economy standards, US-built cars have doubled their fuel efficiency, saving money for consumers and reducing pollution. Who gets to decide for the dead, such as this Egyptian mummy? AP Photo/Ric Feld [Rights of the dead and the living clash when scientists extract DNA from human remains]( Chip Colwell, University of Colorado Denver Are DNA samples today's version of the human skeletons that hung in 20th-century natural history museums? They can provide genetic revelations about our species' history – but at an ethical price. The prospect alone can make you want to avoid the person altogether. faber1893/Shutterstock.com [Why is it so stressful to talk politics with the other side?]( Melanie Green, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York We can disagree with co-workers in meetings. We can argue about sports with friends. A new study explores why politics seems to be an entirely different beast. Science + Technology - [Paper trails and random audits could secure all elections – don't save them just for recounts in close races]( Eugene Vorobeychik, Vanderbilt University The best way to protect elections is to plan and prepare for an audit of the results after the votes are cast. Environment + Energy - [Why California gets to write its own auto emissions standards: 5 questions answered]( Nicholas Bryner, University of California, Los Angeles; Meredith Hankins, University of California, Los Angeles Air pollution could be the next battleground between California and the Trump administration, which is reviewing the Golden State's special legal authority to regulate tailpipe emissions. - [Coral reefs are in crisis – but scientists are finding effective ways to restore them]( Deron Burkepile, University of California, Santa Barbara; Mark C. Ladd, University of California, Santa Barbara With coral reefs in crisis around the world, many organizations are working to restore them by growing and transplanting healthy corals. A new study spotlights techniques that help restored reefs thrive. - [Why weather forecasters still struggle to get the big storms right]( Jeffrey B. Halverson, University of Maryland, Baltimore County Why can't meteorologists call the weather correctly every time? Blame the battle of the weather models. Economy + Business - [How to deal with life's risks more rationally]( Jay L. Zagorsky, The Ohio State University People have to make countless decisions on a daily basis that involve some degree of risk, from boarding a plane to crossing the street. The trouble is most of us don't weigh risk well. Politics + Society - [For many US towns and cities, deciding which streets to name after MLK reflects his unfinished work]( Derek H. Alderman, University of Tennessee When activists have sought to rename main thoroughfares that don’t serve just primarily black neighborhoods, they have faced many challenges. - [Colombia's murder rate is at an all-time low but its activists keep getting killed]( Fabio Andres Diaz, International Institute of Social Studies; Magda Jiménez, Universidad Externado de Colombia Nearly 300 community organizers and activists have been killed in Colombia since the country's 2016 peace accord. Who's behind these targeted assassinations? From our International Editions - [Neanderthals cared for each other and survived into old age – new research]( James Ohman, Liverpool John Moores University; Asier Gomez-Olivencia, University of the Basque Country It's time we changed our stereotype of the brutish, thuggish Neanderthals, and instead start viewing them with the respect they really deserve. - [How NAFTA will make us fat if the U.S. has its way]( Ronald Labonte, University of Ottawa The U.S. is vehemently opposed to Canada's intention to put labels on unhealthy processed foods. Here's why Canada should continue to stand its ground during NAFTA renegotiations. - ['Super gonorrhoea' raises the stakes in the war against superbugs]( Mark Blaskovich, The University of Queensland Superbugs used to pose the greatest risk to people with compromised immune systems and those who had surgery. But their sexual transmission means antibiotic resistance can spread much more widely. Today’s quote [Ecological processes, including predation, competition and nutrient cycling, [can] make coral restoration more successful.]( [Coral reefs are in crisis – but scientists are finding effective ways to restore them]( Deron Burkepile University of California, Santa Barbara [Deron Burkepile] Mark C. Ladd University of California, Santa Barbara [Mark C. Ladd] [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