There will always be Americans without jobs

Why the unemployment rate will never get to zero percent – but it could still go a lot lower [Click here to view this message in your web-browser](. Edition: US 21 September 2018 [The Conversation]( Academic rigor, journalistic flair Editor's note The booming U.S. economy is creating some of the best conditions for job seekers since the 1960s. The Department of Labor reported yesterday that the number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits reached an almost 49-year low, signaling that the jobless rate is likely to continue to drop from its current level of 3.9 percent. Is a zero percent unemployment rate possible? Jay Zagorsky, who practices the “dismal science” of economics at Boston University, [explains]( what the unemployment rate actually measures. Flexible – even foldable – electronics are the next frontier of mobile devices and “internet of things” sensors. Battery researcher Seokheun Choi from Binghamton University explains how [his work will help power those gadgets](. And as the Senate Judiciary Committee prepares to hear testimony regarding an allegation that Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh sexually assaulted a girl when he was a teen, violence experts David Finkelhor and Ateret Gewirtz-Meydan share [six key facts you should know about sexual assault between adolescents](. Bryan Keogh Economics + Business Editor Top stories Students graduate. REUTERS/Brian Snyder [Why the unemployment rate will never get to zero percent – but it could still go a lot lower]( Jay L. Zagorsky, Boston University With the unemployment rate at about the lowest level in almost 50 years, how much lower could it go? An economist explains. A foldable, biodegradable battery based on paper and bacteria opens a new opportunity in electronics. Seokheun Choi/Binghamton University [Paper-based electronics could fold, biodegrade and be the basis for the next generation of devices]( Seokheun Choi, Binghamton University, State University of New York Paper-based devices with foldable, biodegradable batteries provide a new way to reduce electronic waste. But how would these new gadgets work? Sexual assault among adolescents is common. [Sexual assault among adolescents: 6 facts]( David Finkelhor, University of New Hampshire; Ateret Gewirtz-Meydan, University of New Hampshire Data reveal that sexual assault is common among boys and girls under the age of 18. Sexual violence experts share key facts from research on the issue. Science + Technology - [Shrinking the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument is a disaster for paleontology]( P. David Polly, Indiana University Twenty-two years ago, President Clinton established Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument for paleontological conservation. As the Trump administration shrinks its borders, that mission is jeopardized. Politics + Society - [What’s the difference between sexual abuse, sexual assault, sexual harassment and rape?]( Sarah L. Cook, Georgia State University; Lilia M. Cortina, University of Michigan; Mary P. Koss, University of Arizona These terms are often used interchangeably by the public, and though the concepts are overlapping, there are important distinctions. - [The US will have to accept second-class status in the Middle East]( Gordon Adams, American University School of International Service The US was once the dominant force in the Middle East. That old order has disappeared. Now the new powers are Iran, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Russia – and the US needs a new policy for the region. Education - [I acted like a complete jerk to my students just to prove a point]( Alan Goodboy, West Virginia University A communication studies professor purposefully antagonizes students to show how putdowns and other forms of negative criticism can impact student learning. Health + Medicine - [Before the fall: How oldsters can avoid one of old age’s most dangerous events]( Matthew Lee Smith, Texas A&M University ; Ellen Schneider, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Marcia G. Ory, Texas A&M University ; Tiffany Shubert, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Saturday isn't just the first day of fall. It's also the 10th annual National Falls Prevention Awareness Day. Falls are a major cause of disability in seniors. Experts explain ways to prevent them. Arts + Culture - [The future of ‘golf’ may not be on the links]( Joshua Woods, West Virginia University A disc-golf boom is coinciding with a ball-golf bust. Environment + Energy - [Caught on camera: The fossa, Madagascar’s elusive top predator]( Asia Murphy, Pennsylvania State University The fossa, Madagascar's largest predator, is a cat-like carnivore that eats everything from insects to lemurs. Because they are rare and elusive, scientists know very little about them, including how many there are. From our International Editions - [Wild boars run amok in the city of Genoa, as abandoned rural areas are ‘rewilded’]( Robert Hearn, University of Nottingham Seems humans aren't the only ones moving into cities in ever greater numbers. - [Drugging detained children is like using a chemical straitjacket]( Jerry Flores, University of Toronto; Kati Barahona-Lopez, University of California, Santa Cruz Psychotropic medication is 'pharmaceutical violence' against migrant children and other incarcerated youth throughout the United States. Drug addiction is one consequence. - [South Africa’s Blombos cave is home to the earliest drawing by a human]( Christopher Henshilwood, University of Bergen; Karen Loise van Niekerk, University of Bergen A new discovery adds to our existing understanding of Homo sapiens in Africa. Today’s chart - [Enable images to see the chart]( From the article: [The US has become a nation of suburbs]( [Christopher Boone] Christopher Boone Arizona State University [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