The 747 turns 50

50 years of the Boeing 747: How the 'queen of the skies' reigned over air travel [Click here to view this message in your web-browser](. Edition: US 1 October 2018 [The Conversation]( Academic rigor, journalistic flair Editor's note On Sept. 30, 1968, the first Boeing 747 jumbo jet rolled off an assembly line in a custom-built factory in Everett, Washington, forever transforming aviation and making international air travel affordable for millions. Known for its distinctive hump to accommodate the cockpit – and later luxury lounges – the “queen of the skies” immediately became an icon, playing a starring role in numerous movies and eventually taking over as Air Force One, the plane that flies around the U.S. president. The University of Dayton’s Janet Bednarek, who has been researching and teaching the history of American aviation for more than a quarter century, [tells the “amazing story”]( of the beginning and end of the 747. A year ago today a gunman opened fire at a country music festival in Las Vegas, killing 58 and wounding more than 500 people in what became the deadliest mass shooting in recent American history. A team of University of Las Vegas, Nevada counseling and psychology scholars who provided comfort to the evacuees offer insights on [how to best meet the mental health]( needs of those affected by the violence. Recently Christine Blasey Ford underwent a polygraph exam to bolster the credibility of her accusations against Supreme Court justice nominee Brett Kavanaugh. Georgia State legal scholar Jessica Gabel Cino writes that lie-detecting technologies like the polygraph rely on the assumption that [our bodies betray us when we try to trick others](. But setting aside Pinocchio’s growing nose, there’s no foolproof way to physiologically measure lying. Bryan Keogh Economics + Business Editor Top stories The 747 takes off on its maiden voyage. AP Photo [50 years of the Boeing 747: How the ‘queen of the skies’ reigned over air travel]( Janet Bednarek, University of Dayton On Sept. 30, 1968, the first Boeing 747 rolled off the assembly line, ready to hit the skies as the bigger commercial jet at the time. Today, as its days as a civilian carrier come to a close, the first jumbo jet remains an icon of aviation. Evacuees arrive at the UNLV Thomas & Mack Center after a gunman opened fire Oct. 1, 2017 in Las Vegas. Al Powers/AP [We provided psychological first aid after the Las Vegas shooting – here’s what we learned]( Michelle Paul, University of Nevada, Las Vegas; Heather Dahl, University of Nevada, Las Vegas; John A. Nixon, University of Nevada, Las Vegas One year after the Oct. 1 shooting massacre in Las Vegas, a team of scholars from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas offers insights into how to best help those affected by the violence. Does your body give away if you’re lying or not? AP Photo/Edward Kitch [Is a polygraph a reliable lie detector?]( Jessica Gabel Cino, Georgia State University It would be great to know for sure when someone is lying and when someone is telling the truth. But no technology that purports to do so is foolproof. Economy + Business - [Kavanaugh confirmation a reminder: Accused sexual harassers get promoted anyway]( Elizabeth C. Tippett, University of Oregon In promoting men to positions of power, companies and other organizations have frequently brushed aside allegations of sexual assault and harassment. Arts + Culture - [The ghost of Roy Orbison goes on tour – and some aren’t happy about it]( Peter Lehman, Arizona State University Critics say hologram tours exploit the dead for a quick buck. But there's something about Roy Orbison's ethereal mystique that makes this one a particularly fitting tribute. 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But this technique is rarely used in the Caribbean, where hurricanes can leave people without water for months. Today’s quote [“Studies reveal that as many as 90 percent of women who experience workplace harassment never report it.”]( [Things have changed since Anita Hill – sort of]( Meg Bond University of Massachusetts Lowell [Meg Bond] [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