America’s chance for a world chess champion

Edition: US - Today's top story: 5 things to know about Fabiano Caruana and his quest to become world chess champion [Click here to view this message in your web-browser](. Edition: US 10 November 2018 [The Conversation]( Academic rigor, journalistic flair Editor's note As Fabiano Caruana continues his battle in London this month to become the first American world chess champion in over 40 years, some observers wonder if a [Caruana victory]( will create a resurgent interest in chess the way Bobby Fischer did when he became the first American-born player to win the title in 1972. The first round of the 12-round match ended in a draw Friday after the reigning champion, Magnus Carlsen of Norway, missed a chance for a win in a game that lasted seven hours. Round 2 is slated for Saturday. What’s the most developed country in the world? There are plenty of factors to consider, from economics to education to the environment. A new measure, [the Human Life Indicator](, focuses on life expectancy and inequality – and it puts Hong Kong at the top. And Elizabeth Hineman [tells the story of Magnus Hirschfeld](, a gay German physician, who was the first doctor to conduct research on and advocate for trans people. In the late-19th and early-20th centuries, he published medical journals like the “Yearbook on Sexual Intermediaries” and convinced German police to accept a “transvestite certificate” for people whose government-issued ID said they were male, but wanted to dress in women’s clothing. “Love,” Hirschfeld once said, “is as varied as people are.” Jamaal Abdul-Alim Education Editor Top stories American grandmaster Fabiano Caruana, shown here at the 2017 Tradewise Gibraltar Masters tournament, could become the first American-born world chess champion since Bobby Fischer. David Llada/American Chess Magazine [5 things to know about Fabiano Caruana and his quest to become world chess champion]( Daaim Shabazz, Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University Daaim Shabazz, an international business professor and chess journalist, explains what's at stake as American grandmaster Fabiano Caruana fights for the World Chess Championship in London this month. It’s not the U.S., either. Pixabay [Which country is best to live in? Our calculations say it’s not Norway]( Warren Sanderson, Stony Brook University (The State University of New York); Sergei Scherbov, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA); Simone Ghislandi, Bocconi University Most researchers use the UN's Human Development Index to measure each country's progress, but that system has flaws. A new, simplified index aims to do it better. Magnus Hirschfeld, on the right, sits with his partner, Tao Li, at the fourth conference of the World League for Sexual Reform in 1932. Wellcome Images [The early-20th century German trans-rights activist who was decades ahead of his time]( Elizabeth Heineman, University of Iowa Physician Magnus Hirschfeld advocated for those he called 'sexual intermediaries.' His activism began before World War I - and ended only when the Nazis came to power. Politics + Society [Latinos can be an electoral force in 2020]( Lisa Garcia Bedolla, University of California, Berkeley Record high Latino participation shows this growing voter segment will turn out for parties and politicians who tackle issues they care about. That's a big lesson for 2020 – and not just for Dems. [Left behind: The midterm view from Iowa]( Paul Lasley, Iowa State University In Iowa, almost 40 percent of residents can't afford the basic cost of living. That was the setting for the 2018 midterm elections, where rural voters are suffering along with their communities. Economy + Business [Trump’s tariffs don’t apply to American flag imports from China – but they should]( Jay L. Zagorsky, Boston University Millions of American flags come from China. Yet despite being symbols of patriotism, they're not among the products subject to new tariffs imposed by the Trump administration. [#MeToo could become a national reckoning – if the new House treats it like a financial crisis]( Elizabeth C. Tippett, University of Oregon After a year of headlines and ousted CEOs, Congress has yet to pass a single piece of legislation on sexual harassment – let alone hold a hearing. That will change come January. Environment + Energy [Racial and ethnic minorities are more vulnerable to wildfires]( Phil Levin, University of Washington; Ian P. Davies, University of Washington Communities that are majority black, Hispanic or Native American are over 50 percent more vulnerable to wildfire compared to other communities. [Americans got to vote on lots of energy measures in 2018 – and mostly rejected them]( Garth Heutel, Georgia State University But many new governors and members of Congress intend to take action on climate change. Health + Medicine [What mass shootings do to those not shot: Social consequences of mass gun violence]( Arash Javanbakht, Wayne State University Mass shootings bring terror in ways that people watching from afar can only imagine. And yet, society at large is affected, a trauma psychiatrist writes. [The votes have been counted, the results are (mostly) in: What’s next for health care?]( Simon F. Haeder, West Virginia University Voters listed health care as one of their biggest concerns in the midterm elections. Were their concerns addressed? The results are mixed. Arts + Culture [New findings add twist to screen time limit debate]( Jean Twenge, San Diego State University As their kids get older, should parents should be more – not less – vigilant? [What’s behind the dramatic rise in 3-generation households?]( Natasha Pilkauskas, University of Michigan Over the past 20 years, the number of American households that have grandparents, their kids and their grandkids living under the same roof has nearly doubled. Science + Technology [Experiments with optical tweezers race to test the laws of quantum mechanics]( Mishkat Bhattacharya, Rochester Institute of Technology; Nick Vamivakas, University of Rochester The discovery and development of optical tweezers won the 2018 Nobel Prize in physics. Now physicists are using this tool to crack some of the fundamental questions behind how the universe works. [Colonizing Mars means contaminating Mars – and never knowing for sure if it had its own native life]( David Weintraub, Vanderbilt University Space researchers have had a careful approach to robotic exploration of Mars and been hands-off toward Europa and Enceladus. Why is human exploration – and inevitable contamination – of Mars different? Ethics + Religion [How Christian missionary media shaped the world]( Jason Bruner, Arizona State University Evangelist Pat Robertson's Christian Broadcasting Network has launched the first Christian 24-hour TV channel. History shows that missionary media has played a key role in providing information from around the world. [Three things we can learn from contemporary Muslim women’s fashion]( Liz Bucar, Northeastern University The de Young Museum of San Francisco recently opened an exhibit devoted to the Islamic fashion scene. Here's how Muslim women's fashions challenge popular stereotypes. Education [College students with disabilities are too often excluded]( Christa Bialka, Villanova University The case of a student with Down Syndrome who was denied entry into all eight of the sororities at her school illustrates a broader problem of exclusion for college students with disabilities. [What is public service loan forgiveness? And how do I qualify to get it?]( Robert Kelchen, Seton Hall University A higher education professor explains the complex rules behind Public Service Loan Forgiveness, a program meant to provide debt relief to student loan borrowers who went into public service jobs. [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