Data breaches are inevitable – protect yourself anyway

What could be the largest data breach in history – 773 million email addresses and passwords – highlights the fact t... [Click here to view this message in your web-browser](. Edition: US 19 January 2019 [The Conversation]( Academic rigor, journalistic flair Editor's note What could be the largest data breach in history – 773 million email addresses and passwords – highlights the fact that there’s no way to prevent hackers from getting their hands on digital information of almost any kind. There is some good news, though. Cybersecurity scholars W. David Salisbury and Rusty {NAME} from the University of Dayton [explain how you can still protect yourself](, your information and your digital accounts. Thousands of bison thundering across the prairie might not seem to be terribly beneficial for the land under their hooves. But in studying the ecological impacts of bison at Oklahoma’s Tallgrass Prairie Preserve, biologist Matthew Moran found that where they graze and wallow, populations of plants, insects and birds become more diverse. Now scientists think bison may have been [animals with the most impact on the Great Plains](. When you go out to eat, you probably assume that the tip you leave has to do with the quality of the service. It turns out that the two aren’t correlated; instead, your mood and your net worth are much greater predictors of tip size. Environmental factors can also play a role, so University of Dayton marketing professor Na Young Lee studied whether [certain colors could make tippers more generous](. Jeff Inglis Science + Technology Editor Top stories Prepare to protect yourself. FXQuadro/Shutterstock.com [Data breaches are inevitable – here’s how to protect yourself anyway]( W. David Salisbury, University of Dayton; Rusty {NAME}, University of Dayton Think defensively about your online accounts and data security – and don't assume you'll avoid harm. A young bull bison grazes on the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve, Pawhuska, Oklahoma. Matthew Moran [Bison are back, and that benefits many other species on the Great Plains]( Matthew D. Moran, Hendrix College Bison once dominated the Great Plains but were nearly wiped out by hunters in the 1800s. Now scientists are learning that bison's presence improves plant and wildlife diversity on the prairies. Researchers studied whether subtly being exposed to different colors could change tipping behavior. Anutr Yossundara/Shutterstock.com [Want better tips? Go for gold]( Na Young Lee, University of Dayton Studies show a weak relationship between tip amounts and quality of service. But the color gold seems to have a way of making diners feel wealthier – and more generous. Environment + Energy [A teen scientist helped me discover tons of golf balls polluting the ocean]( Matthew Savoca, Stanford University Snorkeling off the California coast, a high school student found heaps of golf balls on the ocean floor. With a marine scientist, she showed that golf courses were producing tons of plastic pollution. [To preserve US national parks in a warming world, reconnect fragmented public lands]( Stephen Nash, University of Richmond What is the best way to conserve US national parks in a climate-altered future? One answer is connecting parks and other public lands, so plants and animals can shift their ranges. Education [New debit card for federal student loan borrowers could save money, but concerns linger]( Lewis Mandell, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York A new debit card being issued to federal student loan borrowers on a trial basis may save them time and money, but it could also enable a bank to study their spending to sell them more products. [3 reasons to pay attention to the LA teacher strike]( Erin McHenry-Sorber, West Virginia University The teachers strike in Los Angeles is the first big one of 2019, but likely not the last. An education scholar says low teacher pay and inadequate public school funding will likely spur more strikes. [Now, more than ever, the public needs to hear the voices of experts. Help us elevate them above the crowd, with a tax-deductible donation.]( Science + Technology [Is winter miserable for wildlife?]( Bridget B. Baker, Wayne State University When you're warm and cozy inside, it can be natural to wonder if the animals you see outside your window this winter are doing OK. Don't worry – they're doing better out there than you would. [Can genetic engineering save disappearing forests?]( Jason A. Delborne, North Carolina State University Forests in the US face many threats: climate change, invasive species, pests and pathogens. Could genetically engineering trees make these plants more resilient? Ethics + Religion [Trump’s reference to Wounded Knee evokes the dark history of suppression of indigenous religions]( Rosalyn R. LaPier, The University of Montana Wounded Knee is among the worst massacres in Native American history, when in 1890 the US military shot and killed 146 unarmed men, women and children in South Dakota. [Change your phone settings so Apple, Google can’t track your movements]( Jen King, Stanford University Most tech companies make it difficult for users to say no to aggressive surveillance practices. But it is helpful to know about the default settings on your smartphone and how to change them. Health + Medicine [Why victims of Catholic priests need to hear more than confessions]( Joan M. Cook, Yale University; Jennifer J. Freyd, University of Oregon Sex abuse by Catholic priests may be as devastating in many cases as sex abuse by a family member because of institutional betrayal, two trauma psychologists write. It calls for special measures. [Food is medicine: How US policy is shifting toward nutrition for better health]( Dariush Mozaffarian, Tufts University; Jerold Mande, Tufts University; Renata Micha, Tufts University Diet-related illnesses cost more than US$1 trillion and immeasurable human suffering and pain. Policymakers are beginning to understand that it makes sense to support food-as-medicine initiatives. Politics + Society [Garbage collection in Syria is crucial to fighting the Islamic State]( Mark Ward, University of Washington Keeping the water and power on, managing sewers and collecting garbage will help communities shattered by the Syrian civil war rebuild – and keep out the Islamic State, says a former aid official. [Chicago, New York discounted most public input in expanding bike systems]( Greg Griffin, University of Texas at Austin; Junfeng Jiao, University of Texas at Austin Under 10 percent of new Citi Bike and Divvy bike docks are sited where residents suggested using interactive online maps, a new study shows. But that doesn't mean city officials weren't listening. Arts + Culture [The Prohibition-era origins of the modern craft cocktail movement]( Jeffrey Miller, Colorado State University Something needed to be done to mask the taste of bootleg alcohol that could include ingredients ranging from dead rats to wood tar. [Razor burned: Why Gillette’s campaign against toxic masculinity missed the mark]( Alan Abitbol, University of Dayton Gillette isn't the only male-centric brand to have recently challenged masculine stereotypes. But advertising research can help us understand why it's been getting the most flack. Economy + Business [Brexit: An ‘escape room’ with no escape]( Terrence Guay, Pennsylvania State University The UK's agonizing efforts to find a path out of the European Union is beginning to look a lot like a game or riddle with no solution – and certainly no winners. [Leaders always ‘manufacture’ crises, in politics and business]( Bert Spector, Northeastern University Trump and other leaders use the word 'crisis' to claim there's an emergency that demands urgent action. A leadership expert explains how to evaluate those claims. [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