Online vaccine debate shifts in favor of science

Anti-vaxxers appear to be losing ground in the online vaccine debate [Click here to view this message in your web-browser](. Edition: US 2 April 2019 [The Conversation]( Academic rigor, journalistic flair Editor's note As measles outbreaks continue in the U.S. and around the world, the online spread of disinformation about vaccines is shifting, according to a new analysis of social media by Filippo Menczer and Pik-Mai Hui at Indiana University. Find out [what they’re seeing](and what it may mean about the struggle between fact and fiction. Democrats are offering a growing number of plans to soak the rich. For example, Sen. Sanders wants to raise the estate tax. Rep. Ocasio-Cortez would tax millionaires’ incomes at higher rates. And Sen. Warren proposes creating a new wealth tax. Which one would work best to reverse soaring rates of wealth inequality? Vanderbilt tax scholar Beverly Moran [explores the differences](. Brain evidence is playing an increasing role in criminal trials in the U.S. But how does a juror or a judge deal with an MRI or CAT scan that purports to show an abnormality, brain damage or disorder in a defendant? Georgia State cognitive neuroscientists Corey Hill Allen and Eyal Aharoni ran an experiment to see [how people weigh neurobiological evidence]( – and the results were paradoxical. Jeff Inglis Science + Technology Editor Top stories Scientific evidence is clear: Vaccination is good for people and society. Online discussions are increasingly reflecting that reality. gorillaimages/Shutterstock.com [Anti-vaxxers appear to be losing ground in the online vaccine debate]( Filippo Menczer, Indiana University; Pik-Mai Hui, Indiana University Social media activity suggests that pro-vaccine evidence may be starting to outweigh anti-vaxxer disinformation. More Americans agree with plans to raise taxes on the wealthy. Rena Schild/Shutterstock.com [So you want to tax the rich – here’s which candidate’s plan makes the most sense]( Beverly Moran, Vanderbilt University Democratic lawmakers have offered a number of ways to reverse decades of widening economic inequality. A tax expert gives them a closer look. Which way does neurobiological evidence tip the scales in sentencing? Alexander Kirch/Shutterstock.com [Brain scan evidence in criminal sentencing: A blessing and a curse]( Corey Hill Allen, Georgia State University; Eyal Aharoni, Georgia State University How do jurors use different kinds of information about mental illness when making sentencing decisions? An experiment finds that neurobiological evidence could harm or help defendants. Environment + Energy - [New York gets serious about traffic with the first citywide US congestion pricing plan]( John Rennie Short, University of Maryland, Baltimore County Starting in 2021, drivers will pay a fee to enter midtown and lower Manhattan during busy times of day. Will this clear New York's air and streets? Arts + Culture - [Did a censored female writer inspire Hemingway’s famous style?]( Cynthia Wachtell, Yeshiva University Ellen N. La Motte's 'The Backwash of War' was praised for its clear-eyed portrayal of war, but was swiftly banned. Yet the similarities between her spare prose and Hemingway's are unmistakable. Health + Medicine - [Kids exposed to flame retardant PBDE are at risk for lifelong liver or cardiovascular problems]( Alexander Suvorov, University of Massachusetts Amherst Brief exposure to a family of chemicals used as flame retardants early in life can permanently alter fat levels in the blood and liver, raising the risk of liver cancer and heart disease. Politics + Society - [Laws are chipping away at democracy around the world]( Chrystie Flournoy Swiney, Georgetown University Legislators in a growing number of democracies are clamping down on civil society. In the United States, it's happening at the state level. Science + Technology - [3 times political conflict reshaped American mathematics]( Della Dumbaugh, University of Richmond When is math not just math? Political conflicts have led to new study-abroad initiatives, the creation of a world-class university, the migration of mathematicians and serious educational reforms. From our International Editions - [People are taking a huge toll on the plains of the Serengeti-Mara]( Joseph Ogutu, University of Hohenheim Intense and extensive changes mean that the Serengeti-Mara area's wildlife has an unsure future. - [Stop outsourcing the regulation of hate speech to social media]( Natasha Tusikov, York University, Canada; Blayne Haggart, Brock University National regulation of free speech should be by governments, and not corporations, in order to be democratic. - [Curious Kids: what are meteorites made of and where do they come from?]( Jacco van Loon, Keele University Meteorites might look like boring bits of rock – but each one has a fascinating story. Today’s chart - [Enable images to see the chart]( From the article: [What happens to rural and small-town Trump voters after Trump is gone?]( [J. Edwin Benton] J. Edwin Benton University of South Florida [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