The origin of Earth’s oceans?

Edition: US - Today's top story: Asteroid dust brought back to Earth may explain where our water came from with hydrogen clues [Click here to view this message in your web-browser](. Edition: US 2 May 2019 [The Conversation]( Academic rigor, journalistic flair Editor's note The origin of the great oceans on Earth is the subject of contentious debate among planetary scientists. To trace the source of our water, Arizona State cosmochemist Maitrayee Bose [studied tiny particles from the asteroid Itokawa]( for clues. Her findings have dramatic implications for water stores not just on Earth but also other planets in our solar system. When a gunman opened fire and killed two students at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte on the last day of class on Tuesday, it fit a familiar pattern of shootings on U.S. college campuses. An [analysis of campus shootings]( by researchers Jillian Peterson and James Densley shows that the vast majority take place during the end of the academic year – just one of many patterns they say authorities can use to develop prevention strategies. President Trump and Democratic leaders agreed to spend $2 trillion to mend America’s crumbling road, waste and water infrastructure. But with so much to fix, where to start? Colorado State economist Steven Pressman identifies three areas he thinks should be top priorities – not just because they urgently need investment but because [they could help fight economic inequality]( as well. Bijal Trivedi Science and Technology Editor Top stories Planetary scientists believe that Earth was formed by the conglomeration of meteorites and comets – which also brought water. Festa/SHutterstock.com [Asteroid dust brought back to Earth may explain where our water came from with hydrogen clues]( Maitrayee Bose, Arizona State University The source of water on Earth, the Moon and planets in our solar system is hotly debated. Some in the planetary science community argued that it came from asteroids and comets. Now they have proof. Police secure the main entrance to UNC Charlotte after a shooting at the school that left at least two people dead, Tuesday, April 30. Jason E. Miczek/AP [University of North Carolina at Charlotte shooting has these things in common with other campus shootings]( Jillian Peterson, Hamline University ; James Densley, Metropolitan State University The April 30 shooting at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte isn't an outlier. Research shows it fits a familiar pattern of campus shootings in terms of time and place. The problem of unsafe drinking water afflicts poor communities most. Reuters/Carlos Barria [3 ways $2 trillion for infrastructure can fight inequality too]( Steven Pressman, Colorado State University Just as America's highways, sewage systems and water pipes need fixing, so does the growing gap between rich and poor. Trump and the Democrats could use that money to address both. Science + Technology - [Modern shamans: Financial managers, political pundits and others who help tame life’s uncertainty]( Manvir Singh, Harvard University Hidden forces are always at work in the world, and people always want to control them, a cognitive anthropologist explains. Enter the human universal of shamanism. Politics + Society - [Is the Assange indictment a threat to the First Amendment?]( Ofer Raban, University of Oregon The US indicted WikiLeaks co-founder Julian Assange for conspiring to hack into a government computer. But the prosecution of Assange may also pose a risk to the rights of journalists in the US. - [Trump’s dirty tricks: Unethical, even illegal campaign tactics are an American tradition]( Steffen W. Schmidt, Iowa State University Amid all the Mueller report uncertainty, one thing is clear: Donald Trump did some wildly improper things to win the presidency. So did Thomas Jefferson, Andrew Jackson, JFK and George W. Bush. Environment + Energy - [As air pollution increases in some US cities, the Trump administration is weakening clean air regulations]( Jason West, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Barbara Turpin, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Air quality in the US has improved greatly since 1990, but a new report finds progress stalling in some cities. Meanwhile, the Trump administration is rolling back air pollution controls. Ethics + Religion - [3 moral reasons why parents need to get their children vaccinated against measles and other diseases]( Joel Michael Reynolds, University of Massachusetts Lowell Measles cases in the US have reached their highest in 25 years. A bioethicist argues why parents opposed to vaccination are not just wrong about the science, but about the morals. Arts + Culture - [‘Russian spy whale’: the disturbing history of military marine mammals]( Gervase Phillips, Manchester Metropolitan University Russia isn't the only nation suspected of training marine mammals for military use – the US, UK, and Ukraine have all done so in the past. Most read on site - [Just 16 minutes of sleep loss can harm work concentration the next day]( Soomi Lee, University of South Florida; David M. Almeida, Pennsylvania State University; Orfeu M. Buxton, Pennsylvania State University; Ross Andel, University of South Florida The health dangers of not getting enough restorative sleep have been documented for some time. Now, studies are suggesting that sleep loss is not only bad for your health but also for your job. - [Can James Holzhauer be stopped? A former ‘Jeopardy!’ champion weighs in]( Michael Rooney, Pasadena City College There have been 'Jeopardy!' greats who can easily answer all the questions, who have mastered the buzzer and who bet big on the Daily Doubles. But Holzhauer possesses an unprecedented level of daring. - [Shutting down social media does not reduce violence, but rather fuels it]( Jan Rydzak, Stanford University Internet blackouts deprive people of impartial information and crucial connections with loved ones, without delivering improved safety or stability. [Follow us on Twitter.]( [Join us on Facebook.]( You’re receiving this newsletter from [The Conversation](. Not interested anymore? 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