What the Pentagon thinks about climate change may surprise you

Edition: US - Today's top story: A military view on climate change: It's eroding our national security and we should prepare for it [Click here to view this message in your browser]. Edition: US 6 October 2016 [[The Conversation]Academic rigor, journalistic flair] Editor's note As evidence mounts that human activities are changing Earth’s climate, concern is growing in a surprising quarter: the U.S. armed forces. Penn State meteorologist and retired Rear Admiral David Titley explains why defense planners view climate change as [a serious national security threat], and cites Hurricane Matthew to illustrate how severe weather events – which are expected to become more frequent in a changing climate – can disrupt military operations. We like to think of ourselves as set apart from the rest of the animal kingdom. But using eye-tracking technology in experiments with great apes, psychologists have found our distant cousins have [an ability we thought was uniquely human]. Another distinction to strike from the shrinking list. Jennifer Weeks Editor, Environment and Energy Top story The guided missile destroyer USS Barry deploys to sea from Naval Station Norfolk ahead of Hurricane Sandy in 2012. U.S. Navy/Flickr [A military view on climate change: It's eroding our national security and we should prepare for it] David Titley, Pennsylvania State University Politicians are still debating whether climate change is real, but military planners call it a serious threat. A retired rear admiral explains how climate change affects U.S. national security. Economy + Business - [How Wells Fargo encouraged employees to commit fraud] Elizabeth C. Tippett, University of Oregon The thousands of Wells Fargo low-wage employees who defrauded customers likely knew how it felt to face unfair overdraft fees or a deteriorating credit rating. So why did they do it? Arts + Culture - [Elena Ferrante, Charlotte Brontë and how anonymity protects against female writing stereotypes] Erin Nyborg, University of Oxford The unmasking of Charlotte Brontë changed the way that her books were read. Science + Technology - [Can great apes read your mind?] Christopher Krupenye, Max Planck Institute Realizing that others' minds hold different thoughts, feelings and knowledge than your own was thought to be something only people could do. But evidence is accumulating that apes, too, have 'theory of mind.' - [Basic income after automation? That’s not how capitalism works!] Katharina Nieswandt, Concordia University The claim: Robotics will lead to mass unemployment. The reality: Productivity will grow, but not idle or leisure time. Election 2016 - [Clinton and Trump need to address police violence in debate] Keisha N. Blain, University of Iowa; Ibram X. Kendi, University of Florida Will the candidates acknowledge the Black Lives Matter platform during the debate in St. Louis? Millennial voters will be listening. Health + Medicine - [Don't shoot the messenger: How RNA could keep us young] Elisa Lazzari, University of California, San Diego Aging and cancer appear to be closely linked, as over time, cells accumulate hits in their DNA code. But now research has turned to the role of RNA. Is RNA the key to a longer life? Rest of the World - United Kingdom [It’s not just the ‘yuck factor’ that puts people off eating insects] Jonas House, University of Sheffield If bug-based foods are so good for the planet, why isn't everyone eating them? - Australia [Explainer: what causes knock knees and do they have to be treated?] Joshua Burns, University of Sydney and Verity Pacey, Macquarie University Knock knees (and bow legs) are generally a normal part of a child’s growth and development. But if they persist, they can become problematic. - Africa [South Africa needs to fix its dangerously wide wealth gap] Anna Orthofer, Stellenbosch University When South African inequality is discussed, the focus tends to be on income brackets. But the main problem is wealth inequality [The Conversation on Twitter] [The Conversation on Facebook] 3.3 million unique visitors a month You’re receiving this newsletter from [The Conversation]. Not interested anymore? [Unsubscribe instantly]. We’ll miss you. 745 Atlantic Ave. 8th Floor Boston, MA 02111