Climate change will change winter too

Plus, the American Samoa NFL connection [Click here to view this message in your web-browser](. Edition: US 8 August 2019 [The Conversation]( Academic rigor, journalistic flair [Jennifer Weeks] A note from... Jennifer Weeks Environment + Energy Editor It may seem strange to ponder snow in August, but many utilities and resource managers in the West think about it year-round. Snowpack – literally, accumulated snow in the mountains – is a critical water source that keeps cities, farms and forests hydrated well into the warm months, if there’s enough of it. In a newly published study, environmental scientist Adrienne Marshall and colleagues project that “snow droughts,” or multiyear stretches with low snow, could become much more common across the West as climate change intensifies. That could mean drinking water shortages, drier forests and brown ski slopes – [an unwelcome sight in any season](. Also today: all [mass murderers aren’t mentally ill,]( [sanctions against Venezuela came too late]( and [tips for communicating with autistic kids](. [Support The Conversation]( Top story A valuable resource: Snowpack on Oregon’s Mt. Hood. USDA NRCS/Spencer Miller [Climate change will mean more multiyear snow droughts in the West]( Adrienne Marshall, University of Idaho New research forecasts that climate change will make multiyear stretches with low snow levels more common across western North America – bad news for water managers, farmers, foresters and skiers. Health + Medicine - [Can experts determine who might be a mass killer?]( Arash Javanbakht, Wayne State University In the wake of yet more mass murders, people want answers. Some questions that arise about the tragedies relate to mental illness. A psychiatrist answers three here. Economy + Business - [Trump’s Venezuela embargo won’t end the Maduro regime]( Marco Aponte-Moreno, St Mary's College of California For one, you can't break an economy that's already broken. Politics + Society - [Trump’s fight to count US citizens and non-citizens: 5 questions answered]( Jeffrey W Ladewig, University of Connecticut The 2020 census and congressional apportionment have dominated the headlines in recent months. What could it all mean for the average American voter? - [Gender equality at home takes a hit when children arrive]( Laurie DeRose, Georgetown University Does having children make the goal of fairly dividing work at home more elusive? Arts + Culture - [I traveled to American Samoa 5 times to study the secret to its football success]( Rob Ruck, University of Pittsburgh A key tenet of Samoan culture emphasizes community, deference to authority and confronting fears – a mindset that makes an ideal football player. But it can extract a physical toll. Science + Technology - [NASCAR may be the fastest way to learn about physics]( Christine Helms, University of Richmond High speeds, the threat of dangerous crashes, the excitement of the crowd – and the laws of physics on full display. A physicist explains the science of NASCAR. Education - [5 tips for parents to build communication skills with children with autism spectrum disorder]( Sanikan Wattanawongwan, Texas A&M University ; J. B. Ganz, Texas A&M University Specialists offer a series of tips on how parents of children with autism spectrum disorder can help their children communicate with more people and in different places. Most read on site - [Will Trump’s trade war with China ever end?]( Charles Hankla, Georgia State University Trump’s endgame for the US-China trade war still seems elusive as the conflict continues to escalate. - [Mass shootings aren’t growing more common – and evidence contradicts common stereotypes about the killers]( Christopher J. Ferguson, Stetson University Mentally ill, white supremacist video game-playing men are pushing rates of mass homicide ever higher in the US? The real data is more nuanced than common misperceptions suggest. - [Guns and mental illness: A psychiatrist explains the complexities]( Arash Javanbakht, Wayne State University President Trump called for better identification of people with mental illness as a way to stop gun violence and mass shootings. A psychiatrist offers his take on the president's stance. Today’s quote ["Electrification is starting to enable a type of air travel that many have been hoping for, but haven’t seen yet – a flying car."]( [Why aren't there electric airplanes yet?]( Venkat Viswanathan Carnegie Mellon University [Venkat Viswanathan] Shashank Sripad Carnegie Mellon University [Shashank Sripad] William Leif Fredericks Carnegie Mellon University [William Leif Fredericks] Know people who may be interested in The Conversation's stories? [Click here to forward this newsletter to them]( and ask them to sign up at [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