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Edition: US
3 October 2019
[The Conversation](
Academic rigor, journalistic flair
[Nicole Zelniker]
A note from...
Nicole Zelniker
Editorial Researcher
Interruptions at work can be really annoying, especially when you’re in the middle of something important or you’re being distracted by a colleague you’d rather not see.
But interruptions aren’t all bad, it turns out. University of Massachusetts Lowell business professor Elana Feldman says that interruptions can actually [increase productivity and even create positive emotions](.
Also today:
- [3 things about vodka](
- [A friend of Gandhi](
- [Seeing in the dark](
Top story
Between email, Slack and social media, you may need three devices to handle all the interruptions. Artie Medvedev/Shutterstock.com
[People are increasingly interrupted at work, but it’s not all bad](
Elana Feldman, University of Massachusetts Lowell
Interruptions are inevitable – but how they happen matters.
Economy + Business
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[3 reasons Forever 21’s bankruptcy doesn’t spell the end of brick-and-mortar retailing](
Anthony Dukes, University of Southern California
A retail expert explains why brick-and-mortar brands will continue to thrive in the age of e-commerce.
[Donate today to help us democratize knowledge](
Environment + Energy
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[Mining powers modern life, but can leave scarred lands and polluted waters behind](
Matthew Ross, Colorado State University
The Trump administration is supporting new mines in Alaska and Minnesota that many opponents say could devastate sensitive areas around them.
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[New England power line corridors harbor rare bees and other wild things](
David L. Wagner, University of Connecticut; Henry Frye, University of Connecticut
Wild things thrive in transmission pathways that crisscross states.
Politics + Society
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[America now solves problems with troops, not diplomats](
Monica Duffy Toft, Tufts University
Data show that the US intervenes more in other countries' affairs than it did in the past. It also currently hires fewer career professionals for ambassadorial or foreign affairs positions.
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[Trump’s bad Nixon imitation may cost him the presidency](
Ken Hughes, University of Virginia
President Trump solicited foreign help for his presidential campaign. So did presidential candidate Richard Nixon. The difference, writes scholar Ken Hughes, is that Nixon was more skilled at it.
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[This year at the Supreme Court: Gay rights, gun rights and Native rights](
Morgan Marietta, University of Massachusetts Lowell
The upcoming Supreme Court session will address notable cases about the rights of different groups. The cases go to the heart of how U.S. laws protect both individual and group rights.
Arts + Culture
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[3 questions about vodka, answered](
Jeffrey Miller, Colorado State University
To celebrate National Vodka Day, a food historian debunks myths and highlights unknown facts about one of America's favorite liquors.
Ethics + Religion
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[Gandhi’s 150th birthday: A little-remembered philosopher translated the Mahatma’s ideas of nonviolence for Americans](
John Charles Wooding, University of Massachusetts Lowell
Mahatma Gandhi is an iconic figure for the world. Richard Barlett Gregg helped introduce him to Americans.
Science + Technology
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[Curious Kids: How do my eyes adjust to the dark and how long does it take?](
Mark D. Fairchild, Rochester Institute of Technology
Just the tiniest bit of light can let you see in the 'dark.' Here's how your eyes do it.
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[What moons in other solar systems reveal about planets like Neptune and Jupiter](
Bradley Hansen, University of California, Los Angeles
A giant exomoon hundreds of times the size of Earth is revealing secrets about how giant planets like Jupiter and Saturn formed. They might also help astronomers find planets where life may thrive.
Most read on site
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[Could President Trump be impeached and convicted – but also reelected?](
Austin Sarat, Amherst College
A little-known provision of the Constitution might allow Trump to be reelected president in 2020 even if he is removed from office through the impeachment process.
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[3 countries where Trump is popular](
Monti Datta, University of Richmond
Most of the world might hate Trump, but in some places, based largely on his policies, there is hope and even admiration.
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[Low blood pressure could be a culprit in dementia, studies suggest](
Kenneth McLeod, Binghamton University, State University of New York
Researchers are looking for ways to determine who's most at risk for dementia and also ways to detect it early. A scientist who has studied low blood pressure makes a case for a link between the two.
Today’s quote
[“Based on my research since 2001, I believe that the U.S. has transformed itself into what many others view as a global bully.”](
[America now solves problems with troops, not diplomats](
Monica Duffy Toft
Tufts University
[Monica Duffy Toft]
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