An ugly side of the beauty industry

+ Politics of gluten + Worthless lockdown drills [Click here to view this message in your web-browser](. Edition: US 23 November 2019 [The Conversation]( Academic rigor, journalistic flair [Jennifer Weeks] A note from... Jennifer Weeks Environment + Energy Editor When I think about hazardous workplaces, I normally picture mines or factories – places that involve heavy machinery and hard physical challenges. Then I ran across a study by environmental engineers Lupita Montoya and Aaron Lamplugh at the University of Colorado Boulder that identified serious health risks for workers in nail salons. Acrylic nails, polishes and removers contain many volatile organic chemicals – compounds that easily become vapors or gases at room temperature. Some, such as benzene and formaldehyde, are known carcinogens. As Montoya and Lamplugh show, nail salon workers – who often are immigrants with limited English skills – can [inhale dangerous levels of these chemicals on the job](. Their study offers hard evidence that workers in this under-regulated sector could use better protection. Also this week we liked stories about the [political affiliations of the gluten sensitive](, a [critique of school lockdown drills]( and [one thing e-cigarettes still have going for them](. The chemicals in nail products put nail salon workers at risk for cancer and other illnesses. Angie Chung/Flickr [Nail salon workers suffer chemical exposures that can be like working at a garage or a refinery]( Lupita D. Montoya, University of Colorado Boulder; Aaron Lamplugh, University of Colorado Boulder The technician who gave you that shiny manicure may be inhaling dangerous levels of toxic chemicals on the job. Lots of common foods tend to be full of gluten. Ezume Images/Shutterstock.com [Gluten-sensitive liberals? Investigating the stereotype suggests food fads unite us all]( Trey Malone, Michigan State University Self-proclaimed gluten sensitivity is on the rise, and so is the stereotype that it goes along with being a politically correct progressive. But is gluten actually a good proxy for social values? Drills can help people learn how to respond when an active shooter situation arises, as recently occurred in Santa Clarita, Calif. AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez [Do lockdown drills do any good?]( Jaclyn Schildkraut, State University of New York Oswego Being ready takes training and practice. But it might not require fake blood and simulated shootings. - [Why saying ‘OK boomer’ at work is considered age discrimination – but millennial put-downs aren’t]( Elizabeth C. Tippett, University of Oregon An employment law expert explains why you shouldn't use an age-related insult at work to demean an older colleague. - [Some smokers credit e-cigarettes with saving their lives – does that matter?]( Allison Kurti, University of Vermont Concerns about e-cigarettes are growing, with the AMA calling for a ban. With the Great American Smokeout on Nov. 21, it's worth asking: What do smokers think? - [Old religious tensions resurge in Bolivia after ouster of longtime indigenous president]( Matthew Peter Casey, Arizona State University Indigenous people, symbols and religious practices filled the halls of power in Bolivia during Evo Morales' 14-year tenure. Now a new conservative Christian leader seems to be erasing that legacy. - [Protections against sexual misconduct on campus may end up stifling free speech]( - [When de-aging De Niro and Pacino, ‘Irishman’ animators tried to avoid pitfalls of the past]( - [What is an oligarch?]( - [Documentary provides rare look at higher education in prison]( - [Christians have lived in Turkey for two millennia – but their future is uncertain]( - [Brain activity predicts which mice will become compulsive drinkers]( - [How rich people like Gordon Sondland buy their way to being US ambassadors – 4 questions answered]( - [Is there hope for a Hong Kong revolution?]( Video of the day - [Enable images to see the chart]( [Donate to help elevate the voices of experts through journalism]( [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