Why the news isn't as scary as it seems

+ the Pilgrims' complicated legacy US Edition - Today's top story: How to read coronavirus news and learn what you actually need to know about staying safe in the pandemic [View in browser]( US Edition | 5 September 2020 [The Conversation]( Academic rigor, journalistic flair If most news feels like bad news, that’s because there really is a lot of bad stuff going on right now. But you may also be remembering only the worst details from the news you read, hear and watch. Thomas Hrach, a media studies professor at the University of Memphis, explains how a common journalism tactic – using personal stories, anecdotes and examples to “humanize” the news – can [unintentionally mislead people about the greatest threats of the pandemic](. This week we also liked articles about [plants that can sense dead people](, [searching for coronavirus clues in sewage]( and [Kamala Harris’ bridge between Black and Asian Americans](. Catesby Holmes International Editor The news helps people navigate a complex and changing pandemic world. But they may not always remember what they need to. AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes [How to read coronavirus news and learn what you actually need to know about staying safe in the pandemic]( Thomas J. Hrach, University of Memphis Journalists use real people's stories to 'humanize' the news. But these tales – whether harrowing or heartwarming – can be misleading about the pandemic's greatest threats. Germs flushed down the drain can be detected at water treatment plants. Derek Davis/Portland Portland Press Herald via Getty Images [COVID-19 clues in a community’s sewage: 4 questions answered about watching wastewater for coronavirus]( Kyle Bibby, University of Notre Dame Sewage surveillance is one technique that can alert authorities to the presence of a pathogen in the community. An environmental engineer explains the state of the science when it comes to SARS-CoV-2. Can plants signal to us when they are sick or detect radiation? Sebastian Kopp/EyeEm via Getty Images [Plants might be able to tell us about the location of dead bodies, helping families find missing people]( Neal Stewart, University of Tennessee Researchers are figuring out how plants respond to the presence of human cadavers. The findings could prove important for discovering the locations of murder victims or mass graves. - [The complicated legacy of the Pilgrims is finally coming to light 400 years after they landed in Plymouth]( Peter C. Mancall, University of Southern California – Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences Descendants from the Pilgrims were keen to highlight their ancestors' role in the country's founding. But their sanitized version of events is only now starting to be told in full. - [Kamala Harris represents an opportunity for coalition building between Blacks and Asian Americans]( Danielle Casarez Lemi, Southern Methodist University; Melina Juárez Pérez, Western Washington University Black and Asian American communities have been portrayed as in opposition to each other. Multiracial Kamala Harris, both Asian American and Black, represents the potential for coalition building. - [Mail-in voting lessons from Oregon, the state with the longest history of voting by mail]( Priscilla Southwell, University of Oregon Oregon's experience shows that mail-in voting can be safe and secure, providing accurate and reliable results the public can be confident in. - [Looser standards for showerheads could send a lot of water and money down the drain]( - [What college students need to know about liability waivers for COVID-19]( - [Race and class can color teachers’ digital expectations for their students – with white students getting more encouragement]( - [Indian Americans can be an influential voting bloc – despite their small numbers]( - [Steroids cut COVID-19 death rates, but not for everyone – here’s who benefits and who doesn’t]( Ice core analysis can help us better understand historical ‘black swan’ events like pandemics and droughts. The Washington Post via Getty Images [Video: How ancient ice cores show ‘black swan’ events in history – even pandemics]( Lonnie Thompson, The Ohio State University; Ellen Mosley-Thompson, The Ohio State University Ice cores can preserve evidence of 'black swan' events like pandemics and droughts, but the glaciers from which they are collected are disappearing. You’re receiving this newsletter from [The Conversation](. Not interested anymore? [Unsubscribe](. 89 South Street - Suite 202 Boston, MA 02111