UV light shows promise in COVID-19 fight

+ how faith and politics drive climate change denial among evangelicals US Edition - Today's top story: Ultraviolet light can make indoor spaces safer during the pandemic – if it's used the right way [View in browser]( US Edition | 9 September 2020 [The Conversation]( Academic rigor, journalistic flair The saying “sunlight is the best disinfectant” is a metaphor about transparency in politics. Whatever the truth of this cliché, actual sunlight – or at least the ultraviolet portion of it – can be a pretty good way to kill germs. Finding a way to use UV light to disinfect indoor air has taken on new urgency during the COVID-19 pandemic. The challenge, writes Karl Linden, an environmental engineering professor at the University of Colorado Boulder, is doing it effectively and safely. [There are many ways UV light can be used]( to reduce the risk of transmission. But if someone requires you to step through a “UV portal” before entering a building, don’t expect it to magically disinfect you, Linden says. And be sure to keep your eyes closed as you step though. Also today: - [‘Quarantine envy’ puts spotlight on soaring inequality]( - [Why record numbers of Americans are renouncing their citizenship]( - [From Washington to Trump: the history of running for president]( Eric Smalley Science and Technology Editor Institutions like hospitals and transit systems have been using UV disinfection for years. Sergei Bobylev\TASS via Getty Images [Ultraviolet light can make indoor spaces safer during the pandemic – if it’s used the right way]( Karl Linden, University of Colorado Boulder UV disinfection is a proven means of killing pathogens like the SARS-CoV-2 virus, but it's not risk-free. Arts + Culture - [‘Quarantine envy’ could finally wake people up to the deep inequalities that pervade American life]( Jessica Rosenfeld, Washington University in St Louis We're supposed to suppress feelings of envy. But what if the kind spurred by school shutdowns, frontline work and cramped apartments are worth exploring – and acting upon? Politics/Election '20 - [Americans are renouncing U.S. citizenship in record numbers – but maybe not for the reasons you think]( Brett Goodin, New York University Some 10,000 people are likely to give up their US passport this year, way above average. Are they fleeing COVID-19? Nasty politics? Taxes? None of the above, says an expert on American citizenship. - [George Washington was silent, but Trump tweets regularly – running for president has changed over the years]( Sarah Burns, Rochester Institute of Technology The technical qualifications for presidential candidates are the same, but how people seek the nation's highest office has shifted over the centuries. - [Video: How did mask wearing become so politicized?]( Matthew Facciani, Vanderbilt University A political science scholar explains how political beliefs inform the way we process scientific information. Education - [5 things to look for on a college campus that benefit mental health]( Carly Drake, North Central College; Diane Bruce Anstine, North Central College The design of a campus and its buildings and dorms can be crucial to a student's overall well-being. Ethics + Religion - [The largest contemporary Muslim pilgrimage isn’t the hajj to Mecca, it’s the Shiite pilgrimage to Karbala in Iraq]( Edith Szanto, University of Alabama Millions of Muslims travel to Karbala in Iraq for one of the largest annual pilgrimages. The pilgrimage has adapted and changed over its centuries-old history. Health - [What we know about MIS-C, a rare but dangerous illness striking children weeks after they get COVID-19]( Ritu Banerjee, Vanderbilt University Even kids who were asymptomatic when they had COVID-19 have developed multisystem inflammatory syndrome, a new review of hundreds of cases shows. Science + Technology - [Faith and politics mix to drive evangelical Christians’ climate change denial]( Adrian Bardon, Wake Forest University Few white evangelicals in the U.S. say they believe in human-made climate change. This strand of science denial seems to have as much to do with conservative politics as the Bible's teachings. Trending on Site - [Why COVID-19 vaccines need to prioritize ‘superspreaders’]( Dana Goldman, University of Southern California; David Conti, University of Southern California; Matthew E. Kahn, Johns Hopkins University A team of experts argues that after taking care of essential workers, COVID-19 vaccinations should be given to the greatest transmitters of the virus, who are mostly the young. - [What the CDC eviction ban means for tenants and landlords: 6 questions answered]( Katy Ramsey Mason, University of Memphis The CDC's sweeping eviction moratorium leaves more questions than answers – as well as concerns that it merely pushes the problem into winter. - [Why masks are a religious issue]( Leslie Dorrough Smith, Avila University Are masks a religious matter, or is religion being used to suit people’s political agendas? A scholar of Christian conservatism and culture argues both can be true. You’re receiving this newsletter from [The Conversation](. Not interested anymore? 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