It's hard to know how many QAnon believers there are

+ witches and beer, de-icing wind turbines US Edition - Today's top story: Support for QAnon is hard to measure – and polls may overestimate it [View in browser]( US Edition | 5 March 2021 [The Conversation]( Academic rigor, journalistic flair Seems like everyone – officials, regular people and media types alike – is talking about QAnon. But how many people really believe the outlandish and utterly baseless idea that Satan-worshipping cannibalistic pedophiles are running the world? Polls are among the ways people are trying to figure out how widespread this set of beliefs is, and James Shanahan, dean of the Media School at Indiana University, summarizes the findings of several recent ones. But Shanahan, who studies how false ideas spread online, cautions that [polls aren’t always the best way]( to judge the public’s thinking. Also today: - [A better way to explain $1.9 trillion in government spending?]( - [The problems with school testing in the pandemic]( - [More signs that processed food affects the gut microbiome]( Jeff Inglis Politics + Society Editor It’s not clear exactly how many people believe or follow QAnon. AP Photo/Matt Rourke [Support for QAnon is hard to measure – and polls may overestimate it]( James Shanahan, Indiana University How many Americans really have lost touch with reality? Arts + Culture - [Women used to dominate the beer industry – until the witch accusations started pouring in]( Laken Brooks, University of Florida Much of the iconography we associate with witches, from the pointy hat to the cauldron, originated from women working as master brewers. Environment + Energy - [The science behind frozen wind turbines – and how to keep them spinning through the winter]( Hui Hu, Iowa State University Wind turbines in cold areas typically include methods for removing and repelling ice, but those methods can waste energy. There's a better way. Economy + Business - [Support for Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package may not be as broad as it seems – it’s all a matter of perspective]( Aaron Saiewitz, University of Nevada, Las Vegas; M. David Piercey, University of Massachusetts Amherst It's awfully hard to wrap your mind around a sum that large. But converting it to a more bite-size representation can affect a voter's willingness to support government spending. Education - [Going forth with standardized tests may cause more problems than it solves]( Erin Marie Furtak, University of Colorado Boulder; Lorrie Shepard, University of Colorado Boulder; William R. Penuel, University of Colorado Boulder Despite the disruption and challenges of COVID-19, standardized tests for America's students are expected to proceed this spring or fall. But what will the tests really show? Ethics + Religion - [Why white supremacists and QAnon enthusiasts are obsessed – but very wrong – about the Byzantine Empire]( Roland Betancourt, University of California, Irvine Long overlooked in the West, the Byzantine Empire has recently picked up interest among far-right and conspiracist circles. A historian of medieval culture explains what white supremacists get wrong. Science + Technology - [Fungal microbiome: Whether mice get fatter or thinner depends on the fungi that live in their gut]( Kent Willis, University of Alabama at Birmingham; Justin D. Stewart, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam Fungi are a small but important part of the gut microbiome. A new study in mice shows that how much weight mice gain on a processed food diet depends on this fungal microbiome. From our international editions - [How the world ran out of semiconductors]( Hamza Mudassir, Cambridge Judge Business School Welcome to the great silicon famine of 2021. And 2022. And 2023. And ... - [5 ways the COVID-19 pandemic has forever changed cybersecurity]( Michael Parent, Simon Fraser University The coronavirus pandemic has meant homes rather than offices have become workplaces. Companies need to respond to these new cybersecurity threats. - [South-west Iceland is shaking – and may be about to erupt]( Dave McGarvie, Lancaster University The last time south-west Iceland experienced a turbulent period of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions was in the 1300s. --------------------------------------------------------------- [Iraq’s Christian population is dropping]( You’re receiving this newsletter from [The Conversation](. Not interested anymore? [Unsubscribe](. 303 Wyman Street, Suite 300 Waltham, MA 02451