Going hiking? Don't crowd the animals

+ bon appétit! Chez Panisse at 50 US Edition - Today's top story: Don't hike so close to me: How the presence of humans can disturb wildlife up to half a mile away [View in browser]( US Edition | 14 July 2021 [The Conversation]( Academic rigor, journalistic flair For me, one of the best parts of getting outdoors in the summer months is seeing wildlife from the trail or my kayak. But an analysis by conservation scholars Jeremy Dertien, Courtney Larson and Sarah Reed suggests that many of us may unknowingly be altering animals’ behavior from what we think is a safe distance. In a review of hundreds of previous studies, the authors found that [wild animals and birds may experience stress responses]( and alter their behavior even when people are as far away as half a mile. Their research has implications for designing parks and wildlife corridors, and for setting recreation guidelines that give wildlife the space it needs. Also today: - [Working (safely) with dangerous pathogens]( - [Global hunger surged during the pandemic]( - [The problem with noncompete contracts]( Jennifer Weeks Senior Environment + Energy Editor What are you looking at? Greg Shine, BLM/Flickr [Don’t hike so close to me: How the presence of humans can disturb wildlife up to half a mile away]( Jeremy Dertien, Clemson University ; Courtney Larson, University of Wyoming; Sarah Reed, Colorado State University Outdoor recreation is booming across the US, but research shows that the presence of humans – or the trails they hike and ski on – can have harmful effects on wildlife at less-than-close range. Science + Technology - [Mixed-ancestry genetic research shows a bit of Native American DNA could reduce risk of Alzheimer’s disease]( Diane Xue, University of Washington; Hanley Kingston, University of Washington Using a technique called admixture mapping, researchers can leverage the diversity of people with mixed ancestry to look for hard-to-find genetic risk factors for diseases like Alzheimer's disease. - [We work with dangerous pathogens in a downtown Boston biocontainment lab – here’s why you can feel safe about our research]( Ronald Corley, Boston University The microbiologist who directs the National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories at Boston University explains all the biosafety precautions in place that help him feel safer in the lab than out. Politics + Society - [Cuba protests: 4 essential reads on dissent in the post-Castro era]( Catesby Holmes, The Conversation Experts explain the recent history behind the rare public outpouring of anger in Cuba. - [From the labor struggles of the 1930s to the racial reckoning of the 2020s, the Highlander school has sought to make America more equitable]( Jelani M. Favors, Clayton State University The training center, which welcomed Rosa Parks and John Lewis before they became famous, still empowers and inspires marginalized Americans to use their own voices and talents. Economy + Business - [Biden targets noncompete agreements, which restrict the job opportunities of millions of low-wage workers]( Raymond Hogler, Colorado State University The president is asking the Federal Trade Commission to ban or limit their use as part of an executive order promoting competition. - [World hunger surged in 2020, with 1 in 10 people on Earth undernourished]( Jessica Eise, The University of Texas at San Antonio For many of the children who don't get enough to eat, the consequences could last a lifetime. Education - [What is child care insecurity? 2 social scientists explain]( Cassandra M. Johnson, Texas State University; Shailen Singh, Texas State University Child care insecurity has received much less attention than food insecurity, but it is similarly complex. And affordability is only one part of the problem. Environment + Energy - [California wants floating wind farms offshore to boost its power supply – here’s how they work]( Matthew Lackner, University of Massachusetts Amherst Some of the most powerful offshore wind sites are in water too deep for a standard wind turbines. Engineers found a way around the problem. - [Happy 50th birthday to Chez Panisse, the Berkeley restaurant that launched farm-to-fork eating]( Paul Freedman, Yale University 'Local, organic, sustainable' are common buzzwords on US restaurant menus now, but it wasn't always that way. Alice Waters and her restaurant, Chez Panisse, helped put them there. Trending on site - [Sharks that hunted near Antarctica millions of years ago recorded Earth’s climate history in their teeth]( Sora Kim, University of California, Merced These giant predators are helping solve the mystery of Earth's cooling shift some 50 million years ago. - [When Americans recall their roots, they open up to immigration]( Claire L. Adida, University of California San Diego; Adeline Lo, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Lauren Prather, University of California San Diego; Melina Platas, New York University Abu Dhabi; Scott Williamson, New York University Abu Dhabi Research suggests that reminding Americans – Democrats and Republicans – of their family history creates empathy for immigrants and more favorable views toward immigration. - [What’s a suborbital flight? An aerospace engineer explains]( John M. Horack, The Ohio State University Both Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin are sending spacecrafts – and their billionaire founders – into suborbital flight. But what differentiates a suborbital flight from a trip around Earth? --------------------------------------------------------------- Today’s graphic [A graph showing the number of undernourished people.]( You’re receiving this newsletter from [The Conversation](. Not interested anymore? [Unsubscribe](. 303 Wyman Street, Suite 300 Waltham, MA 02451