+ the Army wants mobile nuclear reactors â history has lessons US Edition - Today's top story: Why the US won't be able to shirk moral responsibility in leaving Afghanistan [View in browser]( US Edition | 20 July 2021 [The Conversation](
Academic rigor, journalistic flair Most U.S. troops have left their bases in Afghanistan, ending nearly two decades of American military presence. Experts have raised concerns about the stability of the regime in Afghanistan and whether this withdrawal could eventually result in a takeover by the Taliban. University of Washington political philosopher Michael Blake, writing about the ethics of the U.S. withdrawal, argues that even if this may be the right action, the United States [cannot escape ownership of the moral wrongs that may follow](. At best, it might seek to minimize the wrongs and in future conflicts enter with an exit strategy, he adds. Also today: - [Consumersâ âmindful drinkingâ is changing craft beers](
- [When oil pipelines helped win the war](
- [Propaganda has been democratized]( Kalpana Jain Senior Religion + Ethics Editor
A handover ceremony as U.S. troops prepare to leave Afghanistan. Afghan Ministry of Defense Press Office via AP
[Why the US wonât be able to shirk moral responsibility in leaving Afghanistan]( Michael Blake, University of Washington There is much at stake as the US withdraws troops from Afghanistan. A political philosopher explains why the US cannot escape the moral consequences of its actions. Environment + Energy -
[The US Army tried portable nuclear power at remote bases 60 years ago â it didnât go well]( Paul Bierman, University of Vermont Nearly 60 years after a radiation-leaking reactor was removed from a US Army base on the Greenland ice sheet, the military is exploring portable nuclear reactors again. -
[Worldâs coral scientists warn action is needed now to save even a few reefs from climate change]( Sam Purkis, University of Miami During a 2015 heat wave, scientists watched as a coral reef died before their eyes. By the end of the century, almost all the world's corals will be gone if climate change continues at this pace. -
[Energy pipelines are controversial now, but one of the first big ones helped win World War II]( W. Bernard Carlson, University of Virginia Proposals for new oil and gas pipelines can generate intense debate today, but during World War II the US built an oil pipeline more than 1,300 miles long in less than a year. Politics + Society -
[Election polls in 2020 produced âerror of unusual magnitude,â expert panel finds, without pinpointing cause]( W. Joseph Campbell, American University School of Communication A task force of polling experts found surveys notably understated support for Donald Trump, both nationally and at the state level. Here's what may have gone wrong, according to a polling historian. -
[We are all propagandists now]( Jennifer Mercieca, Texas A&M University America's public sphere is broken because propaganda has replaced political communication. How did we all become propagandists? Science + Technology -
[Low- and middle-income countries lack access to big data analysis â hereâs how to fill the gap]( David Gunderman, University of Colorado Boulder; Eric Vance, University of Colorado Boulder Data science infrastructure is sorely needed in many places. Doctors Without Borders brings medical help to nations in need, but similar efforts are relatively small for statistics. Arts + Culture -
[For some craft beer drinkers, less can mean more]( Colleen C. Myles, Texas State University Thanks to shifting tastes and improvements to the brewing process, more craft brewers are offering low-alcohol and nonalcoholic options â and are going toe to toe with America's beer giants. Economy + Business -
[Why livestreamers should sell their products with a poker face â not a smile]( Michel Ballings, University of Tennessee; Neeraj Bharadwaj, University of Tennessee; Prasad Naik, University of California, Davis A new study found that sales went down when salespeople conveyed emotion during their pitch â including expressions of happiness. From our international editions -
[Three experts share their thoughts on the end of COVID restrictions in England]( Zania Stamataki, University of Birmingham; Dominic Wilkinson, University of Oxford; Francois Balloux, UCL Experts in viral immunology, ethics and computational biology share their thoughts on England sloughing off the last of the COVID restrictions. -
[Why have South Africans been on a looting rampage? Research offers insights]( Guy Lamb, Stellenbosch University An uncomfortable reality is that looting is perceived by the looters to be socially acceptable and is often encouraged and endorsed within social and community networks. -
[Victoriaâs 5-day lockdown may not quash Delta. Hereâs what our modelling predicts instead]( Lei Zhang, Monash University; Christopher Fairley, Monash University; Guihua Zhuang, Xi'an Jiaotong University; Zhuoru Zou, Xi'an Jiaotong University The good news is Victoria is more likely to reach zero case of community transmission sooner if vaccination rates pick up, even modestly. --------------------------------------------------------------- Todayâs graphic [A chart showing the difference between average annual temperature and 20th century average in degrees Celsius.]( Youâre receiving this newsletter from [The Conversation](.
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