The Earth in 500 years + US forests and coastlines are changing | Top 5

+ forest thinning can curb fires US Edition - Today's top story: Declined invitations go over more graciously when lack of money is cited instead of lack of time – new research [View in browser]( US Edition | 8 August 2021 [The Conversation]( Academic rigor, journalistic flair Welcome to Sunday! The top five stories on our website this week are displayed below. What is a good archival story to highlight on Sunday? Do you want a strong dose of important information – or a little break from the news cycle? If you fall into the first camp, I recommend reading – or rereading – an explanation by Peter Chin-Hong of UC San Francisco of why the CDC recently changed [its policy on masking for people who are fully vaccinated](. If you prefer a little rest, it just so happens that today is International Cat Day. That makes it a perfect time to revisit this article by the University of Tennessee’s Julia Albright about [why cats knead with their paws]( – or this throwback to a time the internet was excited by [how easy it is to attract cats to squares taped on the ground](, as explained by Tufts University’s Nicholas Dodman. Something serious or anything but? If you have thoughts to share, [email me](mailto:emily.costello@theconversation.com). Emily Costello Managing Editor Be careful how you decline wedding invitations. Jitalia17/iStock via Getty Images [Declined invitations go over more graciously when lack of money is cited instead of lack of time – new research]( Grant Donnelly, The Ohio State University; Ashley Whillans, Harvard Business School Several studies found that using the excuse ‘I don’t have time’ when declining an invitation harmed the relationship with the person who extended it. Giant sea bass are listed as a critically endangered species. Maru Brito [Giant sea bass are thriving in Mexican waters – scientific research that found them to be critically endangered stopped at the US-Mexico border]( Arturo Ramírez-Valdez, University of California San Diego The giant sea bass fishery collapsed long ago in the US, but that didn’t mean the species was endangered. New research shows these iconic fish have been thriving south of the border. - [What will the Earth be like in 500 years?]( Michael A. Little, Binghamton University, State University of New York; William D. MacDonald, Binghamton University, State University of New York The Earth is constantly changing in natural ways, but most of those changes are very slow. Humans are speeding up other changes with global warming. - [Climate change is already disrupting US forests and coasts – here’s what we’re seeing at 5 long-term research sites]( Michael Paul Nelson, Oregon State University; Peter Mark Groffman, CUNY Graduate Center This kind of research, with consistent data collection at the same locations over time, helps support global understanding of climate change. - [How years of fighting every wildfire helped fuel the Western megafires of today]( Susan J. Prichard, University of Washington; Keala Hagmann, University of Washington; Paul Hessburg, United States Forest Service More than 40 fire scientists and forest ecologists in the US and Canada teamed up to investigate why wildfires are getting more extreme. Climate change is part of the problem, but there’s more. You’re receiving this newsletter from [The Conversation](. Not interested anymore? [Unsubscribe](. 303 Wyman Street, Suite 300 Waltham, MA 02451