The Supreme Court abortion case that's already weakened Roe v. Wade

+ decades-old documents show what oil companies knew when on climate change US Edition - Today's top story: The erosion of Roe v. Wade and abortion access didn't begin in Texas or Mississippi – it started in Pennsylvania in 1992 [View in browser]( US Edition | 28 October 2021 [The Conversation]( Talk about a woman’s right to have an abortion in the United States and you invariably talk about Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 case that legalized abortion. The Supreme Court this session will consider two states’ severe restrictions on that right – one from Texas and the other from Mississippi. But while most current discussions of these upcoming cases focus on whether the Court will dismantle the precedent established by Roe v. Wade, political scientist Alison Gash from the University of Oregon says that the protections established by Roe were already diminished by the court in 1992 in a case called Planned Parenthood v. Casey. “What’s more,” writes Gash, “[Casey has given conservative courts ample room to further limit abortion protections](.” Also today: - [The ‘pet parenting’ trend, explained by evolutionary science]( - [The many steps to sainthood]( - [Study shows social spending can lead to less child abuse]( Naomi Schalit Senior Editor, Politics + Society Demonstrators in Austin march at the Texas State Capitol in just one of many rallies held across the U.S. to protest the state’s new abortion law. Montinique Monroe/Getty Images News via Getty Images [The erosion of Roe v. Wade and abortion access didn’t begin in Texas or Mississippi – it started in Pennsylvania in 1992]( Alison Gash, University of Oregon A Supreme Court decision in a case called Planned Parenthood v. Casey opened the door to state laws restricting availability of abortions. The Court hears oral arguments about a Texas abortion law Monday. Environment + Energy The oil industry was aware of the risks of climate change decades ago. Barry Lewis/InPictures via Getty Images [What Big Oil knew about climate change, in its own words]( Benjamin Franta, Stanford University Transcripts and internal documents show how the industry shifted from leading research into fossil fuels’ effect on the climate to sowing doubt about science. CEOs testify before Congress today. Health + Medicine - [State spending on anti-poverty programs could substantially reduce child abuse and neglect]( Henry T. Puls, University of Missouri-Kansas City; Paul J. Chung, University of California, Los Angeles Public investments in benefit programs could save tens of thousands of children from being victims of child abuse and have important later-life effects on child welfare and overall health. - [Rwanda and Senegal will host Africa’s first COVID-19 vaccine plants – what’s known so far]( David Richard Walwyn, University of Pretoria For the first time, the drug substance, or active ingredient for a COVID-19 vaccine - in this case mRNA - will be manufactured on the continent. Ethics + Religion - [Nearly half of all churches and other faith institutions help people get enough to eat]( Brad R. Fulton, Indiana University Congregations can help bridge gaps left by government programs, especially for many immigrants and others who are not eligible for SNAP benefits. - [What’s a ‘miracle’? Here’s how the Catholic Church decides]( Dorian Llywelyn, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences To qualify as a Catholic ‘saint,’ someone must have two miracles credited to them. But how does the church define a miracle in the first place? Science + Technology - [New research suggests cat and dog ‘moms’ and ‘dads’ really are parenting their pets – here’s the evolutionary explanation why]( Shelly Volsche, Boise State University Human beings evolved to nurture – and that drive can extend to children who aren’t your own and even to members of other species. Trending on site - [Cellphone data shows that people navigate by keeping their destinations in front of them – even when that’s not the most efficient route]( Carlo Ratti, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) As you’re walking through city streets on your way to work, school or appointments, you probably feel like you’re taking the most efficient route. Thanks to evolution, you’re probably not. - [Supreme Court rulings always include the perspective of a white male, but often exclude viewpoints of Black and Latina justices]( David Orentlicher, University of Nevada, Las Vegas Despite a historically diverse high court, its voting rules often fail to include minority viewpoints. That could be avoided if justices decided their cases by unanimous vote. - [An infectious disease expert explains new federal rules on ‘mix-and-match’ vaccine booster shots]( Glenn J. Rapsinski, University of Pittsburgh Health Sciences As boosters are authorized for all three COVID-19 shots available in the US, the ability to swap out vaccine types looks to be a boon to the immune system. - --------------------------------------------------------------- Today’s graphic [A chart showing carbon emissions over the last 200 years.]( From the story, [4 key issues to watch as world leaders prepare for the Glasgow climate summit]( [The Conversation]( You’re receiving this newsletter from [The Conversation]( 303 Wyman Street, Suite 300 Waltham, MA 02451 [Forward to a friend]( • [Unsubscribe](