Arctic is changing so fast, it's shocking scientists who study it

+ the evolution of Mrs. Claus US Edition - Today's top story: 2021 Arctic Report Card reveals a (human) story of cascading disruptions, extreme events and global connections [View in browser]( US Edition | 15 December 2021 [The Conversation]( This past summer, scientists working at the top of the Greenland Ice Sheet spotted rain falling on the summit – something never before recorded. It was both a shock and warning for the world. The Arctic is warming at more than twice the rate of the rest of the world, and it’s getting wetter. The region’s eight major rivers are sending more freshwater to the Arctic Ocean. Glaciers are retreating. The changes are affecting plants, the land, wildlife and human communities across the region – and around the world. Arctic scientists Matthew Druckenmiller, Twila Moon and Rick Thoman [discuss these and other changes underway in this once reliably icy region]( in their article explaining the findings in the latest Arctic Report Card. Also today: - [‘Why, as a Black woman, the metaverse scares me’]( - [Countering vaccine misinformation among parents]( - [Oy Tannenbaum! The Jewish December dilemma]( Stacy Morford Environment + Climate Editor Community members from Utqiagvik, Alaska, look to open water from the edge of shorefast sea ice. Matthew Druckenmiller [2021 Arctic Report Card reveals a (human) story of cascading disruptions, extreme events and global connections]( Matthew Druckenmiller, University of Colorado Boulder; Rick Thoman, University of Alaska Fairbanks; Twila Moon, University of Colorado Boulder Sea ice is thinning at an alarming rate. Snow is shifting to rain. And humans worldwide are increasingly feeling the impact of what happens in the seemingly distant Arctic. Health + Medicine - [COVID-19 vaccines for children: How parents are influenced by misinformation, and how they can counter it]( Jaime Sidani, University of Pittsburgh Health Sciences; Beth Hoffman, University of Pittsburgh Health Sciences; Maya Ragavan, University of Pittsburgh Health Sciences Pediatricians and other health care providers can take some concrete steps toward building trust and counteracting anti-vaccination misinformation. Science + Technology - [I’m a Black woman and the metaverse scares me – here’s how to make the next iteration of the internet inclusive]( Breigha Adeyemo, University of Illinois at Chicago Today’s social media is plagued by racism and sexism. Without intentionally building the metaverse to be inclusive, it will be, too. - [Pandemic, war and environmental disaster push scientists to deliver quick answers – here’s what it takes to do good science under pressure]( Fiona Greenland, University of Virginia; Michelle D. Fabiani, University of New Haven Scientists can be asked to help find solutions during disasters. A study of how archaeologists worked on the problem of looting during the Syrian war offers lessons for science done during crisis. Politics + Society - [How the Native American population in the US increased 87% says more about whiteness than about demographics]( Circe Sturm, The University of Texas at Austin College of Liberal Arts They’re called ‘pretendians’ – people who long identified as white but are now claiming to be Native American. In the last US Census, the number of Native Americans almost doubled because of them. Ethics + Religion - [Mourning after mass shootings isn’t enough – a sociologist argues that society’s messages about masculinity need to change]( Darcie Vandegrift, Drake University Years after the Sandy Hook massacre, school shootings are still frequent. Addressing the problem head-on takes more than ‘thoughts and prayers.’ - [To tree, or not to tree? How Jewish-Christian families navigate the ‘December Dilemma’]( Samira Mehta, University of Colorado Boulder Figuring out whether to celebrate holidays, and how, is tricky for lots of interfaith families – but thoughtful communication makes a difference. Economy + Business - [Cellphone bans in the workplace are legal and more common among blue-collar jobs – they also might be a safety risk]( Richard Carlson, South Texas College of Law Houston The deaths of six Amazon employees at a factory hit by a tornado raises concerns over prohibitions on cellphones for workers. Arts + Culture - [How Mrs. Claus embodied 19th-century debates about women’s rights]( Maura Ives, Texas A&M University Many early stories praise her work ethic and devotion. But with Mrs. Claus usually hitting the North Pole’s glass ceiling, some writers started to push back. Trending on site - [What’s the difference between a PCR and antigen COVID-19 test? A molecular biologist explains]( - [Why the southern US is prone to December tornadoes]( - [US prep schools held student exchanges with elite Nazi academies]( Today's graphic --------------------------------------------------------------- [A chart showing the amount of annual US consumption of biofuels from 1980 to 2021.]( From the story, [The US biofuel mandate helps farmers, but does little for energy security and harms the environment]( Like this newsletter? You might be interested in our weekly emails: [Politics Weekly]( • [Science Editors' Picks]( • [This Week in Religion]( • [Weekly Highlights]( [The Conversation]( You’re receiving this newsletter from [The Conversation]( 303 Wyman Street, Suite 300 Waltham, MA 02451 [Forward to a friend]( • [Unsubscribe](