Here's where the snowfall totals on the news come from

+ what happens when a cyclone 'bombs' US Edition - Today's top story: How is snowfall measured? A meteorologist explains how volunteers tally up winter storms [View in browser]( US Edition | 29 January 2022 [The Conversation]( Lots of people have thermometers affixed to their home’s exterior. Some weather lovers have rain gauges to help them track precipitation. But it’s the devoted few who use snow boards and measuring sticks to keep track of winter’s “solid precipitation.” Meteorologist Bill Syrett from Penn State describes the guidelines that govern how a nationwide network of 8,700 volunteers collects the data that gets fed back to the National Weather Service about how much snow has fallen. Was there freezing rain? Did some snow melt? How long has it been since you cleared the board? “Intrigue, suspense, mystery, controversy,” writes Syrett. “[So much more than just sticking a ruler in the snow](.” This week we also liked articles about what [elementary school teachers]( have experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic, the [everyday people who endure too much scrutiny on TikTok]( and the significance of how [Pope Benedict dealt with reports of sex abuse]( in the Catholic Church. Maggie Villiger Senior Science + Technology Editor Strict rules guide the official count for how much solid precipitation fell. Photos by Vesuviante/Moment via Getty Images [How is snowfall measured? A meteorologist explains how volunteers tally up winter storms]( Bill Syrett, Penn State It’s hard to get accurate measurements, but a nationwide network of more than 8,000 volunteers with rulers and specific standards reports after every storm. Pope Benedict XVI acknowledges the crowd during an audience in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican on Oct.24, 2007. A January 2022 report faulted his handling of several sex abuse cases. AP Photo/Plinio Lepri [Pope Benedict faulted over sex abuse claims: New report is just one chapter in his – and Catholic Church’s – fraught record]( David Gibson, Fordham University Pope Benedict XVI’s many years of wrestling with the abuse crisis highlight the Catholic Church’s broader challenges addressing it. On TikTok, stories can be manufactured and dramatized like an investigative gossip reel. Jenna Drenten [West Elm Caleb and the rise of the TikTok tabloid]( Jenna Drenten, Loyola University Chicago Tabloids traditionally have gone after the rich and famous. On TikTok, anyone can be a target. - [What is a bomb cyclone? An atmospheric scientist explains]( Esther Mullens, University of Florida The key ingredients for a storm to undergo bombogenesis are an unstable atmosphere, temperature differences and high-speed winds in the upper atmosphere. - [‘Teaching has always been hard, but it’s never been like this’ – elementary school teachers talk about managing their classrooms during a pandemic]( Laura Wangsness Willemsen, Concordia University, Saint Paul; Elisheva L. Cohen, Indiana University Halfway through the school year that was supposed to be a return to normal, teachers are barely hanging on. - [Famine, subjugation and nuclear fallout: How Soviet experience helped sow resentment among Ukrainians toward Russia]( Emily Channell-Justice, Harvard University; Jacob Lassin, Arizona State University Ukraine was once known as the breadbasket of Europe, yet it suffered a devastating famine as a result of collectivist plans. That and other Soviet-era grievances have bred resentment toward Russia. - [How 5G puts airplanes at risk – an electrical engineer explains]( - [Federal Reserve plans to raise interest rates ‘soon’ to fight inflation: What that means for consumers and the economy]( - [It’s just a ‘panic attack’ – Russian media blames US for escalating Ukraine crisis]( - [The pandemic changed death rituals and left grieving families without a sense of closure]( - [From odor to action – how smells are processed in the brain and influence behavior]( - [New insights from biology can help overcome siloed thinking in cancer clinical trials and treatment]( - [What’s a 990 form? A charity accounting expert explains]( - [5 tips to help preschoolers with special needs during the pandemic]( - [Offshore wind farms could help capture carbon from air and store it long-term – using energy that would otherwise go to waste]( Like this newsletter? 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