Putin's Cold War envy

+ hearing the echo of extinct birds US Edition - Today's top story: A new Cold War emerging as Russia launches full-scale invasion of Ukraine [View in browser]( US Edition | 26 February 2022 [The Conversation]( For most Americans, Ukraine is a faraway place that shares little history with us. The Cold War is an exception. Thought it was gone for good when the Soviet Union crumbled? Well, a new Cold War is emerging. In an article he wrote for The Conversation, Jaro Bilocerkowycz, a University of Dayton political scientist, explores why [Putin doesn’t fear military threats on his borders](. After all, he points out, Russia has a powerful nuclear arsenal and the largest conventional forces in Europe. What Putin does fear, Bilocerkowycz writes, is the spread of democracy to places like Ukraine. This week we also liked articles about a man who sparked a big debate over humans’ role in [climate change in the early 20th century](, the mental health benefits transgender adolescents get from [puberty blockers and gender-affirming hormone therapy]( and why many [Muslim women wear hijab while engaging in sports](. Howard Manly Race + Equity Editor Soldiers with the 92nd Mechanized Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces conduct drills in northeastern Ukraine on Jan. 31, 2022. Vyacheslav Madiyevskyy/ Ukrinform/Future Publishing via Getty Images) [A new Cold War emerging as Russia launches full-scale invasion of Ukraine]( Jaro Bilocerkowycz, University of Dayton The days of Soviet bloc countries in Eastern Europe disappeared at the end of the Cold War nearly 30 years ago. It appears Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to start a new Cold War.. Ketanji Brown Jackson at her Senate Judiciary Committee hearing as a nominee to be a U.S. Circuit Judge for the District of Columbia Circuit, on April 28, 2021. Tom Williams-Pool/Getty Images) [Biden nominates Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court: 7 questions answered]( Alexis Karteron, Rutgers University - Newark A constitutional law professor provides insight on what Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, the first Black woman nominated to the Supreme Court, could mean for how that court works. Colorized version of a 1935 photo of a male ivory-billed woodpecker, now believed to be extinct. Photographed by Arthur A. Allen. Forestry Images/Wikipedia [Digital sound archives can bring extinct birds (briefly) back to life]( Hannah Hunter, Queen's University, Ontario There are no more ivory-billed woodpeckers or Bachman’s Warblers on Earth, but they’ve left an echo behind. - [A mild-mannered biker triggered a huge debate over humans’ role in climate change – in the early 20th century]( Sylvia G. Dee, Rice University His theory, based on years of detailed climate and weather data, became known as the Callendar Effect. Today we call it global warming. - [Transgender youth on puberty blockers and gender-affirming hormones have lower rates of depression and suicidal thoughts, a new study finds]( Diana Tordoff, University of Washington; Arin Collin, University of Washington A wealth of evidence supports the protective mental health effects of gender-affirming care, despite ongoing legislation that asserts otherwise. - [Why Muslim women choose to wear headscarves while participating in sports]( Umer Hussain, Texas A&M University; George B. Cunningham, Texas A&M University Two researchers collected data from Muslim women in 34 countries on their views on wearing sports hijab. Here is what they found. - [How long does protective immunity against COVID-19 last after infection or vaccination? Two immunologists explain]( - [Targeting Putin’s inner circle and keeping Europe on board: Why Biden’s sanctions may actually work to make Russia pay for invading Ukraine]( - [How much damage could a Russian cyberattack do in the US?]( - [Beyond NATO, new alliances could defend democracy and counter Putin]( - [Putin’s claims that Ukraine is committing genocide are baseless, but not unprecedented]( - [Why Ukrainian Americans are committed to preserving Ukrainian culture – and national sovereignty]( - [A historian corrects misunderstandings about Ukrainian and Russian history]( - [Ancient DNA helps reveal social changes in Africa 50,000 years ago that shaped the human story]( - [COVID-19 cases on campus could surge after spring break unless students take certain precautions]( - More from The Conversation US - Like this newsletter? You might be interested in our weekly emails: [Politics Weekly]( • [Science Editors' Picks]( • [This Week in Religion]( • [Weekly Highlights]( - - About The Conversation: We're a nonprofit news organization dedicated to [helping academic experts share ideas with the public](. We can give away our articles thanks to the help of foundations, universities and readers like you. [Donate now to support research-based journalism]( [The Conversation]( You’re receiving this newsletter from [The Conversation]( 303 Wyman Street, Suite 300 Waltham, MA 02451 [Forward to a friend]( • [Unsubscribe](