Protecting the planet begins with your car

+ how to keep bees healthy US Edition - Today's top story: Revolutionary changes in transportation, from electric vehicles to ride sharing, could slow global warming – if they’re done right, IPCC says [View in browser]( US Edition | 5 April 2022 [The Conversation]( The biggest greenhouse gas emitter in the United States is no longer the power sector. It’s something all of us make choices about every day – transportation. There’s a big difference in emissions between driving a pickup truck that gets 17 miles per gallon and an electric vehicle with zero emissions, or skipping the car altogether and taking public transit or walking. A major report released Monday by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, involving scientists from around the world, gauges the world’s progress so far at stopping climate change. The results are sobering, [but the report also points to innovations]( that have the potential to transform the world for a safer future. Alan Jenn, a transportation specialist at the University of California, Davis, who contributed to the IPCC report, explains four powerful trends in transportation that could [greatly reduce the sector’s greenhouse gas emissions]( – three of them involving human choices and behavior. Also today: - [Is Putin committing war crimes in Ukraine?]( - [MLK’s dream realized in Ketanji Brown Jackson]( - [Meet the chemist who cracked DNA’s code]( Stacy Morford Environment + Climate Editor Electric vehicle sales are growing quickly. Michael Fousert/Unsplash [Revolutionary changes in transportation, from electric vehicles to ride sharing, could slow global warming – if they’re done right, IPCC says]( Alan Jenn, University of California, Davis A new international report on climate change finds rapid changes could cut emissions from transportation by 80% to 90%. Three behavior change trends could bring big improvements. Science + Technology - [How Ukraine has defended itself against cyberattacks – lessons for the US]( Robert Peacock, Florida International University Russian hackers have been attacking Ukraine for years, but with help from US government agencies, businesses and universities Ukraine's cyber defenses have grown stronger. - [Har Gobind Khorana: The chemist who cracked DNA’s code and made the first artificial gene was born into poverty 100 years ago in an Indian village]( Sahotra Sarkar, The University of Texas at Austin College of Liberal Arts Khorana rose from humble beginnings in India to decipher the genetic code. But his enormous contribution to science has been largely overlooked. Politics + Society - [Ketanji Brown Jackson and the color blind society of Martin Luther King Jr.]( Bev-Freda Jackson, American University School of Public Affairs President Joe Biden’s nominee for the US Supreme Court withstood four days of hearings and stands ready to become the first Black woman to serve on the nation’s highest court. - [What are war crimes? 3 essential reads on atrocities in Ukraine and the likelihood of prosecuting Putin]( Amy Lieberman, The Conversation President Biden said that Vladimir Putin had committed war crimes, after news emerged of mass civilian murders in Bucha, Ukraine. Three stories from our archive explain what this means. - [Using lies and disinformation, Putin and his team have been building the case for a Ukraine invasion for 14 years]( Juris Pupcenoks, Marist College; Graig Klein, Leiden University Putin’s rationale for invading Ukraine wasn’t built over just a few months in 2021. Putin and high-level Russia government staff have been trash-talking Ukraine for more than a decade. - [Putin is staking his political future on victory in Ukraine – and has little incentive to make peace]( Monica Duffy Toft, Tufts University Sanctions take time to bite, and Putin has time on his side. Environment + Energy - [Planting mixes of flowers around farm fields helps keep bees healthy]( Hamutahl Cohen, University of Florida Huge single-crop fields attract bees in such numbers that they spread parasites to one another. Planting diverse mixes of flowers around fields helps spread out pollinators and keep them healthy. Health + Medicine - [The 1 in 10 U.S. doctors with reservations about vaccines could be undermining the fight against COVID-19]( Matt Motta, Oklahoma State University; Timothy Callaghan, Texas A&M University Many COVID-19 vaccination campaigns encourage doctors to serve as a trusted source of vaccine information. But certain vaccine-hesitant providers may stymie these efforts. - [How the ‘test to treat’ initiative aims to get ahead of the next wave of COVID-19]( C. Michael White, University of Connecticut; Adrian V. Hernandez, University of Connecticut Earlier detection and treatment of COVID-19 by health care providers in pharmacies could help prevent surges in infection rates and severe illness. Economy + Business - [People are more likely to react to a Black person’s story of injustice – even if it happened to someone who is white]( Anne Hamby, Boise State University People may be more willing to boycott a retailer over an act of injustice that takes place at the store if the source of the story was Black – even if the incident happened to a white person. From our international editions - [IPCC finds the world has its best chance yet to slash emissions – if it seizes the opportunity]( - [Ukraine war: inside the complex web of Russia’s warring intelligence agencies]( - [Nkrumah and football: how Ghana’s top players ended up in North America]( Today's graphic [A chart showing the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve's inventory of crude oil in barrels from October 1977 to March 2022.]( From the story, [Biden bets a million barrels a day will drive down soaring gas prices – what you need to know about the Strategic Petroleum Reserve]( - 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]( • [Global Economy & Business]( - - About The Conversation: We're a nonprofit news organization dedicated to [helping academic experts share ideas with the public](. 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