What's up in Pakistan + thawing permafrost | Top 5

+ talking to conservatives about COVID-19 media coverage US Edition - Today's top story: Do you need a second booster shot? An epidemiologist scoured the latest research and has some answers [View in browser]( US Edition | 17 April 2022 [The Conversation]( Welcome to Sunday! Our top five articles of the past week are displayed below. Over this spring weekend, many people in the U.S. will gather with friends and family for [a Passover Seder,]( marking the liberation of Jews from Egypt, or [an Easter gathering celebrating Christ’s resurrection](. This year, these feasts are just a few weeks ahead of the Muslim feast day Eid, which comes at [the end of Ramadan’s month of fasting](. From Sri Lanka to Laos, millions last week observed [Songkran, a Buddhist holiday]( that involves public water fights and family reunions. Also, Sikhs worldwide – including half a million in the U.S. – marked [Baisakhi](, a harvest festival with religious significance. And Jains celebrated the birthday of the founder of their [tiny but ancient faith](, one of the six primary religions of India today. Watching as your neighbors prepare for their own rites of spring, including even [some secular ones involving long runs](, can make people curious about others’ beliefs. What do these spring celebrations have in common, and how are they unique? And what’s up with [that bunny that brings colorful eggs?]( If these kind of questions fascinates you, you may be interested in “This Week in Religion,” a newsletter at the intersection of faith, politics, arts and culture that [The Conversation’s religion team produces in collaboration with the Associated Press and Religion News Service](. Whatever you’re celebrating this weekend – even if it is just the return of major league baseball – enjoy it! P.S., I just got my second coronavirus booster on Friday. Should you? My decision was made easier after I read epidemiologist Katelyn Jetelina’s [breakdown of the latest evidence](, one of our top five this week. P.P.S., You can also read this newsletter in a [magazine-style e-book PDF](. Emily Costello Managing Editor The CDC recommends the second booster for those over 50 who received their initial booster shot at least four months earlier. Scott Olson via Getty Images News [Do you need a second booster shot? An epidemiologist scoured the latest research and has some answers]( Katelyn Jetelina, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston New data on the second booster suggests the older you are, the more you need it. Thousands of years ago, people in this part of Sudan used underground tombs to bury their dead. Michele R. Buzon [Archaeological site along the Nile opens a window on the Nubian civilization that flourished in ancient Sudan]( Michele R. Buzon, Purdue University Promoting and practicing ethical research that includes the people who live in the area today is as important to the archaeological team as learning more about the lives of the ancient inhabitants. - [What’s next for Pakistan after Imran Khan’s ouster?]( Ayesha Jalal, Tufts University The former prime minister was forced from office by a vote of no confidence. But that doesn’t mean the political drama is over, an expert on Pakistani politics explains. - [Conservatives feel blamed, shamed and ostracized by the media]( Doron Taussig, Ursinus College; Anthony M. Nadler, Ursinus College A series of in-depth interviews with self-described conservatives found concerns that go beyond concerns about selective facts or obvious partisanship. - [Thawing permafrost is roiling the Arctic landscape, driven by a hidden world of changes beneath the surface as the climate warms]( Mark J. Lara, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Ground is collapsing and massive lakes are draining in a matter of days. Thawing permafrost is having profound effects on the region and its infrastructure. Download the new e-book edition We're experimenting with a magazine version of this newsletter that you can download to read on a tablet, on an e-reader or on paper. [Try it out]( and let us know what you think by replying to this email. Like this newsletter? You might be interested in our other weekly emails: [Science Editors' Picks]( • [This Week in Religion]( • [Politics Weekly]( • [Global Economy & Business]( 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](