Jan. 6 hearings offer 'history in real time'

+ heat pumps, solar panels and national security US Edition - Today's top story: Jan. 6 hearing gives primetime exposure to violent footage and dramatic evidence – the question is, to what end? [View in browser]( US Edition | 10 June 2022 [The Conversation]( The public hearing on the Jan. 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol contained many startling revelations and flashy quotes, including former U.S. Attorney General Bill Barr calling former President Donald Trump’s voter fraud claims “bullshit.” But the moment that stood out most to me was when Rep Liz Cheney, a Republican, warned her party: “There will be a day when Donald Trump is gone, but your dishonor will remain.” It highlighted how Republicans have repeatedly resisted holding the former president accountable for his actions – despite his two impeachments. Similarly, Republicans didn’t do anything about Richard Nixon – until they feared the wrath of voters, and today’s GOP is even less likely to turn on Trump, writes the University of Virginia’s Ken Hughes – who has studied the history of Watergate and is one of three scholars [we asked to watch the hearings and share their reactions](. If the public does compel Republicans to change their tune, it might be due in part to what Wayne State philosopher Mark Satta called the House committee’s ability to “show and not tell” – not only what happened on Jan. 6 but in the weeks of election lies that led up to it. Political scientist Claire Leavitt of Grinnell College also praised the substance of the hearing, noting how the committee relied on Bill Barr, Trump’s own attorney general, to debunk the former president’s “Big Lie.” For Leavitt, the hearings were “history being written in real time.” Also today: - [Blaming ‘evil’ for mass violence isn’t as simple as it seems]( - [What the Proud Boys want: a white nation]( - [Grassroots humanitarianism is inspiring but problematic]( Howard Manly Race + Equity Editor A video image shows the U.S. Capitol grounds being breached as the House Jan. 6 committee holds its first public hearing. Mandel Ngan/Pool via AP [Jan. 6 hearing gives primetime exposure to violent footage and dramatic evidence – the question is, to what end?]( Mark Satta, Wayne State University; Claire Leavitt, Grinnell College; Ken Hughes, University of Virginia The House committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol held its first hearing to present what it has learned during its almost year-long probe. Three scholars analyze the event. Arts + Culture - [Give this AI a few words of description and it produces a stunning image – but is it art?]( Aaron Hertzmann, University of Washington The text-to-art program DALL-E 2 generates images from brief descriptions. But what does it mean to make art when an algorithm automates so much of the creative process itself? Ethics + Religion - [Blaming ‘evil’: a philosophical paradox, unpacked]( Elise Springer, Wesleyan University The word ‘evil’ sends a clear message – or does it? There are deep tensions in what the word means, and what it can accomplish. Politics + Society - [Regardless of seditious conspiracy charges’ outcome, right-wing groups like Proud Boys seek to build a white nation]( Matthew Valasik, University of Alabama; Shannon Reid, University of North Carolina – Charlotte White supremacist groups seek to solidify their control over the US by changing the government, sometimes by violence. Economy + Business - [What ‘grassroots humanitarians’ eager to travel to Ukraine or its borders should know before dashing off]( Patrice McMahon, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Uninvited and inexperienced visitors arriving with good ideas and wads of cash can take time and energy away from what displaced Ukrainians want and need. Science + Technology - [Newly discovered fast radio burst challenges what astronomers know about these powerful astronomical phenomena]( Kshitij Aggarwal, West Virginia University Astronomers studying fast radio bursts recently discovered one that repeats, has a persistent radio signal and originated in a galaxy much closer than it should have. Environment + Energy - [Why Biden just declared heat pumps and solar panels essential to national defense]( Daniel Cohan, Rice University Other presidents used the Defense Production Act to boost fossil fuel supplies. Biden is using it to replace them with clean energy. But just ramping up production isn’t enough. - [What is chronic wasting disease? A wildlife scientist explains the fatal prion infection killing deer and elk across North America]( Allan Houston, University of Tennessee A deadly neurological infection, chronic wasting disease, has been detected in deer, elk and moose in 30 states and four Canadian provinces. Human risk is low, but hunters need to take precautions. Education - [Decades after special education law and key ruling, updates still languish]( Charles J. Russo, University of Dayton Four decades after the first Supreme Court ruling on the rights of students with disabilities, Congress has not made clear exactly what it expects of school districts. Health + Medicine - [Sepsis still kills 1 in 5 people worldwide – two ICU physicians offer a new approach to stopping it]( Emily Brant, University of Pittsburgh Health Sciences; Kristina E. Rudd, University of Pittsburgh Health Sciences Sepsis onset can be difficult to recognize, in part because its symptoms can mimic those of many other conditions. A treatment delay of even a few hours can make the difference between life and death. From our international editions - [Ukraine: British POWs sentenced to death after ‘show trial’ which appears to violate Geneva Conventions]( - [Where has the joy of working in Australian universities gone?]( - [Conservation science still rests on how animals can benefit humans]( The Conversation Quiz 🧠According to the World Health Organization, rates of depression and anxiety in the first year of the pandemic increased worldwide by what percentage? - A. 5% - B. 10% - C. 25% - D. 33% [Click here for the answer.]( - - - 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](