An activist Supreme Court challenges federal power to regulate

+ how to take advantage of your body's internal clock US Edition - Today's top story: The Supreme Court has curtailed EPA's power to regulate carbon pollution – and sent a warning to other regulators [View in browser]( US Edition | 1 July 2022 [The Conversation]( In a 6-3 ruling, the Supreme Court has blunted the Environmental Protection Agency’s ability to regulate carbon dioxide emissions from power plants, which are a major driver of climate change. The ruling, striking down an Obama administration plan the Biden administration had no intent of carrying out, [could have broader impacts on federal regulation]( in areas like health and workplace safety. The majority deemed the plan’s goal of shifting power generation away from coal and toward cleaner alternatives to be a “major question” – a rarely used concept in administrative law – and concluded that the EPA did not have authority to pursue it without clear direction from Congress. Legal scholar Patrick Parenteau calls the ruling evidence of “an activist court asserting its power to curtail what it perceives as the excesses of regulatory agencies.” On a separate note, we want to offer our gratitude to the 1,046 readers who gave during our fundraising campaign, helping us meet our goal and close the books on our 2022 fiscal year with the highest amount we’ve ever raised in June. Reader support strengthens our ability to bring the voices of experts to you and readers around the world for free. (And, if you want to help us have a strong start to our 2023 fiscal year, [it’s never too late to give](.) Thank you. Also today: - [White people who feel discriminated against]( - [Evil abortionists in 19th-century literature]( - [Viruses can make you a mosquito magnet]( Jennifer Weeks Senior Environment + Energy Editor [The Supreme Court has curtailed EPA’s power to regulate carbon pollution – and sent a warning to other regulators]( Patrick Parenteau, Vermont Law School In a 6-3 ruling, the Supreme Court held that an Obama administration plan to regulate carbon emissions from power plants exceeded the power that Congress gave to the Environmental Protection Agency. Science + Technology - [Your body has an internal clock that dictates when you eat, sleep and might have a heart attack – all based on time of day]( Shogo Sato, Texas A&M University Your body follows a circadian rhythm that influences everything from how well your medications work to the best time for exercise. - [Viruses can change your scent to make you more attractive to mosquitoes, new research in mice finds]( Penghua Wang, University of Connecticut Certain viruses like dengue and Zika can make their hosts smell tastier to mosquitoes. Luckily, vitamin A and its derivatives may help combat these odor changes. - [Winning the Tour de France requires subtle physics, young muscles and an obscene amount of calories – 3 essential reads]( Daniel Merino, The Conversation Three scientists explain the biology and physics of what goes into one of the world’s most grueling races, the Tour de France. Economy + Business - [Abortion benefits: Companies have a simple and legal way to help their workers living in anti-abortion states – expanding paid time off]( Elizabeth C. Tippett, University of Oregon Some companies say they will cover travel expenses to help workers in states where abortion is illegal get the procedure, but doing so could pose legal challenges. Arts + Culture - [How 19th-century literature spread the archetype of the ‘evil abortionist’]( Margaret Jay Jessee, University of Alabama at Birmingham Sensationalism, it seems, is ingrained in any conversation about abortion because the issue has long acted as a projection of the country’s deepest fears. Ethics + Religion - [Many anti-abortion activists before Roe were liberals who were inspired by 20th-century Catholic social teaching]( Daniel K. Williams, University of West Georgia A historian explains why the pre-Roe anti-abortion movement was filled with liberal Democrats who opposed the Vietnam War and supported the expansion of the welfare state. Politics + Society - [Poll reveals white Americans see an increase in discrimination against other white people and less against other racial groups]( Stella Rouse, University of Maryland; Shibley Telhami, University of Maryland Researchers found political partisanship is a significant factor in determining perceptions of discrimination against different racial groups. - [Supreme Court’s ‘Remain in Mexico’ ruling puts immigration policy in the hands of voters – as long as elected presidents follow the rules]( Kevin Johnson, University of California, Davis In the last decision of the term, the Supreme Court cleared a barrier for the Biden administration to end a Trump-era policy returning asylum seekers arriving in the US to camps in Mexico. - [What are bail funds? Two social policy experts explain]( Cynthia A. Golembeski, The New School; Matthew Bakko, University of Michigan The median amount of cash bail is $10,000 – an immense sum for people living in poverty. Bail funds, unlike bail bondsmen, don’t charge high fees. From our international editions - [What is ‘heteropessimism’, and why do men and women suffer from it?]( - [Nine vegetables that are healthier for you when cooked]( - [What’s in a name? Why giving monkeypox a new one is a good idea]( The Conversation Quiz 🧠About how much of the water used in the Colorado River Basin is consumed by farmers? - A. 25% - B. 33% - C. 50% - D. 80% [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. 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