What happens when Arctic islands aren't islands at all

+ the long wait for household robots US Edition - Today's top story: Ghost islands of the Arctic: The world’s ‘northern-most island’ isn’t the first to be erased from the map [View in browser]( US Edition | 10 September 2022 [The Conversation]( Explorers were ecstatic when they spotted a gravelly mound in the ocean off the northern tip of Greenland last year – it looked like a new island, and it would be a contender for the northernmost land mass in the world. Then a team of surveyors arrived this summer, and they realized they were standing on something else entirely. In fact, several Arctic islands that had appeared over recent decades weren’t islands at all. You’ll have to read atmospheric scientist Kevin Hamilton’s article to unravel the mystery. He weaves [a wonderful tale of historic redrawing of maps of the Arctic over the years](. The story highlights an unusual expedition in 1931 involving American, Soviet and German scientists working together aboard the Graf Zeppelin, a sister airship of the ill-fated Hindenburg, to explore another Arctic island chain that wasn’t all as it appeared. This week we also liked articles about [biting bugs](, [Christian nationalism]( and the use of "[Latinx](." Stacy Morford Environment + Climate Editor These ‘islands’ are on the move. Martin Nissen [Ghost islands of the Arctic: The world’s ‘northern-most island’ isn’t the first to be erased from the map]( Kevin Hamilton, University of Hawaii The new discovery echoes a mission in 1931, when a five-day zeppelin flight sent robots to the stratosphere and redrew the maps of the high Arctic. Who wouldn’t want a robot to handle all the household drudgery? Skathi/iStock via Getty Images [Why household robot servants are a lot harder to build than robotic vacuums and automated warehouse workers]( Ayonga Hereid, The Ohio State University Videos of humanoid robots dancing and performing backflips in the lab notwithstanding, robots that wash your dishes and fold your laundry are still years away. A roboticist explains why. Mosquitoes need to feed on blood in order to reproduce. But how do they choose whom to feed on? boonchai wedmakawand/Moment via GettyImages [Why are some people mosquito magnets and others unbothered? A medical entomologist points to metabolism, body odor and mindset]( Jonathan Day, University of Florida Mosquitoes can track down potential hosts using the CO2 released by humans’ metabolic processes, a medical entomologist explains. - [Stop using ‘Latinx’ if you really want to be inclusive]( Melissa K. Ochoa, Saint Louis University Some Spanish-speaking activists are already using a different gender-inclusive term that could be a better replacement for Latino or Latina. - [Christian nationalism is getting written out of the story of January 6]( Joyce Dalsheim, University of North Carolina – Charlotte; Gregory Starrett, University of North Carolina – Charlotte Thousands gathered to express their collective identity and desire to preserve the nation’s political and religious heritage – and to uphold what they saw as the rightful outcome of the 2020 election. - [Burning Man highlights the primordial human need for ritual]( Dimitris Xygalatas, University of Connecticut In Nevada, people create a makeshift city toward the end of summer and later burn it down. What’s behind this event, and what makes it meaningful? - [Building something better: How community organizing helps people thrive in challenging times]( - [Yes, Black patients do want to help with medical research – here are ways to overcome the barriers that keep clinical trials from recruiting diverse populations]( - [Meditation holds the potential to help treat children suffering from traumas, difficult diagnoses or other stressors – a behavioral neuroscientist explains]( - [Purpose and gratitude boost academic engagement]( The Conversation Quiz 🧠- [The Conversation U.S. weekly news quiz]( Quizmaster, The Conversation Test your knowledge with our weekly quiz. Here's the first question: Until 2021, minimum salary for this job was around $4,800, but a unionization drive could increase pay. What is it? - A. Red Cross worker - B. Bee keeper - C. Minor League baseball player - D. Rodeo clown [Click here to take the whole quiz](. - - 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](