Failure's upside

+ how to tell fact from fiction US Edition - Today's top story: This course takes a broad look at failure – and what we can all learn when it occurs [View in browser]( US Edition | 28 November 2022 [The Conversation]( Often when a professor invites a guest speaker to class, the idea is to have the person talk about their professional success. Robert Kunzman, an Indiana University professor who prepares aspiring teachers, has something else in mind: He wants professionals from different fields to discuss how they deal with failure. In an article he wrote for a new series at The Conversation called “Unusual Courses,” Kunzman [expounds on his rationale for having guest speakers focus on failure](. “At its best, this course helps them understand how failure will be an ongoing presence in their lives,” Kunzman writes. “That means they need to figure out how to restructure their relationship with failure, rather than anticipate a time when they’ve finally and fully succeeded.” Also today: - [2,000 years of Atlantic hurricanes reveal future risks]( - [Why celebrity politicians often lose]( - [Podcast: Treating mental illness with electricity]( Jamaal Abdul-Alim Education Editor Today's newsletter supported by [readers like you.]( Failure can be helpful if it’s understood correctly. Maria Korneeva via Getty Images [This course takes a broad look at failure – and what we can all learn when it occurs]( Robert Kunzman, Indiana University Avoiding failure by playing it safe may limit opportunities for learning and growth. Environment + Energy - [We’re decoding ancient hurricanes’ traces on the sea floor – and evidence from millennia of Atlantic storms is not good news for the coast]( Tyler Winkler, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution As an unusual 2022 hurricane season ends on Nov. 30, a look back at hurricane history suggests we may be significantly underestimating future risks. Politics + Society - [Celebrities in politics have a leg up, but their advantages can’t top fundraising failures]( Richard T. Longoria, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Celebrity politicians have instant name recognition. But unless they trump competitors in fundraising, and hit other check boxes, they aren’t any more likely to win than traditional politicians. - [Conflict in the DRC: 5 articles that explain what’s gone wrong]( Julius Maina, The Conversation; Kagure Gacheche, The Conversation Consolidating peace efforts across the vast territory has proved difficult for close to three decades. Scholars explain why. Arts + Culture - [How can you tell if something is true? Here are 3 questions to ask yourself about what you see, hear and read]( Bob Britten, West Virginia University What’s true and what’s not? An expert in media literacy explains how to evaluate information. - [Qatar’s death row and the invisible migrant workforce deemed unworthy of due process]( Jocelyn Hutton, University of Oxford; Carolyn Hoyle, University of Oxford; Lucy Harry, University of Oxford New data mapping death sentences in the Gulf states once again highlights Qatar’s questionable human rights record. Science + Technology - [Journalists reporting on the COVID-19 pandemic relied on research that had yet to be peer reviewed]( Alice Fleerackers, Simon Fraser University; Lauren A Maggio, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences Preprints are often free to use, making them more accessible for journalists to report on. However, as they have yet to undergo peer review, science journalists take a gamble on their accuracy. Podcast 🎙️ - [Treating mental illness with electricity marries old ideas with modern tech and understanding of the brain]( Daniel Merino, The Conversation; Gemma Ware, The Conversation Deep brain stimulation and trasncranial magnetic stimulation treat mental illness by sending electrical currents into parts of the brain. Every new patient provides researchers with a wealth of information. Listen to The Conversation Weekly podcast. Trending on site - [Vitamin B12 deficiency is a common health problem that can have serious consequences – but doctors often overlook it]( - [People don’t mate randomly – but the flawed assumption that they do is an essential part of many studies linking genes to diseases and traits]( - [COVID-19 rapid tests can breed confusion – here’s how to make sense of the results and what to do, according to 3 testing experts]( Today's graphic [A chart comparing the drag coefficient for the previous four World Cup balls.]( From the story, [World Cup: This year’s special Al Rihla ball has the aerodynamics of a champion, according to a sports physicist]( - - 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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