+ how illegal fishing boats hide at sea US Edition - Today's top story: How female Iranian activists use powerful images to protest oppressive policies [View in browser]( US Edition | 21 December 2022 [The Conversation]
[The Conversation]( Among Time magazineâs "Top 100 Photos of 2022" is one of an unveiled Iranian woman standing atop a vehicle to protest the Islamic regime. Many similar images of Iranian women and adolescent girls expressing dissent have riveted the world since the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini. Parichehr Kazemi, a scholar who studies the use of images in political movements, writes that [these images draw on a longer history of Iranian womenâs protests]( against oppressive laws and practices. For years, women have shared photos and videos of themselves defiantly breaking the regime's laws, whether it's walking unveiled or riding a bike in parks. Also today: - [Recasting the controversy over the first gene-edited babies](
- [The FTX scandal of 18th century England](
- [How reindeer evolved to see in the dark]( Kalpana Jain Senior Religion + Ethics Editor
Women have been at the forefront of protests in Iran. Hawar News Agency via AP via AP
[How female Iranian activists use powerful images to protest oppressive policies]( Parichehr Kazemi, University of Oregon Iranian women have often used images of actions such as singing and dancing unveiled to show what freedom means to them and to protest the Islamic Republicâs gender oppression. Science + Technology -
[Did He Jiankui âMake People Betterâ? Documentary spurs a new look at the case of the first gene-edited babies]( G. Owen Schaefer, National University of Singapore Scientific and public uproar resulted when the Chinese scientist announced the births of the first human babies with heritable edits to their genes. A new documentary reexamines the saga. -
[Twitter in 2022: 5 essential reads about the consequences of Elon Muskâs takeover of the microblogging platform]( Eric Smalley, The Conversation The intersection of content management, misinformation, aggregated data about human behavior and crowdsourcing shows how fragile Twitter is and what would be lost with the platformâs demise. -
[Unusual, long-lasting gamma-ray burst challenges theories about these powerful cosmic explosions that make gold, uranium and other heavy metals]( Eleonora Troja, University of Rome Tor Vergata; Simone Dichiara, Penn State Gamma-ray bursts occur when a massive star explodes or when two neutron stars merge. A newly discovered burst has puzzled astronomers, as it lasted much longer than astronomers would have expected. Environment + Energy -
[When fishing boats go dark at sea, theyâre often committing crimes â we mapped where it happens]( Heather Welch, University of California, Santa Cruz Understanding when, where and why fishing vessels sometimes turn off their transponders is a key step toward curbing illegal fishing and other crimes on the high seas. Economy + Business -
[FTXâs collapse mirrors an infamous 18th century British financial scandal]( Amy Froide, University of Maryland, Baltimore County In the Charitable Corporation Scandal, a group of politically connected directors leveraged the companyâs altruistic image to attract investors â before raiding the funds to prop up other ventures. -
[Only the richest ancient Athenians paid taxes â and they bragged about it]( Thomas Martin, College of the Holy Cross In ancient Athens, the richest people paid taxes to support what the residents considered the salvation of the city. These taxes earned them social and political clout more valuable than money. Ethics + Religion -
[Who is at the manger? Nativity sets around the world show each cultureâs take on the Christmas story]( Kayla Harris, University of Dayton; Neomi De Anda, University of Dayton The Christmas story is about Jesus coming to mankind. As holiday decorations show, Christians around the world often picture him in their own cultures. -
[Christmas isnât always holly jolly â even some of its best-loved songs are bittersweet]( David W. Stowe, Michigan State University Songs of the season â sacred and secular music alike â sometimes acknowledge that Christmas isnât all joy. Politics + Society -
[Teddy Rooseveltâs failed Bull Moose campaign may portend the future of the GOP and Donald Trump]( Jerald Podair, Lawrence University If Donald Trump decides to leave the Republican Party and start his own, Teddy Roosevelt and the presidential election of 1912 offer the GOP an ominous warning. Hint: The Democrats win. Health + Medicine -
[Celine Dionâs diagnosis of stiff-person syndrome brought a rare neurological diagnosis into the public eye â two neurologists explain the science behind it]( Bhavana Patel, University of Florida; Torge Rempe, University of Florida Although there is no cure for this disorder, there are treatments that can help alleviate symptoms. Podcast ðï¸ -
[Reindeer eyes change color, putting Rudolphâs red nose in the shade]( Daniel Merino, The Conversation In winter, light in the northern latitudes is dim and very blue compared to summer light. Reindeer eyes have evolved to be better suited at seeing in this unique environment. Trending on site -
[Even if Jan. 6 referrals turn into criminal charges â or convictions â Trump will still be able to run in 2024 and serve as president if elected]( -
[Over the holidays, try talking to your relatives like an anthropologist]( -
[Inflation, unemployment, the housing crisis and a possible recession: Two economists forecast whatâs ahead in 2023]( Today's graphic [A chart showing Americans' personal savings rate from 1959 to 2022.]( From the story, [Americansâ personal savings rate is near an all-time low â an economist explains what it means as a potential recession looms]( -
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