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+ Jan. 6 as Greek tragedy? US Edition - Today's top story: How California could save up its rain to ease future droughts — instead of watching epic atmospheric river rainfall drain into the Pacific [View in browser]( US Edition | 6 January 2023 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( A new record of 12 women will hold what office in 2023? What was the birth name of Pope Benedict XVI? Are Americans “quiet quitting” the litter box? You’ll find the answers to all these questions in this week’s [The Conversation News Quiz](. I’m delighted to be joining you as The Conversation’s new quizmaster. Each week, we’ll test our knowledge and have fun with the news as revealed in The Conversation’s daily journalism. By way of introduction: I’m a professional writer who won the Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions way back in 1995, and an Emmy for animation writing in 1992. I’m also the author of the book “Secrets of the Buzzer” and editor of “The Ultimate Droodles Compendium,” a celebration of mislaid American humorist Roger Price. If you’re one of The Conversation’s many dedicated quizzers, I’ll strive to meet your lofty expectations from quizzes past. And if you’re not a quizzer, why not start today? As a bonus, The Conversation will send a limited edition, inexpensive stylish sticker to the first 10 people to reply to this email with a screenshot of a perfect score. And if it’s fame rather than – ahem – fortune you are after, we’ll throw in the eternal glory of having your name listed in next Friday’s newsletter. Here are some of today’s top stories: - [Going dry for more than just January]( - [Democracy under threat in Israel]( - [Capote as seen through the camera]( Fritz Holznagel Quizmaster Heavy rain from a series of atmospheric rivers flooded large parts of California from late December 2022 into early January 2023. Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images [How California could save up its rain to ease future droughts — instead of watching epic atmospheric river rainfall drain into the Pacific]( Andrew Fisher, University of California, Santa Cruz Urban infrastructure was designed to take stormwater out to the ocean quickly. Now, California needs that precious water. Economy + Business - [Global economy 2023: how countries around the world are tackling the cost of living crisis]( Alan Shipman, The Open University; Aymen Smondel, IAE Nice - Université Côte d'Azur; Bhima Yudhistira Adhinegara, Center of Economic and Law Studies (CELIOS); John W. Diamond, Rice University; Luis Garvía Vega, Universidad Pontificia Comillas; Mohamad Hassan Shahrour, IAE Nice - Université Côte d'Azur; Peter Martin, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Price inflation has hit countries differently, but most central banks and governments are concerned about the rising cost of living in 2023. - [FTC prepares to ban ‘noncompete agreements’ – what are they and why low-wage workers increasingly are forced to sign them]( Raymond Hogler, Colorado State University While noncompetes may make sense for well-paid executives who possess trade secrets, they make less sense for low-paid workers – yet many are subject to the agreements. Politics + Society - [Ancient Greece had extreme polarization and civil strife too – how Thucydides can help us understand Jan. 6 and its aftermath]( Rachel Hadas, Rutgers University - Newark The insights of an ancient historian show that the causes of civil unrest are often the same over time and across societies. - [Four ways Netanyahu’s new far-right government threatens Israeli democracy]( Boaz Atzili, American University School of International Service Israel’s most far-right and religious ruling coalition, which just assumed power, poses a profound threat to the country’s democratic institutions, from the courts to individual rights. - [Christian nationalism is downplayed in the Jan. 6 report and collective memory]( 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. Science + Technology - [Following Alfred Russel Wallace’s footsteps to Borneo, where he penned his pioneering evolution paper]( Giacomo Bernardi, University of California, Santa Cruz An evolutionary biologist visits the remote jungle mountaintop where a little-known naturalist wrote his insightful paper about the mechanisms of evolution that spurred on a rivalrous Charles Darwin. - [Visualizing the inside of cells at previously impossible resolutions provides vivid insights into how they work]( Jeremy Berg, University of Pittsburgh Many microscopy techniques have won Nobel Prizes over the years. Advancements like cryo-ET that allow scientists to see the individual atoms of cells can reveal their biological functions. Health + Medicine - [Alcohol use is widely accepted in the US, but even moderate consumption is associated with many harmful effects]( Christina Mair, University of Pittsburgh The number of deaths related to alcohol use in the US grew by a staggering 25% between 2019 and 2020, the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Environment + Energy - [Foams used in car seats and mattresses are hard to recycle – we made a plant-based version that avoids polyurethane’s health risks, too]( Srikanth Pilla, Clemson University ; James Sternberg, Clemson University Polyurethane foams are the world’s sixth-most-produced plastic yet among the least recycled materials. Arts + Culture - [Richard Avedon, Truman Capote and the brutality of photography]( Rebecca Senf, University of Arizona In a 1959 essay, Capote noted how Avedon seemed to capture ‘every hard-earned crow’s foot’ in his subjects – perhaps not realizing that he would one day be photographed by that same unvarnished gaze. Ethics + Religion - [What is Pentecostal Christianity?]( Lloyd Daniel Barba, Amherst College Pentecostals agree on the importance of the Holy Spirit – but not necessarily on what it empowers them to do. From our international editions - [Putin’s plan to stop Ukraine turning to the west has failed – our survey shows support for NATO is at an all-time high]( - [Quiet, please: human noise is interfering with the sex lives of grasshoppers]( - [Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody review – a fleeting glimpse of queer black joy]( The Conversation Quiz 🧠- Here’s the first question of [this week’s edition:]( A record 12 women will serve in what public office in the U.S. in 2023? - A. Member of the House of Representatives - B. Senator - C. Supreme Court justice - D. State governor [Test your knowledge]( - - More of The Conversation Like this newsletter? 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