Conventional thinkers can be creative too | Top 10

+ an aviation expert explains air travel's latest meltdown 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 | 15 January 2023 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( Do you have a healthy relationship with alcohol? Many Americans do – if you define “healthy” in the sense of a “strong and long-term” relationship. Christina Mair, a professor of behavioral and community health sciences at the University of Pittsburgh, researches alcohol use and the ways it affects American life. Nearly 70% of people in the U.S. reported drinking alcohol during 2020, Mair writes in one of our most-read stories last week. During the pandemic, the number of people drinking every day increased to approximately 1 in 10. Many don’t think about how drinking affects health because we just accept it as “normal.” And yet alcohol is the third leading cause of premature death in the U.S. and is [linked to a number of cancers](. Read this story, hit reply and let me know if it changed the way you think about your relationship with alcohol. Just published: - [Special counsels, like those examining Biden’s and Trump’s handling of classified documents, are intended to be independent – but they aren’t entirely]( - [Sitting all day is terrible for your health – now, a new study finds a relatively easy way to counteract it]( Later this week, we’ll bring you stories about honeybee vaccines, why fake charities can be a serious problem and how Lunar New Year is celebrated around the world. Emily Costello Managing Editor Readers' picks 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. - [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. - [How to unlock your creativity – even if you see yourself as a conventional thinker]( Lily Zhu, Washington State University New research highlights how anyone can train their creative muscles by rethinking the anxiety, frustration and anger they encounter in daily life. - [First grader who shot teacher in Virginia is among the youngest school shooters in US history]( David Riedman, University of Central Florida Extremely young school shooters are not believed to be capable of forming criminal intent. - [Democracy under attack in Brazil: 5 questions about the storming of Congress and the role of the military]( Rafael R. Ioris, University of Denver The sacking of key democratic institutions in Brasilia has parallels with the Jan. 6 assault on the US Capitol but was different in one key way: the position of the military. Editors' picks In the remains of her classroom, 16-year-old Khrystyna Ignatova visits her desk in the Chernihiv School #21, in Chernihiv, Ukraine. AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti [Russia’s war in Ukraine threatens students daily and forces teachers to improvise]( Kristina Hook, Kennesaw State University The war in Ukraine affects everyone – including teachers and students, who are meeting the challenges with their people’s famed determination. - [What is the FAA’s NOTAM? An aviation expert explains how the critical safety system works]( Brian Strzempkowski, The Ohio State University The Notices to Air Mission system failed on Jan. 10, 2023, leading to thousands of canceled flights. The system is where all important safety information for pilots and dispatchers gets posted. - [Lobsters versus right whales: The latest chapter in a long quest to make fishing more sustainable]( Blake Earle, Texas A&M University To fish the oceans sustainably, nations must reduce bycatch, or accidental catches. But fishermen often resist changing gear or techniques that kill nontargeted species. - [AI and the future of work: 5 experts on what ChatGPT, DALL-E and other AI tools mean for artists and knowledge workers]( Lynne Parker, University of Tennessee; Casey Greene, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus; Daniel Acuña, University of Colorado Boulder; Kentaro Toyama, University of Michigan; Mark Finlayson, Florida International University Now that AI systems can generate realistic images and convincing prose, are creative and knowledge workers endangered or poised for productivity gains? A panel of experts says it’s not so clear-cut. - [Islamic paintings of the Prophet Muhammad are an important piece of history – here’s why art historians teach them]( Christiane Gruber, University of Michigan An art historian describes the two historical representations of Prophet Muhammad that led to a controversy at Hamline University. News Quiz 🧠- [The Conversation U.S. weekly news quiz]( Questions this week on Brazil, higher ed and a high-cost item from 2022. We offer a gold star to all the quizzers who sent us their perfect scores last week. Here's the honor roll: Lida A., Tim S., Emory D, Lorna E., Lucien L., Barbara M., Lei Lani L., Tina H., Pamela D., Ben M., Whitney G., Quentin K., Joyce K., Tom S., Sher M., Mary O., Maricopa A., Linnea C., Patricia G., Christopher B., Linda S., Vianna Z., Laura R., Mark D., John F., Eugene B., Tracy D. and Rinna H. Like this newsletter? 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