A mission to Jupiter’s watery moons

+ what happens when your gut gets hangry US Edition - Today's top story: Jupiter's moons hide giant subsurface oceans – two upcoming missions are sending spacecraft to see if these moons could support life [View in browser]( US Edition | 10 April 2023 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( Top headlines - [Religious, racial differences among friends make them more likely to ‘break up’]( - [China is rejecting Western beauty ideals]( - [The byzantine process of trying to pay your taxes in cash]( Lead Story This Thursday, a rocket is set to take off from the European spaceport in French Guinea. Aboard it is a spacecraft called the Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer, or JUICE, which, if all goes according to plan, will touch ground on Jupiter’s moons in eight years. The largest planet in the solar system, Jupiter has dozens of moons. Three of them – Europa, Callisto and Ganymede – are covered in water. As Mike Sori, a planetary scientist at Purdue University, explains, the outer surfaces of these moons are frozen solid, but scientists are pretty sure that heat from the interior of these moons maintains vast subsurface oceans. Where there is water, there may be the possibility of life. But with the limited data available to planetary scientists today, it has been difficult to learn much about these three fascinating moons. JUICE, as well as a second mission led by NASA called Europa Clipper that is scheduled to launch in 2024, hope to [shed light on these watery worlds](. Daniel Merino Associate Science Editor & Co-Host of The Conversation Weekly Podcast The surface of Europa – one of Jupiter’s moons – is a thick layer of solid ice. NASA/JPL-Caltech/SETI Institute [Jupiter’s moons hide giant subsurface oceans – two upcoming missions are sending spacecraft to see if these moons could support life]( Mike Sori, Purdue University The Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer and Europa Clipper missions will arrive at Jupiter in the 2030s and provide researchers with unprecedented access to the icy moons orbiting the gas giant. Health + Medicine - [Hangry bacteria in your gut microbiome are linked to chronic disease – feeding them what they need could lead to happier cells and a healthier body]( Christopher Damman, University of Washington Research has examined how ultraprocessed foods can contribute to diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer and mood disorders. A healthier diet is one way to use food as medicine. - [Millions of Americans at risk of losing free preventive care after Texas ruling on ACA]( Paul Shafer, Boston University; Kristefer Stojanovski, Tulane University On the basis of government appointment technicalities and religious freedom, Americans may lose free coverage for cancer and blood pressure screenings, HIV prevention medication and other essential services. Education - [How direct admission is changing the process of applying for college]( Mary L. Churchill, Boston University More and more colleges are offering admission to students who never applied. Politics + Society - [Ditching a friend who is not like you can deepen social inequality]( Mark C. Pachucki, UMass Amherst; Anthony Paik, UMass Amherst When people cut personal, interracial or interreligious ties because of political differences, the societal impact can be the same as forced segregation. - [For Black social workers, anxiety and depression are on the rise]( Carmen Reese Foster, University of Tennessee In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and the George Floyd murder, in 2020, Black social workers are finding they are alone in coping with their trauma. Arts + Culture - [A new femininity is starting to emerge in China]( Qingyue Sun, Drexel University Contemporary beauty culture in China blends traditional Chinese culture with modern aesthetics and global influences. Economy + Business - [I tried to pay my taxes in cash – here’s what happened, and why the IRS should make it easier to do so]( Jay L. Zagorsky, Boston University As the US increasingly becomes a cashless society, it’s getting harder to use currency to pay for things – including taxes. One fearless economist gave it a try. Science + Technology - [How do trees die?]( Camille Stevens-Rumann, Colorado State University Even in death, a tree helps others live. Trending on site - [Trump’s latest personal attacks on judges could further weaken people’s declining trust in American rule of law]( - [It takes a body to understand the world – why ChatGPT and other language AIs don’t know what they’re saying]( - [Deadly fungus Candida auris is spreading across US hospitals - a physician answers 5 questions about rising fungal infections]( Today's graphic [A chart showing the average number of home runs per game in the MLB from 1963 to 2023. Overall, the number is trending upwards.]( From the story, [MLB home run counts are rising – and global warming is playing a role]( - - More of The Conversation Like this newsletter? You might be interested in our weekly and biweekly emails: • [Weekly Highlights]( • [Science Editors' Picks]( • [This Week in Religion]( • [Politics Weekly]( • [Global Perspectives]( • [Global Economy & Business]( Trying out new social media? Follow us: • [Mastodon]( • [Post.news]( • [Instagram]( • [LinkedIn]( - - 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](