Sacred beings, or raw materials for EVs?

+ the weekly news quiz! US Edition - Today's top story: Raw materials, or sacred beings? Lithium extraction puts two worldviews into tension [View in browser]( US Edition | 21 April 2023 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( Top headlines - [Big feet can be the 'arch' enemy of NBA players]( - [What made SpaceX launch a successful failure]( - [The dangers of mixing over-the-counter drugs]( Lead story Having lots of lithium is an economic boon these days, as demand for electric vehicles increases the amount of the element needed for their batteries. Bolivia, home to massive deposits of the metal, is poised to take advantage. But the country’s mineral abundance has long been a mixed blessing, from the days of the colonial era onward. Today, there are environmental questions about how lithium extraction will affect surrounding communities, for starters. But the project “also represents a [looming clash between two fundamentally different views of nature](,” writes Mario Orospe Hernandez, a religion scholar at Arizona State University. For Indigenous peoples in Bolivia, he explains, nature is a group of more-than-human beings, not “raw materials” destined for human ends. But modern industrial societies’ view of natural resources has been influenced by religion, too, and by Christian colonizers’ intent on stamping out local religious practices, which they dismissed as idolatrous. It’s a complex history – one that will reach into the future as societies search for greener energy. [[Sign up here to our topic-specific weekly emails.](] Molly Jackson Religion and Ethics Editor A salt pyramid in Uyuni, Bolivia. The rainy season produces a mirror effect in the salt flat. Mario Orospe Hernandez [Raw materials, or sacred beings? Lithium extraction puts two worldviews into tension]( Mario Orospe Hernández, Arizona State University Lithium extraction in Bolivia poses more than environmental questions: It illustrates how notions about ‘raw materials’ can be at odds with Indigenous relations with the land. Science + Technology - [SpaceX launches most powerful rocket in history in explosive debut – like many first liftoffs, Starship’s test was a successful failure]( Wendy Whitman Cobb, Air University The launch of a new rocket is always an exciting event. SpaceX’s ‘go fast and fail’ approach means that even though the test ended with engineers blowing up the rocket, it was a valuable first flight. Arts + Culture - [Keeping NBA players on the court is no small ‘feet’]( Philip Anloague, University of Dayton The gargantuan feet of NBA players are the stuff of legend. But nearly two-thirds of their injuries occur below the waist, and they have a 25.8% chance of incurring an ankle injury every season. Health + Medicine - [Watch out for dangerous combinations of over-the-counter cold medicine and prescription drugs – two pharmacoepidemiology experts explain the risks]( Macarius Mwinisungee Donneyong, The Ohio State University; Ximena Oyarzún-González, The Ohio State University Some of the prescription medications you’re taking may not mix with over-the-counter drugs. Economy + Business - [Boy Scouts of America can now create $2.4 billion fund to pay claims for Scouts who survived abuse – a bankruptcy expert explains what’s next]( Marie T. Reilly, Penn State This is a green light for creating the largest-ever compensation fund for sex abuse claims. Ethics + Religion - [What’s going on when the Virgin Mary appears and statues weep? The answers aren’t just about science or the supernatural]( Mathew Schmalz, College of the Holy Cross Investigating supernatural claims is a delicate task for the church, and Catholic leaders rarely label them as authentic. - [What is Eid al-Fitr and how do Muslims celebrate it? 6 questions answered]( Ken Chitwood, University of Southern California Muslims throughout the world will celebrate the holiday of Eid al-Fitr, a celebration at the end of Ramadan. Here’s an introduction to this important feast and its partner, Eid al-Adha. Education - [Black students in Washington state played key role in the Civil Rights Movement, new book states]( Marc Arsell Robinson, California State University, San Bernardino Washington isn’t a state that typically comes to mind in discussions about student-led protests from the Civil Rights Movement. A Black history professor seeks to change that with a new book. From our international editions - [Russian ‘spy ship’ in North Sea raises concerns about the vulnerability of key maritime infrastructure]( - [Israel’s domestic turmoil raises serious questions about its long-term survival]( - [Peace may finally be returning to Yemen, but can a fractured nation be put back together?]( The Conversation Quiz 🧠- Here’s the first question of [this week’s edition:]( Fox News will pay $787.5 million to Dominion Voting Systems to settle their libel lawsuit. The network said that the settlement reflected what? - A. "The cost of doing business in Joe Biden's America" - B. "Our very real sorrow for an unfortunate but honest error" - C. "Fox's continued commitment to the highest journalistic standards" - D. "The greatness of the American way of litigation" [Test your knowledge]( - - 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](