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+ arsenic in food and water US Edition - Today's top story: How building more backyard homes, granny flats and in-law suites can help alleviate the housing crisis [View in browser]( US Edition | 5 June 2023 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( Top headlines - [Two homes in one to address the housing crisis]( - [Whom do anti-trans laws protect?]( - [Meaning-making after childbirth presages parenthood]( A note from the Executive Editor At The Conversation, we bring you news you can rely on: written by academic experts in collaboration with our amazing team of editors. Now, more than ever, this quality information is an essential public service. In a nation and world awash in misinformation, disinformation and uninformed opinion, we work hard each day to bring trustworthy journalism into the mix. We give this news away for free: both on our own website and on thousands of websites, newspapers and apps that syndicate our stories under a Creative Commons license. This brings reliable information to readers in your community and in news deserts. With the end of our fiscal year approaching, we’re asking you to [partner with us to support this free resource]( for readers in your community and in news deserts. Thank you! [Donate today]( Beth Daley Executive Editor and General Manager A newly built accessory dwelling unit in Los Angeles. Alisha Jucevic/The Washington Post via Getty Images [How building more backyard homes, granny flats and in-law suites can help alleviate the housing crisis]( Jeff Kruth, Miami University; Murali Paranandi, Miami University Though accessory dwelling units have been around for centuries, a recent survey found that 71% of Americans were unfamiliar with the concept. Arts + Culture - [How hip-hop learned to call out homophobia – or at least apologize for it]( Matthew Oware, University of Richmond Greater representation in rap from LGBTQ artists comes as mainstream artists atone for past lyrics. Environment + Energy - [Is there life in the sea that hasn’t been discovered?]( Suzanne OConnell, Wesleyan University From fluffy crabs that wear sea sponge hats to worms that glow in the dark, scientists are constantly finding amazing new life forms in the ocean. Science + Technology - [Arsenic contamination of food and water is a global public health concern – researchers are studying how it causes cancer]( Cristina Andrade-Feraud, Florida International University; Diana Azzam, Florida International University Millions of people worldwide are exposed via soil and water to arsenic, whether naturally occurring or related to pollution. Chronic exposure is linked to the formation of cancer stem cells. Politics + Society - [Saying that students embrace censorship on college campuses is incorrect – here’s how to discuss the issue more constructively]( Bradford Vivian, Penn State The quality of public debate over free speech in higher education matters. And the debate right now gets the facts all wrong. - [Sudan’s war is wrecking a lot, including its central bank – a legacy of trailblazing African American economist and banker Andrew Brimmer]( Christopher Tounsel, University of Washington Andrew Brimmer, the first African American on the Board of Governors of the US Federal Reserve, helped develop the blueprint for the Central Bank of Sudan. - [Baseless anti-trans claims fuel adoption of harmful laws – two criminologists explain]( Henry F. Fradella, Arizona State University; Alexis Rowland, University of California, Irvine Transgender people are more than four times as likely to be the victim of a crime as cisgender people. Economy + Business - [COVID-19 clawbacks, spending caps and a cut – what House Republicans got in return for pushing the US to the brink of default]( Raymond Scheppach, University of Virginia Congress passed and the president signed the deal just days before the US was expected to default on its debt. - [Charities can get a 6% donations boost when Charity Navigator gives them more stars – but to get there, they might game the system]( Jennifer Mayo, University of Missouri-Columbia Getting an extra star or two from a prominent ratings group can make a bigger difference than a social media campaign or a slew of thank-you calls. Health + Medicine - [Birth of a story: How new parents find meaning after childbirth hints at how they will adjust]( Darby Saxbe, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences How you tell the story of a momentous event can help you make sense of what happened. Research finds new moms’ and dads’ narratives around childbirth held clues about their transition to parenthood. Trending on site - [New anti-transgender laws will hurt Indigenous peoples’ rights and religious expression]( - [‘Man, the hunter’? Archaeologists’ assumptions about gender roles in past humans ignore an icky but potentially crucial part of original ‘paleo diet’]( - [‘Masked’ cancer drug stealthily trains immune system to kill tumors while sparing healthy tissues, reducing treatment side effects]( Today's graphic [A chart comparing the cost of of Social Security in comparison to its income from from 1970 to 2023. The chart also includes projections for the cost and income of Social Security beyond 2023.]( From the story, [Getting Social Security on a more stable path is hard but essential – 2 experts suggest a way forward]( - - More of The Conversation Like this newsletter? 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