The internet is not the real world | Top 10

+ why the CDC removed crawling as a milestone US Edition - Today's top story: Taylor Swift's Eras Tour is a potent reminder that the internet is not real life [View in browser]( US Edition | 13 August 2023 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( Happy Sunday – and welcome to the best of The Conversation. Here are a few of our recently published stories: - [Native Hawaiian sacred sites have been damaged in the Lahaina wildfires − but, as an Indigenous scholar writes, their stories will live on]( - [Hip-hop at 50: 7 essential listens to celebrate rap’s widespread influence]( My son took a pass on crawling. At about 10 months, he went straight from cruising along holding onto furniture to walking. As a new mom, I thought him rather clever. But a few relatives worried at the time that he was skipping an important developmental step. But did he? From one of our top reads last week, I learned that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently removed crawling as a milestone parents should pay attention to. “Pediatricians have charts that say how fast children typically walk based on their age, but no such normative data exists for crawling,” writes Kennesaw State University’s Mark Geil, a biomedical engineer who studies how kids move. Geil is working to close that information gap with a [large lab-based study of infant crawling]( – an effort he admits is “tricky” due to temperamental subjects who don’t follow directions all that well. Speaking of milestones, this will be my last week hosting the Sunday newsletter. Starting next week, our new managing editor, Bryan Keogh, will have the honor of telling you about the newsroom’s outstanding work. I’m moving on to an exciting new project exploring how The Conversation can help academics share more of their research with local communities and how our organization can better support local news. If you have ideas or questions about this new initiative, email me at Emily.Costello@theconversation.com. Later this week, we’ll bring you stories about the history of barring cameras from federal courts, high-tech car theft and why you’re not likely to find aliens in Area 51. Emily Costello Director of Collaborations + Local News Readers' picks Swift performs at Gillette Stadium on May 19, 2023, in Foxborough, Mass., during her Eras Tour. Scott Eisen/TAS23 via Getty Images [Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour is a potent reminder that the internet is not real life]( Aarushi Bhandari, Davidson College Media outlets increasingly construct narratives about collective reality based on what’s happening on social media. - [Before he developed the atomic bomb, J. Robert Oppenheimer’s early work revolutionized the field of quantum chemistry – and his theory is still used today]( Aaron W. Harrison, Austin College Remember building model molecules with balls and sticks in chemistry class? You have J. Robert Oppenheimer to thank for that, as a quantum chemist explains. - [Babies almost all try crawling to get from Point A to Point B, but CDC says it’s not a useful developmental milestone]( Mark Geil, Kennesaw State University Revisions to the CDC’s developmental milestone checklists removed crawling as a skill that babies pick up at a typical age. A biomedical engineer describes how more research may clarify its role. - [Shaligrams, the sacred fossils that have been worshipped by Hindus and Buddhists for over 2,000 years, are becoming rarer because of climate change]( Holly Walters, Wellesley College Many Hindus, Buddhists and people who follow the shamanic religion of Bon undertake a pilgrimage each year to northern Nepal to look for Shaligrams, believed to be a manifestation of Lord Vishnu. - [Looking back toward cosmic dawn − astronomers confirm the faintest galaxy ever seen]( Guido Roberts-Borsani, University of California, Los Angeles The universe used to be filled with a hydrogen fog, before early stars and galaxies burned through the haze. Astronomers are studying galaxies that tell them about this period in the early universe. Editors' picks A wildfire burns in Kihei, Hawaii, on Aug. 9, 2023. AP Photo/Ty O'Neil [Maui wildfires: Extra logistical challenges hinder government’s initial response when disasters strike islands]( Ivis García, Texas A&M University An expert on Puerto Rico’s recovery from Hurricane Maria explains why it’s hard for the US to deliver disaster aid in places like Hawaii and Puerto Rico. - [San Jose and the reemergence of the donut city]( Mark Davidson, Clark University Post-pandemic pressures are compounding stresses cities were already facing, leading to the hollowing out of some American cities. - [The heroic effort to save Florida’s coral reef from devastating ocean heat]( Michael Childress, Clemson University Widespread coral bleaching is underway as ocean temperatures hit record highs off the Florida Keys. Scientists and volunteer divers are racing to save these valuable creatures. - [Prostate cancer treatment is not always the best option – a cancer researcher walks her father through his diagnosis]( Luisel Ricks-Santi, University of Florida Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers in men. Although watchful waiting is appropriate for low-risk cases, many are diagnosed at an advanced stage because of racial health disparities. - [New neurotechnology is blurring the lines around mental privacy – but are new human rights the answer?]( Laura Y. Cabrera, Penn State More invasive devices have prompted new debates about privacy and freedom. But it’s important to keep in mind that other technologies already sense and shape our thoughts, a neuroethicist argues. News Quiz 🧠- [The Conversation U.S. weekly news quiz]( Test your knowledge with a weekly quiz drawn from some of our favorite stories. Questions this week on wildfires, credit, babies and cat intestines Like this newsletter? You might be interested in our other weekly emails: [Science Editors' Picks]( • [This Week in Religion]( • [Politics Weekly]( 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](