Honoring toxic legacies

+ a constitutional revolution at the Supreme Court US Edition - Today's top story: The importance of shining a light on hidden toxic histories [View in browser]( US Edition | 14 September 2023 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( Top headlines - [The subtle and complex chemistry of bourbon]( - [Switch to USB-C with iPhone a win for standards – and less trash]( - [Heating and cooling in space]( Lead story Chernobyl. Deepwater Horizon. Fukushima. Love Canal. Big environmental disasters are seared into our collective memory, thanks to media coverage, books and movies. But the vast majority of environmental harm remains hidden or forgotten. That’s because it’s often easier for businesses, residents and politicians to look the other way. According to Indiana University anthropologist Elizabeth Kryder-Reid, this can lead to what’s called “collective forgetting.” She writes about [the artists and activists who are calling attention to toxic legacies]( in order to “push back against denial, habituation and amnesia.” [ [Miss us on Sundays? Get a selection of our best and most popular stories (or try our other weekly emails).]([]]( Nick Lehr Arts + Culture Editor Activists in Newark, N.J., offer tours that teach visitors about the city’s legacy of industrial pollution and environmental racism. Charles Rotkin/Corbis via Getty Images [The importance of shining a light on hidden toxic histories]( Elizabeth Kryder-Reid, Indiana University Societies celebrate heroes and commemorate tragedies. But why is there so little public acknowledgment of environmental disasters? Politics + Society - [A constitutional revolution is underway at the Supreme Court, as the conservative supermajority rewrites basic understandings of the roots of US law]( Morgan Marietta, University of Texas at Arlington The changes wrought by the new conservative majority in the US Supreme Court are revolutionary. Science + Technology - [Heating and cooling space habitats isn’t easy – one engineering team is developing a lighter, more efficient solution]( Issam Mudawar, Purdue University You can’t bring your AC to space, unfortunately, but innovative flow boiling and condensation research might lead to lighter, more efficient heating and cooling on spacecraft. - [The complex chemistry behind America’s spirit – how bourbon gets its distinctive taste and color]( Michael W. Crowder, Miami University The bourbon industry has been booming in recent years, but what sets all the different types of bourbon apart? - [What is USB-C? A computer engineer explains the one device connector to rule them all]( Shreyas Sen, Purdue University With Apple’s capitulation on the latest iPhone models, USB-C is poised to become the standard connector for all devices. Environment + Energy - [Devastatingly low Antarctic sea ice may be the ‘new abnormal’, study warns]( Edward Doddridge, University of Tasmania; Ariaan Purich, Monash University Sea ice around Antarctica has always followed a predictable seasonal cycle. Now, we’ve experienced a sudden dramatic loss, and the changes are here to stay. International - [Ukraine war: capture of key Black Sea outposts and strike on Crimea show Kyiv’s increasing confidence]( Gavin E L Hall, University of Strathclyde Two successful operations in and around Crimea demonstrate that, while Ukraine’s ground counteroffensive is moving slowly, Kyiv is expanding the scope of its ambition. Trending on site - [How evasive and transmissible is the newest omicron offshoot, BA.2.86, that causes COVID-19? 4 questions answered]( - [Can animals give birth to twins?]( - [What Arizona and other drought-ridden states can learn from Israel’s pioneering water strategy]( Today's graphic 📈 [A relatively flat level of antisemitic tweets more than tripled around the time Elon Musk took control of Twitter on Oct. 27, 2022.]( From the story, [Antisemitism on Elon Musk’s X is surging and dredging up many ancient, defamatory themes of blaming Jews]( - - 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: • [Threads]( • [Bluesky]( • [Spoutible]( • [Mastodon]( • [Post.news]( • [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](