No more naming birds after people

+ celebrating the Virgin of Guadalupe US Edition - Today's top story: Why dozens of North American bird species are getting new names: Every name tells a story [View in browser]( US Edition | 9 December 2023 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( Starting on Dec. 14, birders across the U.S. will be tallying sightings for the Christmas Bird Count – a survey that has taken place annually since 1900 and generates valuable scientific data. But this may be the last year that they mark down “Cooper’s hawk” or “Wilson’s snipe.” As sociologist – and birder – Jared Del Rosso explains, ornithologists have decided to [rename bird species named for historical figures](. Some of these people left problematic legacies that include racist or exclusionary actions. And any eponymous name – meaning tied to a specific person – implies human ownership over birds. “Science has greatly expanded human understanding of birds in recent decades,” Del Rosso observes. “Trading eponymous names, which treat birds as passive objects, for richer descriptive names reflects this sea change in our understanding of avian lives.” This week we also liked articles about former House Speaker [Kevin McCarthy’s “desire for power at any cost,”]( a common [motive for posting and liking hateful messages]( and [Henry Kissinger’s deadly obsession with Chile](. Jennifer Weeks Senior Environment + Cities Editor Today's newsletter supported by [readers like you]( Birders participate in the Christmas Bird Count on Theodore Roosevelt Island in Washington, D.C., Dec. 16, 2017. Carolyn Van Houten/The Washington Post via Getty Images [Why dozens of North American bird species are getting new names: Every name tells a story]( Jared Del Rosso, University of Denver What’s in a name? A lot, if you’re an Audubon’s Oriole or a Townsend’s Solitaire. Rep. Kevin McCarthy leaves a House Republican Conference meeting at the US Capitol on Dec. 5, 2023. Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images [Ex-Speaker McCarthy’s departure from Congress reads like Greek tragedy – but stars a ‘slight unmeritable man’ and not a hero]( Rachel Hadas, Rutgers University - Newark Kevin McCarthy, the only speaker of the House to be ousted, has quit Congress. The ancient Greeks and Romans, as well as Shakespeare, understood the price of ambition like McCarthy’s: humiliation. Producer Norman Lear on the set of his hit TV series ‘All In The Family,’ standing between its stars, Jean Stapleton and Carroll O'Connor. Bettmann Archive/Getty Images [Norman Lear’s ’70s TV comedies brought people together to confront issues in a way Gen Z would appreciate]( Yalda T. Uhls, University of California, Los Angeles The TV producer showed how storytelling can bridge divides and serve as a beacon of truth in a complex world. - [Viva Guadalupe! Beyond Mexico, the Indigenous Virgin Mary is a powerful symbol of love and inclusion for millions of Latinos in the US]( Kristy Nabhan-Warren, University of Iowa The famous apparition of the Virgin Mary has come to symbolize Mexico, but other groups – particularly migrants and Latinos north of the border – also feel a special connection to Guadalupe. - [Online ‘likes’ for toxic social media posts prompt more − and more hateful − messages]( Joseph B. Walther, University of California, Santa Barbara Hate is for the haters. Much of the thrill of posting toxic messages can come from the attention and social approval a poster gets from like-minded people. - [Kissinger’s obsession with Chile enabled a murderous dictatorship that still haunts the country]( Jorge Heine, Boston University It’s hard to overestimate the role Henry Kissinger played in Chile. A former Chilean diplomat describes the mark that the powerful statesman made in his country and elsewhere in the Global South. - [How new reports reveal Israeli intelligence underestimated Hamas and other key weaknesses]( - [Disinformation is rampant on social media – a social psychologist explains the tactics used against you]( - [Here’s what happened when I taught a fly-fishing course in the waterways of New Orleans]( - [When research study materials don’t speak their participants’ language, data can get lost in translation]( - [How I identified a probable pen name of Louisa May Alcott]( - [How sacred images in many Asian cultures incorporate divine presence and make them come ‘alive’]( - [Real or artificial? A forestry scientist explains how to choose the most sustainable Christmas tree, no matter what it’s made of]( - [Earth may have had all the elements needed for life within it all along − contrary to theories that these elements came from meteorites]( - [Hate crimes are on the rise − but the narrow legal definition makes it hard to charge and convict]( The Conversation Quiz 🧠- Here’s the first question of [this week’s edition:]( Sandra Day O'Connor died on Dec. 1. Which of these is a job she held before becoming the first woman on the U.S. Supreme Court? - A. Bartender - B. Zookeeper - C. Pediatrician - D. State senator [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? 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