You don't know everything | Top 10

+ the business of Christmas trees; no sound in space US Edition - Today's top story: Intellectual humility is a key ingredient for scientific progress [View in browser]( US Edition | 10 December 2023 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( Happy Sunday − and welcome to the best of The Conversation. Here are a few of our recently published stories: - [Ex-Speaker McCarthy’s departure from Congress reads like Greek tragedy – but stars a ‘slight unmeritable man’ and not a hero]( - [Norman Lear’s ’70s TV comedies brought people together to confront issues in a way Gen Z would appreciate]( When we want to cover an important issue that feels too big for a single story, we often launch a series to tackle the topic from a variety of different angles, often from different desks. We’ve done countless series since I began working at The Conversation, from income inequality and trans health to sugar and changes in how we bury our dead. Typically, they’re closed series, involving a set number of carefully curated stories in a short span of time. But we occasionally also do ongoing series, in which we examine a fascinating topic over many months. One of my favorites has been the [intellectual humility series](, shaped by science editor Maggie Villiger, which has explored the concept through faith, science, health, politics and more in over a dozen articles so far. One of the latest articles in the series, which garnered a lot of reader attention last week, considered [how important it is for the sake of progress]( that scientists and inventors be intellectually humble. In the words of Michael Dickson, a philosopher at the University of South Carolina: “Their intellectual humility lies in their openness to the possibility, indeed strong likelihood, that nobody is in possession of the full truth, and that others, too, may have insights, ideas and evidence that should be taken into account when forming their own best judgments.” Of course, you don’t have to be a scientist to find value in intellectual humility. I, for one, am trying to take the conclusions of Dickson’s and the other articles to heart and find ways in my work and personal life to be more intellectually humble about what I know – and don’t. Bryan Keogh Managing Editor Readers' picks Would technologies like the airplane ever get off the ground without people balancing commitment to their vision with openness to new ideas? HUM Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images [Intellectual humility is a key ingredient for scientific progress]( Michael Dickson, University of South Carolina An intellectually humble person may have strong commitments to various beliefs − but balanced with an openness to the likelihood that others, too, may have valuable insights, ideas and evidence. - [Why Franklin, Washington and Lincoln considered American democracy an ‘experiment’ – and were unsure if it would survive]( Thomas Coens, University of Tennessee Is American democracy an ‘experiment’ in the bubbling-beakers-in-a-laboratory sense of the word? If so, what is the experiment attempting to prove, and how will we know if and when it has succeeded? - [COP28: 7 food and agriculture innovations needed to protect the climate and feed a rapidly growing world]( Paul Winters, University of Notre Dame Food systems are increasingly disrupted by climate disasters, while also being a major contributor to climate change. World leaders at COP28 are vowing to do something about it. - [Why isn’t there any sound in space? An astronomer explains why in space no one can hear you scream]( Chris Impey, University of Arizona Sound needs matter to propagate, so the vast vacuum of space is not just empty − it’s silent. - [How electroconvulsive therapy heals the brain − new insights into ECT, a stigmatized yet highly effective treatment for depression]( Sydney E. Smith, University of California, San Diego Electroconvulsive therapy often evokes inaccurate images of seizing bodies and smoking ears. Better understanding of how it reduces depression symptoms can illuminate new ways to treat mental illness. Editors' picks Peace, joy and profit margins: Retailers sell Christmas trees at a markup of up to 500%. Iuliia Bondar/Getty Images Plus [Oh, Christmas tree: The economics of the US holiday tree industry]( Jay L. Zagorsky, Boston University; Patrick Abouchalache, Boston University The spirit of the season is free, but that tree is going to cost you. - [Your car might be watching you to keep you safe − at the expense of your privacy]( M. Hadi Amini, Florida International University Your car’s safety technology takes you into account. But a lot of that technology helps car companies collect data about you. Researchers are working on closing the gap between safety and privacy. - [Hanukkah celebrations have changed dramatically − but the same is true of Christmas]( Samira Mehta, University of Colorado Boulder Assimilation no doubt played a role in making Hanukkah the commercialized holiday it is today. But other factors shaped the modern festival, too, a scholar of Jewish studies and gender explains. - [The landmark Genocide Convention has had mixed results since the UN approved it 75 years ago]( Alexander Hinton, Rutgers University - Newark While the Genocide Convention has helped raise awareness and prevent ethnic violence from escalating, it has not stopped many accusations of genocides, including violence in Darfur and in Ukraine. - [Certain states, including Arizona, have begun scrapping court costs and fees for people unable to pay – two experts on legal punishments explain why]( Alexes Harris, University of Washington; Alex R. Piquero, University of Miami The imposition of fines and fees on people unable to pay has had a disproportionate impact on Black and Latino communities. 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 O'Connor, Wonka, Audubon and Hanukkah. 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](