Declining birth rates, side hustles and healthy fiber | Top 10

2023's most-read stories, from hard news to new research US Edition - Today's top story: US birth rates are at record lows – even though the number of kids most Americans say they want has held steady [View in browser]( US Edition | 31 December 2023 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( Wars, political dysfunction, a changing climate and Trump investigations − 2023 has been quite a year. While stories on those themes and other major news events were among our top 10 most-read stories of the year, our list of reader favorites also includes many that I’d consider quintessentially Conversation articles. A few stories each racked up more than 1 million page views when counting readership on our site and through our republishers’ pages. One of the most-read came from sociologists Sarah Hayford from The Ohio State University and Karen Benjamin Guzzo from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, who explained why [U.S. birth rates are at about the lowest level in at least a century](. In other words, it combined two topics that always draw in readers − adorable babies and the suggestion that we’re having less sex − plus the scholarly rigor and depth we consider our specialty. Several others on the list centered on the author’s own research, another common element in Conversation stories. Florida International University linguist Phillip M. Carter [shared his research identifying a new English dialect]( emerging in South Florida that includes elements of Spanish. And Keith Diaz, an associate professor of behavioral medicine, [described his study on the harmful effects of sitting too much](, finding that a five-minute light walk every half-hour counteracted the negative effects. Many more stories that readers liked focused on scholars using their expertise to explain something in the news, important or just really interesting, as so many of our stories aim to do. For example, Christopher Damman, a gastroenterologist at the University of Washington, [explored the key role of fiber]( in healthy weight management. And if you’ve been earning a little extra cash walking a dog or renting your flat on Airbnb, the University of Dayton’s Erica Neuman warned that [you won’t be able to hide side hustles]( like these from the IRS anymore. Please enjoy these and other reader faves from 2023 as you and your loved ones ring in 2024 – and another year of evidence-backed stories in your inbox. I’d also like to extend my thanks to the academics who take time out of their schedules to write for us and to the editors in our newsroom who work with them to make these articles available to millions of people all year round. Bryan Keogh Managing Editor More one-and-done families influence the overall birth rate. Maskot via Getty Images [US birth rates are at record lows – even though the number of kids most Americans say they want has held steady]( Sarah Hayford, The Ohio State University; Karen Benjamin Guzzo, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Childbearing goals have remained remarkably consistent over the decades. What has changed is when people start their families and how many kids they end up having. Heavy rain from a series of atmospheric rivers flooded large parts of California from late December 2022 into early January 2023. Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images [How California could save up its rain to ease future droughts — instead of watching epic atmospheric river rainfall drain into the Pacific]( Andrew Fisher, University of California, Santa Cruz Urban infrastructure was designed to take stormwater out to the ocean quickly. Now, California needs that precious water. [Linguists have identified a new English dialect that’s emerging in South Florida]( Phillip M. Carter, Florida International University It came about through sustained contact with native Spanish speakers who directly translated phrases from Spanish into English, a form of linguistic borrowing called ‘calques.’ [Sitting all day is terrible for your health – now, a new study finds a relatively easy way to counteract it]( Keith Diaz, Columbia University Short, frequent walks throughout the day are key to helping prevent the harmful effects of a sedentary lifestyle. [‘If you want to die in jail, keep talking’ – two national security law experts discuss the special treatment for Trump and offer him some advice]( Thomas A. Durkin, Loyola University Chicago; Joseph Ferguson, Loyola University Chicago If you were Trump’s lawyer, what would you advise him to do now? Two national security specialists have some words for and about the former president after his federal indictment. [Starbucks fans are steamed: The psychology behind why changes to a rewards program are stirring up anger, even though many will get grande benefits]( H. Sami Karaca, Boston University; Jay L. Zagorsky, Boston University Many Starbucks customers are irked by recent changes to its popular rewards program. But they may not have as much to complain about as it seems. [Fiber is your body’s natural guide to weight management – rather than cutting carbs out of your diet, eat them in their original fiber packaging instead]( Christopher Damman, University of Washington Many processed foods strip carbs of their natural fibers. Eating foods with an ideal total carbohydrate-to-fiber ratio can help with weight management and improve overall health. [Ukraine war has exposed the folly – and unintended consequences – of ‘armed missionaries’]( Ronald Suny, University of Michigan A year into the war in Ukraine, a historian reflects on how it has affected the geopolitical environment. [Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas moves to reverse the legacy of his predecessor, Thurgood Marshall]( Daniel Kiel, University of Memphis Throughout Thomas’ tenure on the court, he has pushed the Supreme Court to replace Marshall’s vision with one more amenable to the powerful than the powerless. [You can’t hide side hustles from the IRS anymore – here’s what taxpayers need to know about reporting online payments for gig work]( Erica Neuman, University of Dayton An accounting expert points out that income Americans previously thought was invisible to the IRS will now be tallied up and reported by Venmo and similar apps. 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](. 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