Who gets to say what the law means?

+ why obesity-fighting drugs aren't silver bullets US Edition - Today's top story: A Supreme Court ruling on fishing for herring could sharply curb federal regulatory power [View in browser]( US Edition | 10 January 2024 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( Top headlines - [Record number of billion-dollar natural disasters]( - [Fungal toxins found in marijuana]( - [Sound baths – outgrowths of modern yoga – offer benefits]( Lead story When Congress passes a law telling federal regulators to do something – say, reduce air pollution or make workplaces safer – it doesn’t always spell that mission out in great detail. For the past 40 years, an important tenet of administrative law, known as Chevron deference, has dictated that when a law isn’t clear and legal challenges ensue, courts should defer to the agency’s reasonable interpretation of what the statute requires. But that idea will be tested on Jan. 17, when the Supreme Court hears two cases in which herring fishers argue that the law doesn’t empower federal regulators to make them pay part of the costs of monitoring their catch. As University of Southern California law professor Robin Kundis Craig explains, conservative justices are strongly interested in [curbing the power of the administrative state](. The outcome may leave regulatory agencies with much less latitude to address challenges like artificial intelligence that the founders never could have anticipated. [ [Science from the scientists themselves. Sign up for our weekly science email newsletter.]( ] Jennifer Weeks Senior Environment + Cities Editor Two cases centered on Atlantic herring could have widespread impacts on federal regulation. Joe Raedle/Getty Images [A Supreme Court ruling on fishing for herring could sharply curb federal regulatory power]( Robin Kundis Craig, University of Southern California An important but controversial legal doctrine, known as Chevron deference, is at issue in two fishing cases. The outcome could affect many sectors across the nation. Health + Medicine - [As another obesity-fighting drug takes center stage, a nutrition expert warns that weight loss shouldn’t be the only goal]( Mandy Conrad, Mississippi State University Medications can play an important role in weight management, but not at the expense of overall nutrition. And healthy lifestyle habits are also key. Ethics + Religion - [Pope Francis called surrogacy ‘deplorable’ – many women who become surrogates feel otherwise, while the parents who choose it find it humbling and miraculous]( Danielle Tumminio Hansen, Emory University Surrogacy can exploit women, but others may choose to be involved for altruistic reasons. A scholar points out that surrogacy’s ethical value is dependent upon the people and systems who use it. - [A beginner’s guide to sound baths − what they are, how to choose a good one and what the research shows]( Elisa J. Sobo, San Diego State University A medical anthropologist explores claims about the health benefits of sound baths and how to choose the one to attend. Arts + Culture - [From besting Tetris AI to epic speedruns – inside gaming’s most thrilling feats]( James Dawes, Macalester College Whether they’re heroic or inscrutably weird, video game records reveal a lot about play, cooperation and the drive for perfection. - [‘Thirst trap’ and ‘edgelord’ were recently added to the dictionary – so why hasn’t ‘nibling’ made the cut?]( Roger J. Kreuz, University of Memphis Pleasant-sounding words might have a leg up. Science + Technology - [Why don’t fruit bats get diabetes? New understanding of how they’ve adapted to a high-sugar diet could lead to treatments for people]( Wei Gordon, Menlo College; Nadav Ahituv, University of California, San Francisco Fruit bats can eat up to twice their body weight in fruit a day. But their genes and cells evolved to process all that sugar without any heath consequences − a feat drug developers can learn from. - [Earth isn’t the only planet with seasons, but they can look wildly different on other worlds]( Gongjie Li, Georgia Institute of Technology You might hate winter, but at least you know what to expect every year. Other planets have wobbly axes that lead to wild, unpredictable seasons. - [Cannabis products may harbor fungal toxins harmful to human health, but regulations are uneven or nonexistent]( Kimberly D. Gwinn, University of Tennessee Hemp flowers and certain cannabis products contain fungal toxins, including Aspergillus and Fusarium, that can exceed acceptable regulatory levels. Environment + Energy - [2023’s billion-dollar disasters list shattered the US record with 28 big weather and climate disasters amid Earth’s hottest year on record]( Shuang-Ye Wu, University of Dayton An atmospheric scientist explains how rising temperatures are helping to fuel extreme storms, floods, droughts and devastating wildfires. - [After an 80-year absence, gray wolves have returned to Colorado − here’s how the reintroduction of this apex predator will affect prey and plants]( Joanna Lambert, University of Colorado Boulder At one time, perhaps as many as 2 million gray wolves roamed the North American continent. But now those numbers are down to a few thousand. Politics + Society - [Republicans are pushing for drastic asylum changes – an immigration law scholar breaks down the proposal]( Jean Lantz Reisz, University of Southern California A GOP proposal would make it nearly impossible for most migrants now crossing the US border to gain asylum and the right to remain in the country. International - [South Africa’s genocide case against Israel: expert sets out what to expect from the International Court of Justice]( Magnus Killander, University of Pretoria There is precedent showing the ICJ may grant provisional measures within a month or two of the hearing, preventing Israel from causing further harm in Gaza. Trending on site - [Trump’s arguments for immunity not as hopeless as some claim]( - [The curious joy of being wrong – intellectual humility means being open to new information and willing to change your mind]( - [Plagiarism is not always easy to define or detect]( Today's graphic 📈 [A chart showing the fertility rate of South Korea in comparison to the United States from 1950 to 2020. The fertility rate in South Korea fell below the level needed to sustain its population in the mid-1980s and never recovered.]( From the story, [South Korea’s gender imbalance is bad news for men − outnumbering women, many face bleak marriage prospects]( - - 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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