Technology

BC-The Conversation for August 12, 10am, ADVISORY – Associated Press

Here’s a look at what The Conversation, a non-profit source of explanatory journalism from experts in academia, is offering today.

AP members may find The Conversation content on AP Newsroom or through AP webfeeds. For technical assistance, please contact apcustomersupport@ap.org or call 877-836-9477.

If you have any questions on The Conversation content, including:

– Requests for cut-down copy

– Photos and chart availability

– Information on upcoming stories and coverage plans

Please contact Joel Abrams at us-republish@theconversation.com or 857-233-8429.

——-

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS:

-#TaxTheChurches

-Animal Farm

-Metaverse

——-

STORIES:

A century after the Appalachian Trail was proposed, millions hike it every year seeking ‘the breath of a real life’

ADVERTISEMENT

COMMENTARY When forester Benton MacKaye proposed building an Appalachian Trail 100 years ago, he was really thinking about preserving a larger region as a haven from industrial life. 1057 words. By Charles C. Chester, Brandeis University

Why Cubans took to the streets: 3 questions about Cuba’s economic crisis answered

COMMENTARY An economist who once worked in Cuban’s Finance Ministry explains what caused the economic crisis and other problems fueling discontent. 841 words. By Jorge Salazar-Carrillo, Florida International University

5 issues that could affect the future of campus police

COMMENTARY As college students seek reform of campus police, a scholar outlines five issues that warrant the most attention. 1136 words. By John J Sloan, III, University of Alabama at Birmingham

How gay men justify their racism on Grindr

COMMENTARY When gay men were confronted about writing ‘no Blacks’ or ‘no Latinos’ on their profiles, many of them became defensive. 842 words. By Christopher T. Conner, University of Missouri-Columbia

Emotion is a big part of how you assess risk – and why it’s so hard to be objective about pandemic precautions

ADVERTISEMENT

COMMENTARY How you respond to a risk depends on how you weigh the costs and benefits of an action. The problem is you’re not just a logical computer, and emotions bias your interpretation of the facts. 1089 words. By Sheldon H. Jacobson, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Female scientists set back by the pandemic may never make up lost time

SCIENCE OR TECHNOLOGY Science is not egalitarian. Top researchers get more credit and funding than lesser-known scientists. The long-held practices creating inequality also amplify gender disparities that hold back women. 891 words. By Kristina Lerman, University of Southern California

What is the metaverse? 2 media and information experts explain

SCIENCE OR TECHNOLOGY The metaverse is science fiction, but a lot of people in Silicon Valley are working to make this interconnected virtual reality a, well, reality. 508 words. By Rabindra Ratan, Michigan State University and Yiming Lei, Michigan State University

Orwell’s ideas remain relevant 75 years after ‘Animal Farm’ was published

RELIGION George Orwell’s “Animal Farm” was an instant success when it was first published. His writings on totalitarianism and socialism continue to be relevant today. 866 words. By Mark Satta, Wayne State University

Amid calls to #TaxTheChurches – what and how much do US religious organizations not pay the taxman?

RELIGION Megachurches and the men who lead them can be superrich. So why don’t the IRS and local authorities see a cent in taxes? A scholar explains. 1213 words. By Ryan Cragun, University of Tampa

How Native students fought back against abuse and assimilation at US boarding schools

COMMENTARY Ernest Knocks Off was 18 when he arrived at the Carlisle boarding school in 1879. He was one of many young Native people who fought – in his case, to the death – to retain their language and culture. 1257 words. By Sarah Klotz, College of the Holy Cross

How stigma, anxiety and other psychological factors can contribute to food insecurity

COMMENTARY Detecting food insecurity requires more than assessing what’s in your refrigerator or measuring the distance between your home and the closest supermarket. 637 words. By Cassandra M. Johnson, Texas State University

What does full FDA approval of a vaccine do if it’s already authorized for emergency use?

COMMENTARY While emergency use authorization gets vaccines out to the public more quickly, it doesn’t skip any steps that full approval requires. 600 words. By Jennifer Girotto, University of Connecticut

Use of these stories is subject to the conditions at http://bit.ly/TCUSinfo.