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PICKS are stories from many sources, selected by our editors or recommended by our readers because they are important, surprising, troubling, enlightening, inspiring, or amusing. They appear on our site and in our daily newsletter. Please send suggested articles, videos, podcasts, etc. to picks@whowhatwhy.org.
‘Not Worth the Risk’: Palau, Fiji Call for Deep-Sea Mining Moratorium (Maria)
The author writes, “Concerned about the potential impacts of deep-sea mining on ocean biodiversity, the Pacific islands of Palau and Fiji on Monday launched an ‘alliance’ to call for a moratorium of the nascent industry. The backing of a moratorium comes amid a wave of global interest in deep-sea mining but also growing pressure from some environmental groups and governments to either ban it or ensure it only goes ahead if appropriate regulations are in place. Deep-sea mining uses heavy machinery to suck up off the ocean floor potato-sized rocks or nodules that contain cobalt, manganese, and other rare metals mostly used in batteries.”
Alito Made a Tiny Edit to His Abortion Opinion That Reveals the Weakness of His Argument (Mili)
From Quartz: “The US Supreme Court ruling striking down Roe v. Wade is nearly identical to the draft opinion that first leaked in May. But one tiny revision in justice Samuel Alito’s majority opinion is worth parsing because it reveals the problems with the interpretation of history proffered by the court’s conservative faction. In the initial draft opinion, first obtained by Politico, Alito wrote, ‘Until the latter part of the 20th century, there was no support in American law for a constitutional right to obtain an abortion. Zero. None. No state constitutional provision had recognized such a right.’ In the final opinion … Alito slightly amended his wording: ‘Until the latter part of the 20th century, there was no support in American law for a constitutional right to obtain an abortion. No state constitutional provision had recognized such a right.’”
Does Hungary Offer a Glimpse of Our Authoritarian Future? (Reader Jim)
From The New Yorker: “American conservatives recently hosted their flagship conference in Hungary, a country that experts call an autocracy. Its leader, Viktor Orbán, provides a potential model of what a Trump after Trump might look like.”
Migrants Found Dead Inside Truck in Texas Sprinkled With Steak Seasoning to Cover Smell Amid Sweltering Temps: Report (DonkeyHotey)
The author writes, “Some of the 50 migrants found dead inside a tractor trailer abandoned in Texas were reportedly sprinkled with steak seasoning in a possible bid by smugglers to cover up the stench. A law enforcement officer revealed the horrifying detail to the Texas Tribune on Monday, shortly after the 18-wheeler was discovered by a city worker on the southwest side of San Antonio around 6 p.m. When authorities arrived on the scene, they found the gate of the tractor trailer slightly open and a body on the ground outside.”
Twitter Is the Go-to Social Media Site for US Journalists, but Not for the Public (Sean)
From Pew Research Center: “More than nine-in-ten journalists in the United States (94%) use social media for their jobs, according to a recent Pew Research Center survey of reporters, editors and others working in the news industry. But the sites that journalists use most frequently differ from those that the public turns to for news.”
This Styrofoam-Eating ‘Superworm’ Could Help Solve the Garbage Crisis (Howard)
The author writes, “A plump larva the length of a paper clip can survive on the material that makes Styrofoam. The organism, commonly called a ‘superworm,’ could transform the way waste managers dispose of one of the most common components in landfills, researchers said, potentially slowing a mounting garbage crisis that is exacerbating climate change.”
Hubble Spots Glittering ‘Sea of Sequins’ Crammed With Stars (Dana)
The author writes, “Here’s your moment of space beauty for the day. The Hubble Space Telescope stared at the constellation Sagittarius and spotted a luminous collection of stars. NASA highlighted the view of Terzan 9, a globular cluster. … Hubble is a joint project from NASA and the European Space Agency. ESA said, ‘Terzan 9 is dotted with so many glittering stars that it resembles a sea of sequins.’ The term ‘globular cluster’ might sound a little awkward, but the views are spectacular. These clusters are formations that can contain millions of stars.”
