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.
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We’re Finally Going to the Most Intriguing, Unexplored Space Frontier (Maria)
The author writes, “Beneath a thick sheet of ice [on Jupiter’s ice-encrusted moon Europa] lies a vast, warm ocean. … As soon as this weekend, a Falcon Heavy rocket will lift off, carrying the $4.25B Europa Clipper spacecraft. This mission is unlikely to definitively answer the question of whether life exists in the oceans below, but it will tell us whether it could, and it will answer so many more questions about the icy moon. The best part is the unknown wonders it will discover.”
Trump Is Running a Disinformation Campaign, Not a Political Campaign (Dana)
From Mother Jones: “Trump’s dishonesty goes further than the usual campaign lying. He concocts and promotes utterly false narratives to shape voters’ perceptions of fundamental realities. His campaign is a full-fledged project to pervert how Americans view the nation and the world, an extensive propaganda campaign designed to fire up fears and intensify anxieties that Trump can then exploit to collect votes. And the political media world has yet to come to terms with the fact that Trump is heading a disinformation crusade more likely to be found in an authoritarian state than a vibrant democracy. This is unlike other presidential campaigns in modern American history — other than his own previous efforts.”
Election Officials Who Back Trump’s ‘Big Lie’ Stir Concern in Swing States (Reader Jim)
The authors write, “Four years after Trump tried to overturn his election loss, his false conspiracy theories about voter fraud have become an article of faith among many Republican members of local election boards that certify results. Their rise raises the chances that pro-Trump officials in multiple jurisdictions will be able to delay or sow doubt over the Nov. 5 presidential election if Trump loses.”
A Migrant Was Left Behind in the Desert. Volunteers Braved Scorching Heat To Try To Find Him. (Laura)
From The Washington Post: “Heat has long threatened migrants crossing the Arizona desert. Now, amid the hottest years on record, it is putting missions to recover their bodies in jeopardy.”
Hazed and Abused, Some Lawyers See Bullying as Part of Job While Others Leave, New Study Says (Reader Steve)
From the ABA Journal: “Bullying experienced by lawyers is causing increased turnover and ‘a talent drain from the profession,’ according to a new Illinois survey and study thought ‘to be one of the first wide-scale research projects’ of its kind in the United States. Bullying is even more prevalent against lawyers who are women, young and traditionally underrepresented in the legal profession, according to the study.”
Airborne Plastic Chemical Levels Shock Researchers (Mili)
The author writes, “A new study documents how Southern Californians are chronically being exposed to toxic airborne chemicals called plasticizers, including one that’s been banned from children’s items and beauty products. Plasticizers are chemical compounds that make materials more flexible. They are used in a wide variety of products ranging from lunchboxes and shower curtains to garden hoses and upholstery.”
‘Star Wars: A New Hope’ Dubbed Into Ojibwe in an Effort To Help Revitalize the Language (Al)
The author writes, “Recently, the Star Wars universe has expanded to include multigenerational Anishinaabe speakers to bring a new Ojibwe dubbing of Disney’s Star Wars (Anangon Miigaading): A New Hope to life. The film is directed by Ellyn Stern Epcar and partners in the project include Dakota Ojibway Tribal Council (DOTC), the University of Manitoba (UM), Disney/Lucasfilm and APTN as a part of wider efforts to revitalize the language.”
