‘Every Single Person That Has Died, I Do It For Them’: Parkland Students Traverse Country To Try To Curb Gun Violence
The students are reaching out to local activists and communities, preaching a message of fixing the underlying problems of gun violence and registering voters across the country. In other news: the problems with sitting, the mysterious illnesses in Cuba, robot peer pressure, and weight loss.
The New York Times:
‘Let Us Have A Childhood’: On The Road With The Parkland Activists
Six months and a day after a gunman massacred 17 of their classmates and staff, the students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School woke up Wednesday and began a new year. For the past two months, a busload of them have traveled the country in pursuit of stricter gun laws, connecting with local activists, holding rallies, debating counterprotesters and, above all, registering voters. (Astor, 8/15)
The New York Times:
Why Sitting May Be Bad For Your Brain
Sitting for hours without moving can slow the flow of blood to our brains, according to a cautionary new study of office workers, a finding that could have implications for long-term brain health. But getting up and strolling for just two minutes every half-hour seems to stave off this decline in brain blood flow and may even increase it. Delivering blood to our brains is one of those automatic internal processes that most of us seldom consider, although it is essential for life and cognition. Brain cells need the oxygen and nutrients that blood contains, and several large arteries constantly shuttle blood up to our skulls. (Reynolds, 8/15)
Politico:
U.S. Limits Diplomatic Tours In Cuba Following Mysterious Illnesses
The Trump administration is slashing the amount of time U.S. diplomats are posted in Cuba to one year, an unusually short time frame typically applied to war-torn or otherwise dangerous nations. The change to the “standard tour of duty” puts Cuba in league with countries such as Iraq, Afghanistan and South Sudan. It follows a series of mysterious, seemingly sound-related injuries that have injured at least two dozen Americans who spent time in the country. (Toosi, 8/15)
The Washington Post:
Children Can Be Swayed By Robot Peer Pressure, Study Says
When the robot revolution arrives, we all know the plot: Smarter machines will supersede human intelligence and outwit us, enslave us and destroy us. But what if it's not artificial intelligence we have to fear, but artificial stupidity? What if it isn't robot overlords that pose the greatest risk but our willingness to trust robots, even when they are clearly wrong? As huggable social robots tricked out with humanlike facial expressions and personalities have begun to infiltrate our homes, experts are beginning to worry about how these machines will influence human behavior — particularly in children and the elderly. (Johnson, 8/15)
The New York Times:
Any Weight Loss Can Be Healthful, But More Can Be Much Better
When it comes to losing weight, more can be better. A lot better, according to a new study. Researchers studied 7,670 overweight or obese people who wanted to lose weight. Using data on current weight, weight a year ago and maximum lifetime weight, they tested the association of long-term weight loss with lowering the risk for metabolic syndrome — a constellation of unhealthy conditions that includes high blood pressure, insulin resistance, excess fat around the waist, high triglycerides and low HDL, or “good,” cholesterol. (Bakalar, 8/15)
