How sharks make the ocean healthier

+ the Olympics' civil religion US Edition - Today's top story: Oceans without sharks would be far less healthy – new research [View in browser]( US Edition | 3 August 2024 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( It’s hard not to feel concerned about sharks at the beach in summer, when local movie theaters screen “Jaws” and warning signs go up at beaches from Cape Cod to the Gulf Coast. But as scientists constantly point out, sharks are vastly more at risk from humans than vice versa. And a new study shows that without sharks, [the world’s oceans would be much less healthy](. In a broad review of decades of shark research, Florida International University biologist Michael Heithaus and his colleagues found that sharks help maintain important underwater ecosystems such as seagrass beds, kelp forests and coral reefs just through their presence. As top-of-the-food-chain predators, sharks cause other sea creatures to move around and change their habits in ways that help these ecosystems thrive. As Heithaus’ research team shows, an ocean without sharks would be a truly dismal prospect. This week we also liked articles about [Missy Elliott’s musical career](, the disproportionate toll that [thinking about household chores]( takes on moms, and why Kamala Harris [doesn’t have much in common with Hubert Humphrey]( as a presidential candidate. [ [The latest on philanthropy and nonprofits. Sign up for our weekly newsletter, Giving Today.](] Jennifer Weeks Senior Environment + Cities Editor Gray reef sharks and blacktip reef sharks near Tahiti, French Polynesia. Alexis Rosenfeld/Getty Images [Oceans without sharks would be far less healthy – new research]( Michael Heithaus, Florida International University A broad review of shark research shows that sharks play critical roles in keeping ocean ecosystems such as coral reefs and seagrass beds healthy. Athletes line up for a 100-meter race at the 1896 Olympic Games in Athens. Fine Art Images/Heritage Images/Getty Images [The French baron who revived the Olympics believed they were more than sport – they were a religion of perfection and peace]( Jeffrey Scholes, University of Colorado Colorado Springs; Terry Shoemaker, Arizona State University Pierre de Coubertin hoped to channel the best of the ancient ceremonies into a new tradition that could foster both national pride and international harmony. Missy Elliott’s music tells stories of Black cyborgs, space-time travel and postapocalyptic worlds. Prince Williams/WireImage via Getty Images [Missy Elliott tours as a headliner − and it’s about time]( Elliott H. Powell, University of Minnesota The six-time platinum-selling artist invites fans into an imagined future that celebrates Blackness and queerness. - [Kamala Harris is no Hubert Humphrey − how the presumed 2024 Democratic presidential nominee isn’t like the 1968 party candidate]( Aram Goudsouzian, University of Memphis With the huge task of a late presidential run against Donald Trump, Kamala Harris faces challenges distinct from those faced by Vice President Hubert Humphrey after LBJ decided not to seek reelection. - [Moms think more about household chores − and this cognitive burden hurts their mental health]( Darby Saxbe, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences; Lizzie Aviv, University of Southern California Moms execute more household tasks. But they’re also family executives, doing more of the thinking ahead and assigning that are part of all those chores – bad news for their mental health. - [Robocars promise to improve traffic even when most of the cars around them are driven by people, study finds]( Weizi Li, University of Tennessee Long before all vehicles become self-driving, AI could drastically improve traffic conditions. Traffic jams could become a thing of the past when even as few as 5% of cars are driven by robots. - [Sustainability and resilience: What do they mean, and how do they matter for policy?]( - [Voters become more polarized when presidential candidates take positions on issues in K-12 education]( - [Menopause increases your risk of STIs due to how aging changes your body]( - [Buddha’s lessons on impermanence are carved into monuments and buildings – this course explores why]( - [Wildfires can create their own weather, including tornado-like fire whirls − an atmospheric scientist explains how]( - [AIs encode language like brains do – opening a window on human conversations]( - [NRA legal judgment bans LaPierre but could signal the end of gun group’s fight with New York authorities]( - [Chinese warships off Alaska and Cambodia highlight the role of near and far waters in sea power dominance]( The Conversation News Quiz 🧠- [The Conversation U.S. weekly news quiz]( Fritz Holznagel, The Conversation Here’s the first question of [this week’s edition:]( On July 29, President Joe Biden proposed what surprise reform for the U.S. Supreme Court? - A. 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