Godzilla, radical environmentalist

+ risks of off-brand Ozempic, Zepbound weight loss drugs US Edition - Today's top story: Godzilla at 70: The monster's warning to humanity is still urgent [View in browser]( US Edition | 16 October 2024 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( Godzilla, the king of cinematic monsters, turns 70 this year and isn’t done with humans yet. While the original “Godzilla” movie was a warning about an unrestrained nuclear arms race, Notre Dame scholars Amanda Kennell and Jessica McManus Warnell explain how the franchise broadened over the ensuing decades. “Godzilla slowly morphed [from a murderous monster into a monstrous defender of humanity](,” they write. Later films from both Japanese and U.S. producers responded to environmental crises, including mercury pollution and the 2011 meltdown at the Fukushima nuclear plant. There’s also a clear call for citizen action in the newest movies. Godzilla topples a lot of buildings, but the biggest danger is human complacency. Also in this week’s science news: - [Rain could have been key to formation of early cells]( - [Well water not tested enough for safety]( - [The health impacts of natural disasters, including mental health]( If there’s a subject you’d like our team of science editors to investigate, please reply to this email. Jennifer Weeks Senior Environment + Cities Editor The monster in the 2023 movie “Godzilla Minus One.” Toho Co. Ltd. [Godzilla at 70: The monster’s warning to humanity is still urgent]( Amanda Kennell, University of Notre Dame; Jessica McManus Warnell, University of Notre Dame Like the Japanese atomic survivors who were awarded the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize, Godzilla has a message to share. Excavations at Çatalhöyük show how closely people lived before the settlement collapsed. Mark Nesbitt/Wikimedia Commons [Socially distanced layout of the world’s oldest cities helped early civilization evade diseases]( R. Alexander Bentley, University of Tennessee Whether intentional or not, the way mega-settlements in southeastern Europe from 6,000 years ago were laid out would have cut down on the spread of disease. As the demand for weight loss injectables soars, so too does the market for off-brand alternatives, some of which may not be safe or effective. Michael Siluk/UCG, Universal Images Group Editorial via Getty Images [Buyer beware: Off-brand Ozempic, Zepbound and other weight loss products carry undisclosed risks for consumers]( C. Michael White, University of Connecticut The sellers of these online products acknowledge that many of their drugs are for ‘research purposes only’ or ‘not for human consumption.’ [How foreign operations are manipulating social media to influence your views]( Filippo Menczer, Indiana University Social media platforms, the modern public squares, are being manipulated by foreign influence campaigns. AI makes those campaigns more effective. [Atmospheric rivers are shifting poleward, reshaping global weather patterns]( Zhe Li, University Corporation for Atmospheric Research These powerful ‘rivers in the sky’ provide a huge share of annual precipitation in many regions, including California. They can also melt sea ice, with global climate implications. [Evacuating in disasters like Hurricane Milton isn’t simple – there are reasons people stay in harm’s way]( Carson MacPherson-Krutsky, University of Colorado Boulder Evacuating is expensive, and for some people the risks of leaving can seem greater than staying despite the storm. [Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS is a Halloween visitor from the spooky Oort Cloud − the invisible bubble that’s home to countless space objects]( James Wray, Georgia Institute of Technology Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS is one of 2 comets from the Oort Cloud passing by Earth in October 2024. - [San Francisco is suing the EPA over how specific water pollution permits should be]( Robin Kundis Craig, University of Kansas One of the most liberal US cities is offering the Supreme Court a chance to further restrict federal regulatory power. - [Coastal cities have a hidden vulnerability to storm-surge and tidal flooding − entirely caused by humans]( Philip M. Orton, Stevens Institute of Technology; Stefan Talke, California Polytechnic State University Some cities are building huge gates and barriers to counter the flood risk from estuary urbanization. But putting nature to work in a big way might be more effective. - [Scientists around the world report millions of new discoveries every year − but this explosive research growth wasn’t what experts predicted]( David P. Baker, Penn State; Justin J.W. Powell, University of Luxembourg Don’t be fooled by the image of a mad scientist isolated in his basement laboratory. Science is a collaborative endeavor, and international teams have contributed to a huge rise in scientific output. - [Charging, not range, is becoming a top concern for electric car drivers]( Alan Jenn, University of California, Davis The issue isn’t just the number of chargers – it’s also the quality of drivers’ experiences with them. - [People displaced by hurricanes face anxiety and a long road to recovery, US census surveys show − smarter, targeted policies could help]( - [Rain may have helped form the first cells, kick-starting life as we know it]( - [Millions of people across the US use well water, but very few test it often enough to make sure it’s safe]( - - More of The Conversation Like this newsletter? 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