Remembering a fire that shamed America

+ interview with a Nobel Prize winner US Edition - Today's top story: A memorial in Yiddish, Italian and English tells the stories of Triangle Shirtwaist fire victims − testament not only to tragedy but to immigrant women's fight to remake labor laws [View in browser]( US Edition | 21 October 2023 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( One hundred and twelve years ago, on a Saturday afternoon just before closing time, a New York City factory building burst into flames. The Triangle Shirtwaist fire was brief but deadly. It remains one of the worst workplace disasters in U.S. history – and one of the most iconic. Many Americans have seen the black and white photos of young women crumpled along West Village sidewalks: workers who felt they had no choice but to leap. Far more might have survived had better safety rules been in place and followed – a tragic reality that kicked labor reform efforts into high gear. The movement was largely [led by young Jewish activists]( determined not to let history repeat itself, as University of Michigan Judaic Studies scholar Karla Goldman explains. Their anguish and outrage helped spur nationwide change. Earlier this month, a new memorial was unveiled at the site of the fire. Its message is conveyed in Yiddish, Italian and English – the first languages of the women who perished. It offers “a bold and graceful reminder not only of the fire,” Goldman writes, “but of its imprint on the world we inhabit today.” This week we also liked articles about [promising plastics recycling research](, the [poet Louise Glück]( and [college credits that students earn in high school](. Molly Jackson Religion and Ethics Editor Victims’ names engraved in a metal overhang, part of the Triangle Shirtwaist Memorial, are reflected in mirroring panels along the sidewalk. AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews [A memorial in Yiddish, Italian and English tells the stories of Triangle Shirtwaist fire victims − testament not only to tragedy but to immigrant women’s fight to remake labor laws]( Karla Goldman, University of Michigan On Oct. 11, 2023, a new memorial was unveiled at the site of the 1911 fire. A cadre of young Jewish women helped push for change in the wake of the tragedy. Louis Brus, center, shares Nobel recognition with two other quantum dots pioneers. Jonathan Nackstrand/AFP via Getty Images [Quantum dots − a new Nobel laureate describes the development of these nanoparticles from basic research to industry application]( Louis Brus, Columbia University Louis Brus explains some of the foundational research – and how even the letter carrier wants to shake your hand when you’ve just won a Nobel Prize. Palestinians on the outskirts of Gaza City walk by buildings destroyed by Israeli bombardment on Oct. 20, 2023. AP Photo/Ali Mahmoud [Delivering aid during war is tricky − here’s what to know about what Gaza relief operations may face]( Topher L. McDougal, University of San Diego The politics of delivering aid in war zones are messy, the ethics fraught and the logistics daunting. But getting everything right is essential − and in this instance could save many Gazans’ lives. - [New class of recyclable polymer materials could one day help reduce single-use plastic waste]( Katherine Harry, Colorado State University; Emma Rettner, Colorado State University A team of scientists has developed a method for creating a new class of plastic materials that are potentially more recyclable than single-use plastics. - [Louise Glück honed her poetic voice across a lifetime to speak to us from beyond the grave]( Amy Cannon, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences A celebrated poet and Nobel laureate, Louise Glück wrote about mortality, broken families and human frailty with devastating wryness and quiet beauty. - [Dual enrollment can save college students time and money − but there’s one risk to avoid]( Mary L. Churchill, Boston University More high school students are taking college courses while still in high school. But equity gaps exist, with Black and Hispanic students participating at lower rates. - [Hamas was unpopular in Gaza before it attacked Israel – surveys showed Gazans cared more about fighting poverty than armed resistance]( - [Deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust spurs a crisis of confidence in the idea of Israel – and its possible renewal]( - [What is a virtual power plant? An energy expert explains]( - [New treatment for postpartum depression offers hope, but the stigma attached to the condition still lingers]( - [What 2,500 years of wildfire evidence tells us about the future of fires in the West]( The Conversation Quiz 🧠- A tip of the quiz cap to professor Barry Markovsky for last week's excellent Friday the 13th quiz! Here’s the first question of [this week’s edition:]( The war between Israel and Hamas is centered in and around the Gaza Strip. Do you know which body of water borders Gaza? - A. Jordan River - B. Gulf of Aqaba - C. Mediterranean Sea - D. 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