It's time for our weekly #news #quiz. There are several politics questions, but let's skip ahead to the 5th question: Grammy-winner Quincy Jones, who died on Nov. 3, arranged hits for stars ranging from Frank Sinatra to Michael Jackson. He also composed the 1962 tune "Soul Bossa Nova," which became the theme song for which movie series? A. James Bond B. Mission: Impossible C. The Fast and the Furious D. Austin Powers Check your answer and see how well you've been following the news, here:

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The Conversation U.S. weekly news quiz

Test your knowledge with a weekly quiz drawn from some of our favorite stories.

Trump's return to the presidency looks a lot like Andrew Jackson's: Four years after a bitter defeat, Jackson took power. According to an Auburn University historian, "His restructured party and control over appointments allowed him to act with what seemed near-total impunity." Here's some early perspective:

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Trump’s comeback victory, after reshaping his party and national politics, looks a lot like Andrew Jackson’s in 1828

His return follows the trail of another American president who rebounded from defeat to victory and then four years of unchecked power.

#Election2024

We all know how smartphone use can lead to information overload and decreased well-being. Here’s a tech researcher’s 10 simple but effective tips to have a healthier relationship with your phone:

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Here’s how to maintain healthy smartphone habits

Healthy smartphone use depends as much on the way you use it as how much you use it. The key is paying attention to your phone behavior.

#tech #healthyhabits

“The planet Jupiter has no solid ground – no surface, like the grass or dirt you tread here on Earth. There’s nothing to walk on, and no place to land a spaceship. But how can that be?” A physicist explains:

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How can Jupiter have no surface? A dive into a planet so big, it could swallow 1,000 Earths

Jupiter’s composition is more similar to that of the Sun than that of the Earth.

#space #jupiter #science

The election doesn’t need to consume your #mentalhealth

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Election anxiety doesn’t need to win − here are 3 science-backed strategies from a clinical psychologist to rein in the stress

Given the polarized political climate in the US, it’s hard not to be affected by the election. But there are ways to make sure stress and uncerta...

#news #election2024

This year, Americans will spend about $11 billion on #Halloween—about half the amount spent annually on dental care for children under age 17. Besides #inflation, costs are also rising as people buy more candy, more pet costumes, and more pumpkins:

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Why is Halloween spending growing when Americans are supposedly cutting back?

The ‘vibecession’ struck fear into retailers’ hearts, but spending on candy, costumes and pumpkins remains high.

#economy

From Stephen King’s “Salem’s Lot” to Washington Irving’s “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” to H.P. Lovecraft’s “The Dunwich Horror”, whip-poor-wills have often been a dark omen that haunted classic American #horror fiction. But as the birds’ populations have declined by a horrifying 70%, they’re also seeing a near-extinction in books and movies:

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The whip-poor-will has been an omen of death for centuries − what happened to this iconic bird of American horror?

A new film adaptation of Stephen King’s ‘Salem’s Lot’ swaps in an owl for the book’s haunting whip-poor-wills, showing how species loss i...

#wildlife #fiction #books

People with normal color vision are more likely to be resistant to trying new foods than those with colorblindness. Maybe seeing the world with a restricted color palate tones down an emotion-based resistance to new foods.

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How we discovered that people who are colorblind are less likely to be picky eaters

Seeing the world with a restricted color palate seems to tone down an emotion-based resistance to new foods.

#food #science #psychology #emotion

The popularity of "Black Myth: Wukong" continues a nearly 1000-year-old tradition of retelling the story of Sun Wukong, China’s mischievous monkey king.

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A video game based on the Chinese novel ‘Journey to the West’ is the most recent example of innovative retelling of this popular story

The game allows players to free Sun Wukong, the monkey protagonist from the popular 16th century novel ‘Journey to the West,’ and introduces pl...

#mythology #gaming

There’s an enduring expectation for #men to suppress their vulnerability, and it brings tragic mental health consequences.

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Men are carrying the brunt of the ‘loneliness epidemic’ amid potent societal pressures

There is an epidemic of isolation gripping the United States, health experts say, with the resulting loneliness disproportionately impacting men an...

#mentalhealth

New research suggests gut microbe imbalances in infants could predict autism, ADHD and speech disorders years before symptoms appear. A study of thousands of Swedish children found differences in bacterial composition as early as birth. There’s a long way to go before such screening becomes a standard part of pediatric care, but the findings reaffirm the growing body of evidence that the early gut microbiome plays a key role in shaping neurodevelopment.

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Gut microbe imbalances could predict a child’s risk for autism, ADHD and speech disorders years before symptoms appear

Imbalances in different species of bacteria in a baby’s gut may provide insights into their neurodevelopment.

#health #autism #ADHD

Leadership turmoil at OpenAI has led to departures of key safety advocates. Former executives warn that product launches are being rushed at the expense of safeguards. Here’s the latest in OpenAI’s potential shift from nonprofit to for-profit:

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As OpenAI attracts billions in new investment, its goal of balancing profit with purpose is getting more challenging to pull off

Unlike other big tech companies, OpenAI is the for-profit subsidiary of a nonprofit overseen by the nonprofit’s board of directors. Many media ou...

#AI #Regulation #ArtificialIntelligence

Thanks to newly approved at-home rapid tests, you can simultaneously determine whether your symptoms are #COVID-19 or the #flu. They're called multiplex tests because they can analyze for multiple viruses with just one swab up your nose. A quick explainer from researchers who test the tests:

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Is it COVID-19? Flu? At-home rapid tests could help you and your doctor decide on a treatment plan

A fever and a nasty cough can be symptoms of a range of respiratory illnesses. An antigen test that narrows down the culprits can speed up diagnosi...

#health

#OTD 10 years ago, The Conversation launched in the United States: an Australian export to America, destined to flourish. Since then, we've published 21,357 articles from 15,137 academic authors. Those stories have been read nearly 1.3 billion times. Thank you to everyone who has helped us reach this milestone - especially you, our readers! 🍰 🔟 🎉 (If you'd like to give us present, let your friends know about a nonprofit, fact-based #news source with a commitment to decentralized social media)

Trump now calls for the U.S. to be a #Bitcoin superpower, while the Biden-Harris administration has imposed regulatory restrictions and vetoed industry-favored legislation. A researcher of information systems and #AI examines both candidates’ records on #technology regulation –and calls out the important differences:

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AI, cryptocurrencies and data privacy: Comparing the Trump and Harris records on technology regulation

Big tech and its high-tech products and services play an outsized role in the economy and society. The Trump and Biden-Harris records point to how ...

#cryptocurrency

New research on kids and attachment: There’s been a long-standing notion held by many psychologists that early attachment behaviors are mainly determined by a child’s temperament. No: Even children with characteristics of a difficult temperament can benefit from the advantages that come from multiple secure attachments.

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‘Difficult’ children are only slightly more likely to have insecure attachments with parents

The quality of a child’s attachments to caregivers influences healthy development. And most kids with difficult temperaments do form secure attac...

#parenting #psychology #research

Whales are recovering from near extinction – but now they’re competing directly with commercial fishermen for krill in the waters near Antarctica. A coalition of nations is pressing for stricter fishing limits, but Russia and China have resisted. Research shows that if Antarctic krill fishing expands without limits, the whales’ fragile comeback could be reversed.

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Whales are recovering from near extinction, but industrial fishing around Antarctica competes for their sole food source

The Southern Ocean’s krill-rich waters attract multiple species of filter-feeding whales – and, increasingly, fishing boats.

#wildlife #fishing #whales

Beware of the off-brand weight-loss drugs. With Ozempic and Zepbound costing up to $1000 monthly, alternatives are flooding the market. But many carry hidden dangers, from stimulants increasing heart attack risk to contaminated peptide products.

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Buyer beware: Off-brand Ozempic, Zepbound and other weight loss products carry undisclosed risks for consumers

The sellers of these online products acknowledge that many of their drugs are for ‘research purposes only’ or ‘not for human consumption.’

#health #weightloss

Here’s some food for thought: Grocery prices in the U.S. are the lowest in the world even with inflation. And by the way, despite the run-up in food prices, there’s little evidence of the price gouging.

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If you think grocery prices take a big bite out of your paycheck in the US, check out the rest of the world

Here’s some food for thought: Groceries are actually pretty cheap in the US, comparatively speaking.

#inflation #economy

*No, it is not just calories in and calories out the right way to track your weight loss. It's actually about your gut microbes and leftovers.* If you're trying to lose weight, be careful: two foods may have the same number of calories, but other food factors and your microbes influence which calories your body uses more of. Traditional diets like the Mediterranean and the Okinawan diet are rich in bioactives that support your mitochondrial health and metabolism. (Western diets often lack these crucial compounds). 👉🏽

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Is weight loss as simple as calories in, calories out? In the end, it’s your gut microbes and leftovers that make your calories count

Your gut microbes have a lot to say about how many calories you consume and how effectively your body metabolizes them.

#foodstr #health