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More than 100 young volcanoes dot the landscape of the East African Rift. A quarter of them have erupted in the last century. Karen Fontijn and Gezahegn Yirgu explain why examining past eruptions is so vital - both to keep people and property safe, and to see how these geothermal areas could bring economic opportunities.
The big story of the week was undoubtedly the American mid-term elections, which changed the balance of power in the US Congress, with Democrats taking control of the House and Republicans picking up seats in the Senate. Steven Pressman of Colorado State examines two economic issues that will be affected by the results – “NAFTA 2.0” and infrastructure. Bob Britten of West Virginia University identifies the enduring image of the election.
Plus: the latest on marijuana legalization, felon voting rights in Florida, the influx of women leaders in the House, and the power of the Latino vote.
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The active Erta Ale volcano in the northern Afar region of Ethiopia.
Mikhail Cheremkin/Shutterstock
Karen Fontijn, Université Libre de Bruxelles; Gezahegn Yirgu, Addis Ababa University
To be better prepared for future eruptions there's a need to understand and monitor poorly known volcanoes, even in remote places.
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US mid-terms
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Steven Pressman, Colorado State University
While a divided Congress will likely mean gridlock, there are two economic policies likely to see significant change: trade and infrastructure.
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Bob Britten, West Virginia University
Here's a riddle: What's the dominant image of the 2018 election campaign? There isn't one. But there are many.
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Daniel J. Mallinson, Pennsylvania State University; Lee Hannah, Wright State University
Two-thirds of all US states now have some kind of legal pot, and support for legalization has never been higher. But ballot initiatives can only take legalization so far, researchers say.
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Victoria Shineman, University of Pittsburgh
New research shows that when ex-offenders are told they're able to vote, their attitudes about democracy and justice improve.
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Jennifer Mathers, Aberystwyth University
Several states now have their first female senator and more than 100 women will enter the House of Representatives.
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Lisa Garcia Bedolla, University of California, Berkeley
Record high Latino participation shows this growing voter segment will turn out for parties and politicians who tackle issues they care about. That's a big lesson for 2020 – and not just for Dems.
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Science + Technology
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Roger Barlow, University of Huddersfield
Scientists at Cern's Large Hadron Collider have seen something that may force us to abandon everything we thought we knew about the world on the level of particles.
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Roland Enmarch, University of Liverpool
Ancient quarry workers left messages carved on walls like a 4,500-year-old form of social media.
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Politics + Society
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Salam Abdulqadir Abdulrahman, University of Human Development, Iraq
The threat to use force to defend Egypt's right to water from the Nile has been a common theme through successive governments.
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