Hitting pay dirt

Editor's note

What will it take to feed nine billion people by 2050? Many advocates say industrial agriculture, which relies on pesticides, herbicides and synthetic fertilizer, is the only way to produce enough food. But when University of Washington geologist David Montgomery visited farms around the world to research his new book, he found a different answer: Lower-tech strategies that rebuild healthy soil produce more food per acre on farms of all sizes.

Yesterday on Capitol Hill, the Senate Judiciary Committee voted along party lines to push Neil Gorsuch’s nomination for the Supreme Court on to the full Senate. Democrats are threatening to filibuster the vote; Republicans counter that they may resort to the “nuclear option.” Jon Gould of American University explains the history of this parliamentary procedure and why it has such a frightening name.

And philosopher Firmin DeBrabander takes a closer look at the popularity of novelist Ayn Rand among President Donald Trump’s advisors and allies. Trump himself has said that he is a “fan” while Paul Ryan, leader of the House of Representatives, has made his staff members read Rand. But Rand explicitly speaks for the elite, whereas Trump’s ascendancy was a rejection of elites. So, what’s happening here?

Jennifer Weeks

Editor, Environment and Energy

Top story

Planting a diverse blend of crops and cover crops, and not tilling, helps promote soil health. Catherine Ulitsky, USDA/Flickr

Healthy soil is the real key to feeding the world

David R. Montgomery, University of Washington

Conventional wisdom says we need industrial agriculture to feed the world. Not so, says geologist David Montgomery: Practices that all focus on creating healthy soil can transform agriculture.

Politics + Society

Should Americans fear the 'nuclear option' in Congress?

Jon Gould, American University

GOP members of the Senate Judiciary Committee have pushed Gorsuch's nomination onto the full Senate. Both the Republicans and Democrats are promising to pull out the big guns.
1917: Woodrow Wilson's call to war pulled America onto a global stage

Gordon Stables, University of Southern California

Wilson coined the phrase 'America First' and appealed for 'peace without victory.' But on April 2, 1917 he asked Congress for a declaration of war. The impact on American foreign policy was profound.

Ethics + Religion
How Ayn Rand's 'elitism' lives on in the Trump administration Firmin DeBrabander, Maryland Institute College of Art Despite promises to rural working class, a philosopher argues, the Republican Party is still under the influence of the elitism of novelist Ayn Rand.

Arts + Culture
Baseball season begins: Five essential reads Nick Lehr, The Conversation The national pastime is more than just a sport. In this roundup, we feature stories about baseball's relationship to race, politics, the media and health.

Environment + Energy

How World War I ushered in the century of oil

Brian C. Black, Pennsylvania State University

Before World War I, petroleum had few practical uses, but it emerged from the war as a strategic global asset necessary for national stability and security.
“‘The Great War’ introduced a 19th-century world to modern ideas and technologies, many of which required inexpensive crude.”

Brian C. Black

Pennsylvania State University

Read more

Science + Technology

From shell-shock to PTSD, a century of invisible war trauma

MaryCatherine McDonald, Old Dominion University; Marisa Brandt, Michigan State University; Robyn Bluhm, Michigan State University

Mental health trauma has always been a part of war. Treatments have come a long way over the last century, but we still don't understand why the responses change for different people and times.
Can better advice keep you safer online?

Elissa Redmiles, University of Maryland

It's not about income or education or even using a smartphone: People who get better advice from more reliable sources are safer online.

Health + Medicine

The federal government will stop collecting data on LGBT seniors. That's bad news for their health

Brandon Brown, University of California, Riverside

LGBT people face discrimination in health care, as well as significant health disparities. Recent moves by the Trump administration will make these topics more difficult to untangle.
Can the study of epigenomics lead to personalized cancer treatment?

Fabian V. Filipp, University of California, Merced

A field called epigenomics looks at chemical modifications that do not change our DNA sequence but can affect gene activity. What are the limitations, and can biomedicine use this to our advantage?

Economy + Business
'Default' choices have big impact, but how to make sure they’re used ethically? Mary Steffel, Northeastern University; Elanor Williams, Indiana University, Bloomington ; Ruth Pogacar, University of Cincinnati Defaults are powerful tools that policymakers and marketers can use to nudge us to make certain choices, whether in our interest or in theirs. How do we ensure they're used responsibly?

Trending On Site

Trump's FCC continues to redefine the public interest as business interests

Christopher Ali, University of Virginia

As the Trump administration settles into office, regulators and lawmakers have big plans for shifting the country's media landscape, with potentially profound effects on the public.
What's behind phantom cellphone buzzes?

Daniel J. Kruger, University of Michigan

Have you ever checked your phone thinking you had felt it vibrate or heard it ring, only to see that no one tried to reach you? One researcher decided to study this phenomenon.
How did celibacy become mandatory for priests?

Kim Haines-Eitzen, Cornell University

Recent comments of Pope Francis suggest an openness to priestly marriage. A scholar shows how early church practices did not include mandatory celibacy for priests.