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On Dec. 21, Jupiter and Saturn will be as close as they’ve been in eight centuries. The timing has led many stargazers to dub the planetary conjunction the “Christmas star.” Some have even speculated about whether the celestial event is similar to the biblical Star of Bethlehem that led the wise men to Joseph, Mary and the newly born Jesus.
Religion scholar Eric M. Vanden Eykel, who is writing a book on the three wise men, explains the story behind the Star of Bethlehem and why the Bible is making a theological argument – not a historical one.
Also today:
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Kalpana Jain
Senior Religion + Ethics Editor
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A Nativity presentation showing the three wise men being led by the Star of Bethlehem.
Steve Russell/Toronto Star via Getty Images
Eric M. Vanden Eykel, Ferrum College
A conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn is giving rise to speculations that it is the same astronomical event as the biblical Star of Bethlehem. An expert explains why it is not.
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Science + Technology
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Barbara Gastel, Texas A&M University
2020 was a big year for Fauci – but he's been on the national stage for decades. Here's more about his work before COVID-19 and why he was perfectly poised to help the US respond to the pandemic.
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Jocelyn P. Colella, University of Kansas; Bryan McLean, University of North Carolina – Greensboro
Specimen preservation means researchers don't need to reinvent the wheel each time they ask a new question, making it critical for the advancement of science. But many specimens are discarded or lost.
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Arts + Culture
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Peter C. Mancall, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences
It was less about their asceticism and more about rejecting the world they had fled.
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Environment + Energy
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Brett B. Palm, University of Washington
Thousands of chemical compounds in wildfire smoke are interacting with each other and sunlight as the smoke travels. For people downwind, it can become more toxic over time.
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Politics/Election '20
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Jacob Smith, Duke University
Evidence shows Black candidates can win elections in majority-white congressional districts.
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María Isabel Alfonso, St. Joseph's College of New York
Talks with the government ended with accusations that the dissenting artists were 'paid by North American agencies' – an age-old way to discredit dissent in Cuba. But these protests are homegrown.
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Lena Surzhko Harned, Penn State; Luis Jimenez, University of Massachusetts Boston
Throughout his presidency, Donald Trump has exposed the fragility of democratic institutions, mirroring a global trend in authoritarianism, and that will have a lasting effect on the United States.
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Economy + Business
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Elizabeth J. Dale, Seattle University
By not attaching any strings to the money, championing representation and generally taking care to respect nonprofit leaders, she's following five best practices.
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Abhishek Bhati, Bowling Green State University
Even after donors boosted their charitable giving at other times of the year, people donated 25% more than in 2019 through the annual campaign.
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David Hope, King's College London; Julian Limberg, King's College London
We find low taxes on the rich bring economies little benefit. This suggests there is a strong economic case for raising taxes on the rich to help repair public finances following the pandemic.
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Health + Medicine
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Heather Eicher-Miller, Purdue University
The boxes and bags people get from food pantries contain healthier food than you might suspect.
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Janet M. Gibson, Grinnell College
Whether in the form of a discreet titter or a full-on roar, laughter comes with many benefits for physical and mental health.
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Larry M. Silverberg, North Carolina State University
Field theory describes the universe as energy flowing along unending lines. With this perspective, it is possible to define a new fundamental building block of matter.
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Kaitlin Woolley, Cornell University; Peggy Liu, University of Pittsburgh
People worried about gaining weight over the holidays may try to estimate how many calories are in the foods they put on their plates. But it's not as easy as it looks.
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