Extra Credit: Our pick of stories from around the web that bridge the gap between news and scholarship. Brought to you each Tuesday from the editors of JSTOR Daily.
What Jane Jacobs knew (The Atlantic)
by Nathaniel Rich
Jane Jacobs revolutionized our understanding of the lives of cities. But the scholar’s life and work—from her time living in a desperately declining small town, to her work as a propagandist during World War II—reveals broader truths about how Americans can live together.
Economic booms are hazardous to your health (The Washington Post)
by Jeff Guo
There’s a lot to be said for economic growth. It gives us new opportunities for work, more fun stuff to play with, and—in the long run—better health. But a growing body of research shows that, at least in the short term, there’s a big downside to growth. Thanks to factors ranging from pollution to alcohol intake, we’re more likely to die when the economy is strong.
Our big, big universe (Slate)
By Phil Plait
Astronomers know an awful lot about what space is like. But now and then, a discovery gives us a sense of how much there is to learn. Newly published findings show that, while the total number of stars may be the same as we previously believed, they’re divided among 10 times as many galaxies as we’d thought—two trillion of them.
How mammography fails to save lives (Vox)
Mass mammography screenings, a public health measure that we’ve embraced since the 1980s, have allowed doctors to diagnose and treat many more cases of breast cancer. The problem is: They haven’t reduced the number of people dying from the disease.
One weird trick for reducing gun violence (Pacific Standard)
by Francie Diep
Want to reduce gun violence? A new study suggests one partial answer: force the owners of abandoned buildings to clean up their property. Why? Cleaned-up spaces are a less inviting place to store illegal guns.
Have you seen a story online that does a good job of bridging the gap between the news and scholarship? Or something that seems particularly well-researched? Let us know and we may include it in next week’s roundup. Email us at jstordaily_submissions (at) jstor (dot) org.
