News Above the Noise: Week of December 18, 2022
1. U.S. Reaches Renewable Energy Milestone That Was Nearly 60 Years in The Making
After more than half a century of research, scientists with the U.S. Department of Energy have reached a breakthrough in nuclear fusion. "In our laboratory we've been working on this for almost 60 years. This is an incredible team accomplishment," says Mark Herrmann, who oversees the National Ignition Facility (NIF), where the development was achieved. Researchers successfully produced a fusion reaction that generates more energy than it consumes for the first time, which is a significant mark of progress for renewable energy. Read more here about how this could help to save our planet.
2. What the Respect for Marriage Act Does and Doesn’t Do
The Respect for Marriage Act was officially signed into law by President Biden this week, and lawmakers from both sides of the aisle are celebrating the legislation as historic. Although it furthers the protection of interracial and same-sex marriage, the Respect for Marriage Act has its limitations. Find out which legal protections it does and doesn’t provide, and how it involves the Supreme Court, by clicking. here.
3. How to Get More Men to Try Therapy
Experts say that American men’s mental health is in crisis. Studies show that nearly 80 percent of suicides are among men, despite women having nearly twice the rate of depression diagnoses. Despite their higher risk of death related to mental illness, men are less likely to seek help than women—especially those who exhibit traditional stereotypes of masculinity. Learn here about ways we can encourage more men to try therapy.
4. Doctors Are Dismissing Women’s Pain
Studies have shown that women in pain often are not taken as seriously as men, with their pain frequently being seen as an overreaction rather than a reality. In one example, the Journal of the American Heart Association found that women who visited emergency departments experiencing chest pain waited 29 percent longer than men to be evaluated for possible heart attacks. Medical gender bias can lead to women not being provided with appropriate pain relief medication and even being misdiagnosed. You can read about other examples of how women’s pain being doubted can affect their treatment for a wide range of health issues here.
5. The US May Have Lost in the World Cup
50 years ago, less than 0.5% of Americans would say that soccer is their favorite sport. Now it’s more popular than it’s ever been, especially following the success of the US Women’s National Team’s on the international stage and the US Men’s National Team’s impressive performance at the World Cup this year. Find out here here why the narrative for soccer in America has changed, especially among young people.
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