the conversation
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Japan Plans to Dump Radioactive Water into the Pacific, But Australia Also Has Nuclear Waste Issues
The Japanese government recently announced plans to release into the sea more than 1 million tonnes of radioactive water from the severely damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant. The move has sparked global outrage, including from UN Special Rapporteur Baskut Tuncak who recently wrote, I urge the Japanese government to think twice about its legacy: as…
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Why Philosophers Say Solitude Can Be Helpful, Even if it’s Not a Choice
Over the past seven months, many of us have got closer to experiencing the kind of solitude long sought by monks, nuns, philosophers and misanthropes. For some, this has brought loneliness. Nevertheless, like religions such as Buddhism, the West has a rich literature — both religious and secular — exploring the possible benefits of being…
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Is the Way We Consume News Detrimental to Our Health?
Humans are curious and social creatures by nature. The news helps us make sense of the world around us and connects us with our local, national and international community. So it’s no wonder we’re drawn to it. Objective, legitimate news also keeps us informed, empowering us with knowledge to make balanced decisions. But the way…
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NASA’s OSIRIS-REx Will Bring Home Rocks and Dust, If It Can Avoid Mt. Doom
Imagine parallel parking a 15-passenger van into just two to three parking spaces surrounded by two-story boulders. On Oct. 20, a University of Arizona-led NASA mission 16 years in the making will attempt the astronomical equivalent more than 200 million miles away. A NASA mission called OSIRIS-REx will soon attempt to touch the surface of…