David Lidsky's Blog, page 305

Why ancient Romans like Cicero saw gladiators as enemies of the republic

Marcus Tullius Cicero used gladiators’ physiques not to celebrate the republic’s valiant heroes, but to deride their bloated muscles as the embodiment of amoral tyranny.

Neither “Gladiator” nor its cinematic sequel is particularly concerned with historical fact. For one thing, the emperor Marcus Aurelius had no intention of restoring the republic. Gladiatorial contests were abhorrent displays of cruelty, but they didn’t always end in death. And the Romans didn’t sculpt bone-white statues; they painted them using an array of colors.

Will mortgage rates go down in 2025? This is the key factor to watch

When it comes to mortgage rates, the labor market may have the biggest influence. Here’s why.

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Climate change is impacting hiking on the infamous Pacific Crest Trail

Wildfires closed more than 600 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail, forcing hikers off the path.

The Pacific Crest Trail, or PCT, runs all the way from the U.S. border with Mexico to the border with Canada, crossing more than 2,600 miles of desert, mountains, and forest. And for many people, hiking the trail end to end is a lifelong goal.

Why high-speed rail conquered the world everywhere except the U.S.

In the past decade, a dizzying diversity of countries have joined the bullet train community. What’s holding the U.S. back?

As advocates assess whether President-elect Trump will support high-speed rail, they have relatively few data points to go off of. Yes, there’s Project 2025, which calls for across-the-board cuts to transportation spending. And there’s the $900 million grant Trump yanked from California High-Speed Rail during his last term.

Researchers surveyed 2.5 million students of elite colleges and confirmed most Ivy Leaguers have this in common

A new paper from the National Bureau of Economic Research looks at data from student records over the past century. Here are the findings.

College attendance in the U.S. has increased from under 10% to over 60% in the last century. Yet, according to a new paper published by the National Bureau of Economic Research, despite the change in attendance rates, most students at elite universities come from wealthy families.

How lifesaving resiliency hubs could end under Trump

Despite President-elect Donald Trump’s promise to slash the law that helped make resiliency hubs possible, developers don’t expect the new administration’s plans to affect them.

In Atlanta’s Cascade neighborhood, a Black church has operated a community center next door for decades. The recently renovated space is simple inside—white walls and gray carpet—but that’s where the magic happens. There, the congregation runs a weekly food pantry where they feed up to 400 predominantly Black families a week. Now, with financial help from the Inflation Reduction Act, a landmark climate law passed by Democrats during the Biden administration, the church is offering even more services—by making the center the first community-owned resiliency hub in the city.

The circadian ‘secret’ to a healthy body, sharp mind, and better mood

“Scientists now link disrupted circadian rhythms with many health issues, including depression, diabetes, and dementia.”

Lynne Peeples started her career as a biostatistician before shifting to science journalism. Her writing has appeared in The Guardian, Scientific American, Nature, and other publications.

Before Apple releases a television, it needs to fix its TV app, and more

New rumors about a possible Apple television set make me wish that Apple would address the issues with its entire TV ecosystem.

Earlier this month, the tech sphere was buzzing following a report that Apple was “evaluating” the idea of releasing a television. Many Apple diehards have longed for an Apple TV set, and I believe that such a device from Apple makes more sense today than nearly 15 years ago, when similar rumors were in full force. However, before any Apple television set can launch—or be a success—Apple needs to fix its existing, messy TV ecosystem of hardware and software that is both confusing to general users and frustrating to film buffs.

What you need to know about the dark side of AI marketing

The prevalence of AI-powered beauty filters on social media, for instance, can foster unrealistic ideals and trigger depression.

Artificial intelligence is revolutionizing the way companies market their products, enabling them to target consumers in personalized and interactive ways that not long ago seemed like the realm of science fiction.

Why collective micro-activism is a powerful force for change

Research shows that individual acts of kindness and connection can have a real impact on global change when these acts are collective.

Political chasms, wars, oppression . . . it’s easy to feel hopeless and helpless watching these dark forces play out. Could any of us ever really make a meaningful difference in the face of so much devastation?