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PICKS are stories from many sources, selected by our editors or recommended by our readers because they are important, surprising, troubling, enlightening, inspiring, or amusing. They appear on our site and in our daily newsletter. Please send suggested articles, videos, podcasts, etc. to picks@whowhatwhy.org.
Can Green Hydrogen Save a Coal Town and Slow Climate Change? (Maria)
The author writes, “The coal plant is closing. In this tiny Utah town surrounded by cattle, alfalfa fields and scrub-lined desert highways, hundreds of workers over the next few years will be laid off — casualties of environmental regulations and competition from cheaper energy sources. Yet across the street from the coal piles and furnace, beneath dusty fields, another transformation is underway that could play a pivotal role in providing clean energy and replace some of those jobs. Here in the rural Utah desert, developers plan to create caverns in ancient salt dome formations underground where they hope to store hydrogen fuel at an unprecedented scale. The undertaking is one of several projects that could help determine how big a role hydrogen will play globally in providing … carbon-free energy in the future.”
The GOP Just Nominated a ‘QAnon Whackjob’ and a ‘True Confederate’ in Maryland (Dana)
From Vice: “A man who organized buses to Washington on Jan. 6, tweeted during the Capitol Riot that Vice President Mike Pence was a ‘traitor,’ tried to impeach Maryland Republican Governor Larry Hogan over his actions to stem COVID-19, and spoke at a QAnon conference this spring, just won the Republican nomination for Maryland governor.”
Global Tax Deal Imperiled by Manchin’s Balking at Minimum Corporate Levy (Sean)
From Politico: “Sen. Joe Manchin on Friday rejected the idea of imposing a 15 percent global minimum tax on U.S. companies, blowing a big hole in the Biden administration’s campaign to remake the international tax system. Speaking with West Virginia radio host Hoppy Kercheval, Manchin (D-W.Va.) said he doesn’t support the administration’s plan because other countries have yet to adopt the tax, and he doesn’t want to put American companies at a competitive disadvantage.”
Russia Sending Teachers to Ukraine to Control What Students Learn (Russ)
The author writes, “Russia has promised hundreds of teachers big money to go to occupied Ukraine and give students there a ‘corrected’ education — with Russia’s take on Ukraine’s history — in the coming school year. … Moscow is carrying out an intense Russification effort in occupied regions, one that appears designed to quash Ukrainians’ sense of history, nationhood and even their language. Targeting what children learn is a key strategy.”
Not Built for Purpose: The Russian Military’s Ill-Fated Force Design (Sean)
From War on the Rocks: “Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was a deeply flawed military operation, from Moscow’s assumptions about an easy victory, to a lack of preparation, poor planning, and force employment. Less attention has been paid, however, to Russian force structure and manpower issues as a critical element now shaping outcomes in this war. Plans rarely survive first contact with an opponent and militaries invariably must adapt, but strategic force structure choices can prove decisive. Force structure reveals a great deal about a military and its assumptions of what wars it plans to fight and how it plans to fight them.”
They’re Bleeding Horseshoe Crabs on the Cape and Some Advocates Are Worried (Reader Steve)
The author writes, “Between the local dump and highway, in a nondescript building that lacks any indication of who occupies it, one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies recently began harvesting the milky-blue blood of an ancient creature plucked from the beaches and bays around Cape Cod. Charles River Laboratories is one of just four companies in the United States — and now the second on the Cape — licensed to harvest the blood of horseshoe crabs for a valuable component that’s used to identify harmful bacteria during the testing of new drugs.”
NASA Fears China Taking Over Moon: What Did International Space Law Say About This Matter? (Mili)
From The Science Times: “China dismissed NASA Administrator Bill Nelson’s concern that the country would somehow claim ownership of the moon and prevent other nations from exploring it. While Nelson was very worried about it, such an allegation contradicted the current international space law. So, what exactly was international space law? Could China claim the moon?”
