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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.
Wild Weather Driven by Roiling Pacific, Nature, and Warming (Maria)
The author writes, “In a world getting used to extreme weather, 2023 is starting out more bonkers than ever and meteorologists are saying it’s natural weather weirdness with a bit of help from human-caused climate change. Much of what’s causing problems worldwide is coming out of a roiling Pacific Ocean, transported by a wavy jet stream, experts said. … ‘All the ingredients are in place for two weeks of wild weather, especially in the Western US,’ private meteorologist Ryan Maue said.”
WHO ‘Really Concerned’ About COVID Situation with ‘Intense Transmission in Several Parts of the World’ (Sean)
From Sky News: “The Omicron XBB.1.5 subvariant which has been identified in more than 25 countries, including the US and UK, is the most transmissible yet, says the World Health Organisation. Meanwhile, China’s recent COVID outbreak is predominantly led by the subvariants BA.5.2 and BF.7.”
Funeral Home Owner Gets 20 Years in Prison for Cutting Up Dead Bodies and Secretly Selling the Parts (DonkeyHotey)
The author writes, “A judge sentenced a Colorado funeral home owner who carved up corpses and sold parts of them without families’ permission to 20 years in prison on Tuesday, according to the Department of Justice. Megan Hess, 46, operated the Sunset Mesa funeral home in Montrose, Colorado, alongside a body parts entity called Donor Services, where she undertook the grisly scheme, starting in 2010.”
Can No-Honking Days Quiet Mumbai’s Cacophony? (Reader Jim)
The authors write, “The fast-growing city of Mumbai is one of the loudest in the world, with constant noise blaring from construction, traffic and crowded streets. Sumaira Abdulali, founder of the Awaaz Foundation (awaaz means ‘noise’ in Hindi), has been campaigning to lower the volume in India’s financial capital, winning dozens of public interest actions in recent years. That includes no-honking days, and a blanket ban on loudspeakers near schools, hospitals, courts and houses of worship.”
Damar Hamlin’s Cardiac Arrest: A Cardiologist’s Perspective (Mili)
From MedPage Today: “In this breaking news video, Mariell Jessup, MD, chief science and medical officer of the American Heart Association, gives an overview of the various conditions that could have caused the cardiac arrest of NFL player Damar Hamlin during Monday night’s game.”
You’re Not Getting Child Tax Credit Checks Anymore. Here’s Why (Reader Steve)
The author writes, “If you raised children during the pandemic, you probably remember something remarkable: getting checks in the mail, every month, from the federal government. The expanded child tax credit provided a few hundred dollars to help pay for your son’s braces or your daughter’s ballet lessons — or to ease the stress over whether you had enough money to cover the mortgage. Then, one day, the checks just stopped coming.”
We Could Get Messages Back From Spacecraft Sent Through a Wormhole (Kiana)
From Science News: “If you ever happen to fall through a wormhole in space, you won’t be coming back. It will snap shut behind you. But you may have just enough time to send a message to the rest of us from the other side, researchers report in the Nov. 15 Physical Review D.”
