Are farmers seeding trouble in their fields?

Ukraine crisis: Putin recognizes breakaway regions, Biden orders limited sanctions – 5 essential reads

Naomi Schalit, The Conversation

Russia sent troops to two Moscow-allied breakaway regions in Ukraine, after President Vladimir Putin recognized the regions’ independence. Five stories provide background to the growing conflict.

More migrants are dying along the US-Mexico border, but it’s hard to say how big the problem actually is

Courtney Riggle-van Schagen, George Washington University; Elizabeth Vaquera, George Washington University

The number of migrants dying while trying to cross the US-Mexico border is at an all-time high. But these figures are still likely an underestimate.

Burying the past and building the future in post-apartheid South Africa

Alma Diamond, New York University

The death of Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu in 2021 has triggered renewed frustrations over the elusiveness of a “new” South Africa.

Happy Twosday! Why numbers like 2/22/22 have been too fascinating for over 2,000 years

Barry Markovsky, University of South Carolina

Numerology ties in with how our brains work, but that doesn’t mean its claims make sense.

Think therapy is navel-gazing? Think again

Steven Sandage, Boston University

Our research investigates the connections among mental health, holistic well-being and relational virtues – ideas that many people think of as ethical or religious.

What is 3G and why is it being shut down? An electrical engineer explains

Mai Vu, Tufts University

As the wireless telecommunications companies ramp up their 5G rollouts, they are beginning to pull the plug on their 3G networks. 2022 is the end of the line for the venerable cellphone service.

First solar canal project is a win for water, energy, air and climate in California

Roger Bales, University of California, Merced

Covering the state’s canals with solar panels would reduce evaporation of precious water and help meet renewable energy goals – all while saving money.

How teachers enter the profession affects how long they stay on the job

Sarah Guthery, Texas A&M University-Commerce; Lauren P. Bailes, University of Delaware

Teachers who take alternative routes to being certified tend to leave their positions sooner than educators who go through colleges of education, new research shows.

Anti-vax protest or insurrection? Making sense of the ‘freedom convoy’ protest

International Space Station: how NASA plans to destroy it – and the dangers involved

The story of how Swahili became Africa’s most spoken language