Iserotope Extras - Issue #37

Hi there! Extras is back — hope that makes you happy! This issue, check out two articles about health, both of which focus on how our good intentions may be backfiring. Then, read about the worst way to promote reading, plus how it might be possible to change people's deep-seated beliefs just by tal

In San Jose, Poor Find Doors to Library Closed

The San Jose Public Library doesn't let you borrow books if you owe more than $10 in overdue fines. This is not the best way to be welcoming and not the best way to promote reading, particularly among poor families of color. One Latina woman told her daughter, "Don’t take books out. It’s so expensive."

The Sugar Conspiracy

Sugar — not fat, not cholesterol — is bad for us. It turns out, we should have known this 40 years ago. This article explains how nutrition scientists and the U.S. government focused on saturated fat rather than fructose, and how this error promoted obesity and health problems for millions of people.

It's Spring in Portland. (These are tulips, right?)

The Youngest Casualties in the War on Obesity

The best time to combat obesity and diabetes is early, and many schools now send report cards home with students' Body Mass Index (BMI) scores. This article suggests that this move to promote health often leads to shame, body issues, and eating disorders.

How Do You Change Voters’ Minds? Have a Conversation

What if you could change someone's mind about a controversial issue (e.g., gay marriage, abortion) with a simple 20-minute conversation? Going door to door, a Los Angeles-based activist group reduces prejudice by engaging people in their homes. Except there's an extra layer: a researcher who likes to make things up.

Have a great week! If you like, email me back with your thoughts on this week's issue, plus keep getting the word out!