September 12, 2023: A look back at the Montreal Protocol, what narcissism really is and the cause of recent moonquakes. —Andrea Gawrylewski, Chief Newsletter Editor | | | Atmospheric Success Story | Starting in the 1970s, researchers began to worry that the ozone layer, which protects Earth from the sun's harmful ultraviolet rays, was being damaged by a new breed of chemicals called chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). The scientists who developed the theory were put on the defensive. But over the next 10 years, findings accumulated that the depletion of the ozone layer was worse than first thought, and that human-made chemicals in the atmosphere were responsible. In 1987, global leaders, scientists and industry representatives gathered at a U.N. summit in Montreal to address the issue. The resulting Montreal Protocol, which passed with universal ratification by 197 countries, outlines the reduction and eventual elimination of ozone-destroying substances. Why this matters: The ozone layer is on track to be completely restored by 2050 or 2060. It's a strong demonstration of the kind of change that can occur when global action is taken. You can hear more from the scientists and experts involved in this video from our partner Retro Report.
What the experts say: I think the ozone story is astonishing," says Susan Solomon, one of the key early researchers on the ozone hole. "It should give everyone hope for the future of the environment. What we have is an ozone layer that is already starting to heal. I mean, we should be very proud of ourselves as a humanity." | | | Researchers launch a weather balloon to monitor treaty compliance. Credit: Retro Report | | | Up to 6 percent of the U.S. population, mostly men, is estimated to have had narcissistic personality disorder during some period of their lives. The condition manifests in confoundingly different ways: There's the "grandiose" version of narcissism, which is characterized by an arrogant and pompous person who craves attention (bet you're thinking of someone right now). But the disorder also comes in a "vulnerable" or "covert" form, where individuals suffer from internal distress and fluctuations in self-esteem. Most psychologists who treat patients say that grandiosity and vulnerability coexist in the same individual, but other experts don't believe the traits overlap.
What's new: Preliminary brain studies find that vulnerability seems to be the hidden underside of grandiosity. Plus, people who are overall more grandiose also undergo periods of vulnerability—whereas those who are generally more vulnerable don't experience much grandiosity. Some studies suggest that the overlap may depend on the severity of the narcissism. Studies on twins suggest that narcissism may be at least partially genetically heritable, but other studies indicate that dysfunctional parenting might also play a significant role.
What the experts say: "The picture is much more complex—vulnerability and grandiosity exist in dynamic relation to each other," says Diana Diamond, a clinical psychologist at the City University of New York. "They fluctuate according to what the individual is encountering in life, the stage of their own development." | | | • Mathematicians have solved the 50-year-old Möbius strip puzzle. The key? A trapezoid. | 6 min read | | | Credit: Dmitri Otis/Getty Images | | | • "As we continue to build and use AI in health care, if we want true equity in access, delivery and outcomes, we need a more holistic approach throughout the health care process and ecosystem," writes Fay Cobb Payton, professor emerita of information technology/analytics at North Carolina State University. This means employing diverse workforces at companies who build AI tools for healthcare, and recognizing the real-world experiences of people of color, she says. | 6 min read | | | The story of CFCs and the ratification of the Montreal Protocol was one of the first case studies I learned as a graduate student in science journalism. It's a bright spot in Earth science history. Here's more detail on the science, written on the 35th anniversary of the treaty, if you're interested. | —Andrea Gawrylewski, Chief Newsletter Editor | | Subscribe to this and all of our newsletters . | | | | Scientific American
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