What guns mean to America's teens

After Parkland, a gun control activist in Montana decided to "do something about it this time." A Minnesota sports shooter feels connected to her shotgun and loads her shells with glitter. A Washington, D.C., teen lost his twin brother in a shooting. In Oakland, Calif., a teen says he needs to carry a gun to protect himself from others who are armed.

Nicole Xu for NPR Few species live past the point they can produce offspring. Why do humans? Anthropologists have had reasons to suspect that a mother's help allowed their daughters to have more children. New research into 17th century genealogical records backs that up, showing that a grandmother who lived close by allowed a mother to start having kids sooner, reduced child mortality, and resulted on average in 1.75 more children. But another study found those benefits only existed if the grandmother was young enough to help out. J. Scott Applewhite/AP ‘All great American programs … started with a vision’: Ambitious Green New Deal generates enthusiasm, skepticism Outlined by Rep. Alexandra Ocasia-Cortez on NPR this week, the Green New Deal legislative framework aims fight climate change by making the U.S. carbon-neutral by 2030. The restructuring and upgrading that would require of the U.S. economy is extensive — and “impractical,” an Obama-era Energy Secretary says. But environmental advocates say a problem as overwhelming as climate change requires an equally massive effort, and the proposal is energizing activists. Christopher Parks for NPR Guns in America, through the eyes of the next generation A year ago, a gunman killed 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla. Afterward, students at that school set off an unprecedented wave of youth activism for gun control — and eventually against it as well. NPR interviewed teens across the country to document their relationship with guns — including sport shooters, aspiring soldiers, gun control activists, those who've lost loved ones to gun violence and those who live with the threat of it every day. What emerged were portraits of the budding political consciousness of the next generation, and of America's complex relationship with firearms. Hulton Archive/Getty Images Why stopping measles matters The illness is now rare in America, and often manifests mildly — except when it causes pneumonia or spreads to the brain. If that happens, it can result in swelling, convulsions, permanent brain damage. Those changes can come on suddenly: "In an hour, she was unconscious," Roald Dahl wrote of his daughter Olivia. "In twelve hours she was dead." The disease killed 110,000 children worldwide in 2017. For those infected, the risks don't disappear with the rash: In a few, deadly or debilitating brain damage can suddenly emerge years after the illness. Courtesy of Jennifer Larson 6 years after he taught himself using YouTube, this Wisconsin 11-year-old is the king of crochet Jonah Larson's craftiness has led to a successful business and a burgeoning social following. The profits from his creations go toward investments, more yarn, and the Ethiopian orphanage where he was adopted as a baby. Larson, who hopes to trade in his crochet hooks for a surgeon's scalpel when he's older, says the hobby provides psychological benefits too: "After a very hard, busy, chaotic day in this busy world with school, it's just nice to know that I can come home and crochet in my little corner of the house." What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: dailynewsletter@npr.org Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can sign up here. Looking for more great content? Check out all of our newsletter offerings — including Daily News, Politics, Health and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to our Best of NPR emails. |  Unsubscribe  |  Privacy Policy | NPR 1111 N. CAPITOL ST. NE WASHINGTON DC 20002