The University of Alaska Fairbanks released a new report this week highlighting environmental changes and extremes that impact Alaskans and their livelihoods. “Alaska’s Changing Environment” provides people with timely, reliable and understandable information on topics ranging from temperature and precipitation changes to salmon and polar bears.

Adolescents worldwide are spending an average of 8 to 10 hours per day engaging in sedentary activities such as watching television, using electronic devices, playing video games and riding in motorized vehicles, according to a multinational study published in the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity.

Democracy is in crisis. Many people are losing confidence in political parties and parliaments and their ability to solve pressing social problems in the long term. Recent studies by the University of Stuttgart indicate that addressing doubts about the democratic system does not necessarily require resorting to the election of an autocratic head of state. Rather, more direct political participation could revitalize and legitimize democracy - provided that innovative participatory formats are intelligently linked to the work of representative institutions.