Catch up on current events with these news highlights from last week.
BUSINESS
Three big technological changes–autonomy, electric power, and ride-hailing–are about to hit the car industry; and Ford, in an apparent move to adapt to these changes, abruptly changed CEOs from Mark Fields to Jim Hackett. The latter comes from Ford Smart Mobility, a subsidiary focused on next-generation technologies.
HEALTH
According to Louise Hawkley, a research scientist at National Opinion Research Center (NORC), “the intensity of loneliness decreases from young adulthood to middle age and doesn’t become intense again until the oldest old age.” Thirty percent of older adults feel lonely fairly frequently, and it is important to address this condition as it “has been linked to elevated stress, impaired immune system function, inflammation, high blood pressure, depression, cognitive dysfunction and an earlier-than-expected death.”
POLITICS
The Trump administration has been bogged down with investigations and bad press, and the ongoing investigations can be confusing to distinguish. Vox breaks them down.
SCIENCE
In a significant advance in the study of mental ability, a team of European and American scientists announced on Monday that they had identified 52 genes linked to intelligence in nearly 80,000 people. Environmental influence notwithstanding, the findings make it possible to begin new experiments into the biological basis of reasoning and problem-solving.
WORLD
President Trump, during his visit to Jerusalem, was careful not to endorse or offend the Israelis or Palestinians. Trump acknowledged the difficulty in sealing what he has called “the ultimate deal,” but said in his keynote speech at the Israel Museum on Tuesday morning, “The Palestinians are ready for peace … I can tell you that [Netanyahu] is also reaching for peace.”