In the news this weekend: Space is awesome. From the Super Blood Moon to water on Mars, there’s plenty going on up there. But the possibility for life on the red planet was no surprise to Ridley Scott, director of The Martian, an upcoming movie about a stranded astronaut. (The Guardian)
In the era of political correctness, universities with curricula that discuss potentially traumatic subjects walk the line between conducting open, intellectual debates and mentally scarring students with difficult pasts. When it comes to tough subjects, some advocate for the use of trigger warnings, while others condemn them as a barrier to intellectual freedom. (The Chronicle of Higher Education)
Readers can get very attached to the words on the page — books can become our friends, family, and lovers. Die-hard Jane Austen or Dan Brown fans may remember their first encounters with a twinkle in their eye, but do the authors do the same? Six writers reminisce over their first novels and decide if that young romance was really true love. (The Millions) •