US Edition - Today's top story: Satellite images show how penguins' diets are changing in response to Antarctic climate change September 3, 2026 US Edition   Top headlines How companies justify their frequent price hikes AI is getting better at spotting skin cancer, for some Flying is safer than driving – why doesn’t it feel that way? Lead story Penguin poop is giving scientists a lot of new clues about what’s going on with Antarctica, climate change and the ocean. It starts with what penguins eat, which has a lot to do with how well they survive. But it’s also connected to how much sea ice is near the colonies where they nest and breed. Antarctica is massive and remote, and biologists and ecologists have had a hard time getting a full picture of how penguins’ diets are changing as the climate shifts and sea ice coverage varies through the years. Casey Youngflesh, a professor of biological sciences at Clemson University, is part of a group of researchers who have found a way to use satellite pictures dating back decades to measure and map all those changes around the whole continent. He explains how they did it – which involved getting up close and personal with penguin guano – and what they found about sea ice changes, food supplies and penguin survival in the harsh environment of Antarctica. [ Miss us on Sundays? Get a selection of our best and most popular stories (or try our other weekly emails). ]   Jeff Inglis Environment + Energy Editor   An Adélie penguin swims through the ocean. Casey Youngflesh Satellite images show how penguins’ diets are changing in response to Antarctic climate change Casey Youngflesh, Clemson University When penguin colonies are surrounded by sea ice, the penguins tend to eat more fish, rather than krill. And colonies that eat more fish are more successful at sustaining their numbers. Economy + Business Is there a ‘right’ way for a company to justify a price hike? Hoorsana Damavandi, University of Tennessee; Kersi D. Antia, Ivey Business School; Praveen K. Kopalle, Dartmouth College Shoppers are increasingly hunting for value, which puts the onus on businesses to tread carefully when justifying price hikes. Politics + Society 25 years after 9/11, what disasters reveal about Americans’ ability to reconnect Tonya Cross Hansel, University of Texas at Arlington Decades of disaster research show how catastrophes strain communities – and reveal the connections that help people endure. From the Freedom Caucus to the democratic socialists, small groups inside parties can wreak havoc with leaders’ agenda in Congress SoRelle Wyckoff Gaynor, University of Virginia; Charlie Hunt, Boise State University What role might DSA-affiliated candidates play if they win election to Congress in the midterms and the Democrats gain a majority in the House of Representatives? Health + Medicine AI skin cancer detection tools are getting better – but only for people with light skin Mohamed Akrout, University of Tennessee These apps and software programs could provide access to lifesaving screening – if researchers can find a way to remove the baked-in bias. Education In Colorado and elsewhere, sexual assault peaks on campuses at the beginning of the school year – here’s what students should know Kaitlyn M. Sims, University of Denver; Institute for Humane Studies First-year college women are particularly at risk for being sexually assaulted. Campus intervention programs can help decrease that risk. Science + Technology Compared to driving, flying is extraordinarily safe – but why doesn’t it feel that way? Mihhail Berezovski, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University; Alex Chaparro, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University When it comes to transportation, there’s a hidden danger in choosing what feels safer. Arts + Culture Stars and Stripes shows how government-funded journalism can work – if it’s free to report the truth Cindy Elmore, East Carolina University The military newspaper earned credibility by informing troops about the good, the bad and everything in between. But the Pentagon’s recent crackdown on the paper is putting that trust to the test. Environment + Energy Yosemite, again in corporate crosshairs, embodies the long war over US national park privatization Michael Childers, Colorado State University Debate over turning public national park land into private profit dates back more than a century. International Global justice report offers bold ideas but misses the realities of 2 billion informal workers – economists Laura Alfers, Rhodes University; Imraan Valodia, University of the Witwatersrand; Martha Alter Chen, Harvard Kennedy School; Mike Rogan, Rhodes University Redistribution must recognise that most workers are in informal employment. Trending on site Many space missions are searching for life beyond Earth – but are we prepared for the fallout if they succeed? Online mental healthcare is here to stay: Here’s how to navigate your options and find the right clinician The greenest building is the one still standing after a disaster Today's video Watch on YouTube