Latest news with #Kuang
Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Scientists discover strong, unexpected link between Earth's magnetic field and oxygen levels
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Earth's magnetic field and oxygen levels are inextricably linked, new research suggests. The strength of the geomagnetic field has gone up in lockstep with the percentage of oxygen in Earth's atmosphere over the past 540 million years, a new study finds — but it remains unclear if one of these influences the other, or whether other unknown factors explain the link. "This is the first discovery we've ever had to establish the link between the geomagnetic field and the oxygen level," lead author Weijia Kuang, a senior scientist in the Geodesy and Geophysics Laboratory at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, told Live Science. Earth's magnetic field and oxygen levels have increased more or less in parallel since the start of the Cambrian period (541 million to 485.4 million years ago), and both factors spiked between 330 million and 220 million years ago, the results indicate. The research could help to narrow down requirements for life on other planets, Kuang and study co-author Ravi Kopparapu, a planetary scientist at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, said in a joint video interview. It may be that the geomagnetic field controls oxygen levels, or vice versa — but there is another possible scenario, which is that both factors are related to a third geochemical or geophysical process that the researchers haven't yet pinpointed, Kuang said. For the new study, scientists used two independent datasets spanning the past 540 million years. One of the datasets showed atmospheric oxygen, derived from multiple indicators such as the abundance in sediments of fossilized charcoal, which remains after wildfires and gives clues about how much oxygen was available at a given time. The other dataset showed the strength of the geomagnetic field, derived from magnetic information that is recorded in ancient rocks and sediments. The researchers plotted these datasets against each other and found there was a strong correlation between them. If the geomagnetic field controls oxygen levels, its influence would likely be due to the protection it offers Earth's atmosphere against space weather. Previous research indicates that the geomagnetic field can prevent or reduce the escape or erosion of atmospheric molecules. The magnetic field also shields life on the planet, including plants that produce oxygen, from X-ray and extreme ultraviolet radiation. If, in contrast, atmospheric oxygen levels dictate the strength of Earth's magnetic field, then plate tectonics would play a central role. Plate tectonics is the process that continuously recycles Earth's crust into the mantle, which is the planetary layer that covers Earth's liquid outer core. Earth's geomagnetic field originates from currents in the outer core, so it's possible that the recycling of crustal material and oxygen into the mantle could impact the lower mantle, which could then affect the geomagnetic field, Kuang said. Related: Did plate tectonics give rise to life? Groundbreaking new research could crack Earth's deepest mystery. "Plate tectonics [...] will definitely impact the thermal and the dynamical conditions at the base of the mantle where it borders the liquid outer core," he said. "On the other hand, plate tectonics also impacts the cycling of chemicals and other elements from the interior to the surface, which certainly will impact oxygenation, or the production of oxygen." It's more likely that the geomagnetic field affects oxygen levels, rather than the other way round, Kuang said. That's because scientists know the geomagnetic field originates deep inside the planet and propagates to Earth's surface and into space. "The other direction is less well understood," he said. The third possible scenario is that another, separate process is pushing the geomagnetic field and oxygen levels in the same direction over time. The study's authors don't know what that process might be yet, but a spike that exists in both datasets may hold the answer. The spike coincides with the existence of the ancient supercontinent Pangaea, which formed about 320 million years ago and broke up about 195 million years ago. Due to the massive tectonic rearrangements involved, supercontinents might be the missing link between Earth's magnetic field and oxygen levels — but the evidence for this is still very tentative at this point, Kuang and Kopparapu cautioned. "This is one of the conjectures we didn't really put out strongly in our paper, but it is something we think is a very enticing mechanism for us to pursue," Kuang said. The reason the researchers held back with this idea is that they have robust data for only one supercontinent — Pangaea — and not the ones that came before, he said. RELATED STORIES —Earth's magnetic field formed before the planet's core, study suggests —Listen to haunting sounds of Earth's magnetic field flipping 41,000 years ago in eerie new animation —'A force more powerful than gravity within the Earth': How magnetism locked itself inside our planet "There seems to be some eye-sight correlation between oxygen and magnetic field and all the other supercontinents," Kopparapu said. "However, we don't have reliable data for oxygen [going farther back] than 540 million years, and so we are unable to make that kind of a conclusion for [farther back in time] and past supercontinents." The researchers are already working on the next step, which is to search for other geophysical and geochemical factors that might link to the geomagnetic field and oxygen levels. For this, the authors say communication and collaboration between scientists is of paramount importance. "One single mind cannot comprehend the whole system of the Earth," Kopparapu said. "We're like kids playing with Legos, with each of us having a separate Lego piece. We're trying to fit all of it together and see what's the big picture."
Forbes
3 days ago
- Politics
- Forbes
Why College Matters: For The Love Of Learning—And Democracy
In a time of tense scrutiny of higher education, it helps to be reminded why college matters. Two recent talks by highly acclaimed novelists left sparks on how much the opportunity to learn still means to people, and why it's important for keeping our country strong. The joy of learning is an undercurrent throughout the efforts to increase the share of Americans with college degrees or other credentials that lead to measurably better economic outcomes. There is incredible hope and promise embedded in the word opportunity—that people have the freedom to learn, the chance to pursue their passions, and a real path to thrive. I was struck last month by New York Times bestselling author R.F. Kuang's poignant call to protect the rare opportunity of American higher education in a world where many are subjected to political suppression. Kuang brought a crowd to their feet as the convocation speaker at Georgetown University. I happened to be in the audience as Kuang, a Georgetown School of Foreign Service graduate herself seven years ago, urged the Class of 2025 not to take education for granted. 'A university is such an impossible fantasy—a place where we can test dangerous, unorthodox ideas; where we can dream up better worlds; where we can make mistakes; where we can change our minds,' Kuang said. 'The life of the mind is a utopia, and history proves its precarity. It will die if we stop fighting for it.' Kuang's own story includes five novels, two master's degrees, and a No. 1 ranking on the New York Times Best Sellers list for her fantasy series, 'The Poppy War' trilogy. She's also pursuing a doctorate degree at Yale University in East Asian languages and literature. But her regard for learning really goes back three generations. Kuang's great-grandfather and grandfather in China sought to obtain education in the time of political and economic turmoil. Kuang's father made it to Beijing University to study physics—graduating in 1989 in time to join other students in the Tiananmen Square protests to demand political reforms. China's leadership sent troops into the streets, a moment captured forever by the global image of a student standing his ground before a line of tanks. Thousands were killed or injured, and Kuang's father, who had already gotten permission to pursue his doctorate in the United States, left for California. 'America represented this utopia where one could think and speak freely,' Kuang told the Georgetown graduates. 'You'll never find a bigger patriot than my dad. He flies the red, white, and blue on the Fourth of July. He rocks a cowboy hat. He loves fishing and grilling and driving his truck. He says he's already fled one authoritarian state, and he's not going to flee another.' Gen Z hit college-going age at a time when public faith in higher education has declined to a historic low. The perception of college, Kuang noted, is that it's an exorbitantly expensive ivory tower for political brainwashing, AI cheating, and partying. College should not be 'an amusement park, a member's club for the elites, a corporation,' she said, calling upon higher education to cut out its rot and change. Universities need to open their doors, allow honest dialogue, and share knowledge with the world—because the opportunity to learn is so valuable. 'We are so accustomed to speaking of the university as a frivolity, as a luxury, that we have forgotten how rare a space this is,' Kuang said. 'Hold onto that luxury,' she encouraged the graduates. 'Refuse the poverty of thought. Stay curious.' Not that life for the graduates, even with the benefits of that education, will be simple or easy: 'Now you will put your ideals to the test, and more likely than not watch your dreams meet the crushing anvil of reality,' she said. 'You are stepping into a world now where, if you hold on to your principles, sooner or later you will be staring down a tank. But my father emerged from that bloody square, and the first thing he did was seek out another classroom.' The powerful urgency of Kuang's speech stuck with me. Gen Z is stepping into a much more uncertain world than the generations before them, as democratic principles at home and abroad face threats, and as artificial intelligence transforms the workplace and raises the bar for a more educated workforce. While often defined by challenges, Gen Z brings distinct talents to society as digital natives with a better understanding of mental health and wellbeing, and a keen interest in finding climate change solutions. John Green, whose 'The Fault in Our Stars' became a No. 1 bestselling novel and hit motion picture, understands Gen Z's mindset and hunger for learning. More than a dozen years ago, Green launched an educational video series called CrashCourse with his brother Hank. It became popular among high schoolers, making history and biology lessons entertaining and easily digestible. Some of his inspiration came from being a 'reluctant learner' himself, as Green put it, who didn't want to learn algebra or French but had teachers who never gave up on him. 'I wanted to capture what I later learned in life is the joy of learning—the fact that we are here to understand ourselves in the universe,' Green said at a Lumina Foundation retreat in Indianapolis, our shared home base. 'And if we're lucky, we get to do it in community with people and learn from people who are smarter than us—or at least people who have been smart longer than us.' Known to 3.9 million YouTube followers as the Vlogbrothers, the Greens became interested in helping students access college when they learned that millions of Americans start college but don't complete degrees, sometimes still burdened by student loan debt. They wanted to see if a couple of guys in their 40s who have jobs could navigate the complex college system. The answer was no. That led the brothers to produce the 'How to College' CrashCourse series to demystify the system and team up with Arizona State University to create Study Hall, which offers low-cost, flexible college courses. Students pay only $25 upfront, then can choose to pay $400 for transferable academic credit after seeing their final grade. In his talk at Lumina, Green spoke of the need to create an education system that works for everyone and values community. To Green and to most of us, solving America's higher ed challenges is essential not just for economic growth, but for democracy itself. 'This is also about having an educated and informed citizenry at a time where life is going to get very, very weird,' he said, explaining how artificial intelligence can now create videos in his likeness and spread misinformation. 'They can say anything. And that means that we need a really well-informed, educated citizenry,' he said. 'That is critical for the future of our democracy and the future of our country.' These two storytellers—R.F. Kuang and John Green—offer vivid reminders that education remains both a personal lifeline and a public good. Whether it's Kuang's family story of striving for knowledge, or Green's mission to widen the path through flexible, affordable learning, their experiences highlight what's at stake when access to higher education is threatened. At this inflection point, higher education needs more creative ideas to redesign systems, like Green's Study Hall courses. It needs advocates for its value, like Kuang, and to further prove itself by setting up today's graduates for tomorrow's future. For all its flaws, college remains a powerful engine of opportunity. At its best it shapes thinkers, challenges assumptions, and fosters resilience in the face of life's challenges. And at a time when democracy itself is being tested, the need for informed and empowered citizens has never been greater. Education, in the end, is more than a degree—it's a commitment to the shared future we're all building.
New York Times
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
These Romance Novels Have Big, Dark Secrets
My love affair with romance began during a particularly stressful phase of life. When my own world was chaotic, a happily ever after was a balm. Still, I've always been drawn to novels where it felt impossible for the couple to beat the odds. That's why the Bad Thing From the Past is my favorite micro trope. The Bad Thing can be an event, a secret or a mistake that stands between our couple and their happy ending. Often, you'll find yourself tearing through the pages to figure out what happened; other times, the Bad Thing is a known entity that seems insurmountable. The emotions in the following novels are as heightened as the stakes — making their happy endings a gasp of pure relief. Talking at Night I love books about the people and places we can't seem to forget, and Daverley's debut novel is one of the finest examples (I liked it so much, I blurbed it). A budding romance between two teenagers, Rosie and Will, in a seaside town in Norfolk, England, is abruptly shattered by a tragedy. As the years pass and they struggle to move on from that fateful day, the pair keep finding their way back to each other in this gorgeous, melancholy story of grief, longing and love interrupted. How to End a Love Story The Bad Thing in this sensational debut novel (which I also blurbed) by Kuang, a screenwriter and director, is very bad indeed. When he was in high school, Grant Shepard made a mistake that altered both his and Helen Zhang's lives forever. Thirteen years later, Helen and Grant find themselves working together in the writers room for the TV adaptation of her young adult novels. Kuang whips you around on a roller coaster of emotions with stunning finesse: You'll snort with laughter, fail to fight back tears and find yourself blushing from one scene to the next. Carry On Whether she's capturing the complexities of falling in love as an adult (last year's remarkable 'Slow Dance') or crafting a world around teenage wizards in their last year at an elite magic academy, Rowell always delivers heart, wit and emotional heft. In 'Carry On,' Simon Snow (the orphaned Chosen One who's not great at magic) and his nemesis/roommate Baz Pitch (elegant, evil, possibly a vampire) band together to fight the villainous Humdrum — and their feelings for each other. There are Bad Things galore in their past, including the many times Simon is sure Baz attempted to off him. The first in a three-book series, this is an utter delight. Seven Days in June This heart-wrencher is not only one of my favorite love stories: It's one of my favorite books, full stop. Williams's sweeping, second-chance romance alternates between past and present timelines as it follows Eva and Shane, who spent one tumultuous week together as teenagers. Now Eva's a single mom and the best-selling author of a vampire-witch erotica series, and Shane is an intense, reclusive literary superstar who shocks New York's Black publishing community by turning up at one of Eva's events. You will race through this one to find out what happened between these two, and whether they can make it work. The Road Trip O'Leary accomplishes the near impossible with this book, expertly navigating not only between alternate timelines but also between the hero and heroine's points of view. Addie and her sister are driving to Scotland for a wedding when they're rear-ended. To make matters worse, the other driver is Addie's ex-boyfriend Dylan, who is on his way to the same wedding and now needs a ride. At first, we're not sure why Addie and Dylan broke up, only that it was Very Bad. But as we rewind to the heady first days of their relationship over a summer in Provence, we begin to untangle what went wrong. All of this comes teeming with O'Leary's hallmarks: immersive settings, warm British humor and one-of-a-kind characters. Same Time Next Summer I know I'm reading something truly exceptional when a hot wave rolls through my chest. It doesn't occur often, but I can vividly recall it happening during the middle of the night when I was greedily gulping down 'Same Time Next Summer.' Monaghan transports readers to a ramshackle beach house on Long Island, where Sam is planning her wedding. But things get messy when her teenage summer love, Wyatt, shows up. Did he break her heart? Yes. Do we know why? Not yet! I inhaled this book in two sittings to get to the bottom of their story: It is, as I said when I blurbed it, everything I want in a summer romance. Queen Move Ryan has a remarkable ability to create characters so fully realized, you feel like you're snooping on real people. Kimba and Ezra were born on the same day and best friends since they were in diapers. But when Ezra's family suddenly had to move away, the once-inseparable families were ripped apart. Twenty years later, Kimba and Ezra are reunited as adults with complicated lives and enough secrets to sink a ship. The sex is hot, the drama is sky-high, and I especially loved seeing the pair's friendship develop. Out of the Woods A romance centered on a married couple who've been together half their lives is bound to feature a luggage carousel's worth of baggage. Sarah and Caleb met as teenagers, shortly before her mother died; they tied the knot at 19 and are closing in on two decades together. But Sarah is feeling stuck and stifled by Caleb and his habit of constantly coming to her rescue. Still in love but fearing for their future, she talks her husband into a weeklong couples therapy camping trip with a group of kooky strangers. Bonam-Young deftly toggles between sincerity and spice, interweaving heavy subject matter with humor and plenty of heart.
The Guardian
15-04-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
From AI ethics to inclusive leadership: how professional development gives businesses an edge
In response to emerging technologies, shifting societal attitudes, and evolving ethical dilemmas, companies that embrace continuous learning stand to gain a competitive edge. The University of Melbourne offers a wide range of professional development courses designed to equip business leaders with the skills and actionable insights they need to navigate their companies' most pressing challenges. 'We are living in a fast-changing and interconnected world,' says Yu Flora Kuang, a professor of accounting at the University of Melbourne. 'In our world, diversity, equity, and inclusion [DEI] is not just the right thing to do or a moral imperative – it's also a strategic imperative. It's the smart thing to do.' Kuang's research confirms what forward-thinking organisations already recognise: we're better together. 'Organisations that embed DEI into their core operations benefit from a richer diversity of thought, enhanced innovation and improved decision-making,' she says. Apple's Project Purple is a prime example of this; cross-collaboration with diverse teams led to the creation of the first iPhone. 'The project involved a diverse team of hardware engineers, software engineers and designers working closely together,' Kuang says. 'This cross-functional collaboration was instrumental in revolutionising the smartphone industry.' Beyond internal operations, a commitment to DEI influences brand perception and consumer engagement. 'A 2024 study found that brands using diverse and inclusive imagery in their campaigns see higher engagement rates, with 80% of customers more likely to interact with such brands,' Kuang says. Similarly, 83% of gen Z employees consider a company's commitment to DEI important when choosing an employer. While organisations may recognise the importance of DEI, the challenge that many face is translating DEI commitments into meaningful action. 'What companies deliver is largely different from what they have promised,' Kuang says. 'There's a gap in what they say and what they do … they need to acquire critical knowledge to really understand how to effectively and efficiently implement what they have promised.' The University of Melbourne's micro-credentials and short courses aim to address this gap by providing leaders with practical, actionable insights into unconscious bias, inclusive leadership and strategies to build diverse, high-performing teams. The courses are designed for busy professionals, offering flexibility through online and in-person options to ensure leaders can learn and apply new strategies without disrupting their schedules. Unconscious bias is particularly important to address because it's embedded in human nature, Kuang says. Our herding nature means we're drawn to people who look like us, sound like us, think like us and have a similar educational background. Although we may set out with the intention of appreciating and valuing each other's differences, Kuang says unconscious bias can make it difficult for us to create a truly diverse, inclusive work environment. Removing human filters from the recruiting process using AI is one way businesses are tackling this challenge, but acquiring relevant knowledge is going to be crucial if they are to create a culture that truly values diversity. 'DEI is a very important measure of business sustainability,' Kuang says. 'We are all different and unique in our own way, and we bring different, unique contributions to an organisation – it's the organisations that can maximise the aggregate contribution that will benefit in the long run.' The rapid adoption of AI in business brings with it ethical challenges and risks that must be carefully navigated. With AI in such a state of flux, Prof Jeannie Paterson, the director of the University of Melbourne's Centre for AI and Digital Ethics, says it's important that business leaders stay on top of AI's implications. 'Business leaders need to understand the capacities of AI and the importance of using it in a way that's safe, effective and ethical,' Paterson says. While generative AI is accelerating productivity, it also introduces new challenges. 'AI lacks a fundamental understanding of truth,' Paterson says. AI can perpetuate problematic stereotypes, produce fake content and reflect a limited worldview. '[Most current AI tools] reflect primarily a US worldview because that's what [they have] been trained on; they won't be reflecting, for example, Asia-Pacific perspectives,' she says. 'The idea that AI is neutral or in some way telling some ground truth, it's not, it's dependent on the choices that are made about data and training. 'Business leaders need to understand those risks so they can actually respond to them, and have governance mechanisms and policies about the way the AI is used so they get the best out of it, while also minimising the risk.' The environmental costs of AI models are significant and the dampening of creativity and culture is a concern, Paterson says. 'The more we use generative AI, the greater the risk that we lose independent voice, because we're always filtering things through an AI that's been trained at a particular place at a particular time. 'The concern, and I think it's a genuine one, is that the more people rely on a particular tool to filter their thoughts and produce their images, the more we lose that individual, creative spark and voice that might be interesting and unique and specific to our region or our communities.' Given the complexities surrounding DEI and AI, business leaders must remain agile, informed and proactive. The University of Melbourne's micro-credentials and short courses can provide a structured way for professionals to stay ahead of the curve. While no business leader is expected to be an AI engineer or a DEI expert, they do need to know enough to ask the right questions, implement the right policies and engage in meaningful discussions, Paterson says. These courses can help mitigate risks associated with AI. 'Some employees will use AI regardless of company policies,' Paterson says. The danger is that they input sensitive data into unsecured AI tools, posing serious privacy and security risks to companies. By providing professional development opportunities to business leaders, companies can ensure employees are guided to use AI responsibly and in compliance with data protection regulations. The University of Melbourne also offers tailored training programs that align with industry-specific challenges in a range of sectors, including government, healthcare and sustainability. As Kuang says, one size does not fit all when it comes to professional development, so organisations can work with the university to develop customised programs that address their unique DEI- or AI-related challenges. With a focus on real-world application, interdisciplinary expertise and flexible learning options, these programs can empower professionals to drive positive change within their organisations. Learn more.
USA Today
26-02-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Forget designer bags. In the book world, it's all about which advanced copies you carry
Forget designer bags. In the book world, it's all about which advanced copies you carry How the galley brag became an influencer tool and upended books marketing strategy High atop a shelf, away from her messy child and dog, sits one of Cassandra Henrichsen's prized possessions: an advanced reader copy of 'Katabasis.' Out from Harper Collins in August, Henrichsen's copy of R.F. Kuang's new fantasy novel doesn't even have a cover design, but still comes with bragging rights. She received number 193 of the 200 early copies doled out. In the lead-up to a book's publication, publishers print a certain number of early copies, also called advanced reader copies (ARCs) or galleys. Think Miranda Priestly's twins with the "Harry Potter" manuscript in "The Devil Wears Prada." While these copies historically went to booksellers, press and the author's personal network, book influencers are now an increasingly important part of the strategy to create early buzz. The 'in' crowd: What makes a galley brag? The term 'galley brag' is a particular phenomena of the BookTok generation. In an age where readers collect deluxe editions like infinity stones and line up outside of stores hours on release day, securing a copy months before the book even goes on sale is the ultimate gold star bragging right. Posting about it is even sweeter satisfaction. 'A galley brag,' HarperCollins editor Ezra Kupor writes in his newsletter of the same name, 'is when you post a photo of a status galley on your Instagram or your Twitter. It's kind of a tip of the hat saying: look what I got.' As soon as Henrichsen heard that Kuang was publishing a new book, she began immediately posting TikToks about it. She had received ARCs from Kuang's publisher, Harper Voyager, before. She hoped her genuine excitement (and knowing the author's work well) would give her a better shot at securing that coveted galley. And then it came. 'I was already shaking in my boots opening the package,' Henrichsen told USA TODAY. 'But actually knowing that I got one of 200 copies was really exciting.' The envious comments came swiftly: 'Hey so what time do you usually leave the house and do you have like, dogs inside?' one reader joked about stealing the copy. 'How does it feel to be God's favorite,' wrote another. How 'Intermezzo' sparked envy, became the galley brag of 2024 I, dear reader, am not above a galley brag. When I got an early copy of Sally Rooney's 'Intermezzo' over the summer for work, you can bet I flexed it every time I read in public. And I wasn't alone. 'Are You Cool Enough for the Latest Sally Rooney Novel?' reads an Esquire headline from September. 'Truly having an out of body experience over here. Someone may need to check my pulse,' wrote Maddie Taylor, a reader from Maine, when she secured her early copy. Taylor designed cookies with the 'Intermezzo' cover as a plea to publisher Farrar, Straus and Giroux (FSG) in addition to her formal email request. They later commissioned her cookies for the release party. But while the roll out may have seemed exclusive to outsiders, it was actually the biggest ARC distribution FSG had ever done, says Sheila O'Shea, SVP and director of marketing and publicity. They released 2,500 early copies, working to honor as many personal requests (like Taylor's) as they could before they ran out. The biggest portion went to booksellers, she says. 'We did it with purpose … to actually create the most amount of people reading it as possible in advance of the on sale,' O'Shea says. 'We were so excited to share the manuscript and to share the work and we were hoping that people would fall in love with the book the way we had.' 'We weren't holding back,' she adds. The importance of the ARC cannot be understated, publishing marketers told USA TODAY, not just because of the early eyes but because of the community it creates. When FSG threw a release party for 'Intermezzo,' I spent the night talking Rooney with influencers that received the treasured ARCs. 'The community of a book, in a way is what you're creating when you're putting it out to market,' O'Shea says. 'It's not about creating exclusivity. That was not our intention there. It was to create the most amount of people we could get reading the book and the community of people that we knew love Sally Rooney.' In other instances, the galley is crucial to establish that in-crowd status for smaller authors. Knopf Associate Director of Marketing Matthew Sciarappa saw success after promoting Kaveh Akbar's debut 'Martyr!' – a National Book Award finalist – by sending copies alongside handmade zines from Akbar and tote bags with the book's snappy, memorable design. 'It was this big swag package all themed toward a book that nobody knows about,' Sciarappa says. 'My goal with that was to signal the importance, that you should be excited about it in the same way that you're excited about your favorite author's next thing.' In the age of social media influencing, marketers adapts The result of growing influencer-publisher relations is an earlier marketing timeline, says O'Shea, who notes that previously much of the public conversation about a book started after it went on sale, not before. Many publishers, including both Penguin Random House and Macmillan, now have influencer programs to streamline the connection between passionate influencers and their equally passionate followers. But what happens when ARCs become status symbols like collector's editions with the gold trim and sprayed edges? Can saying 'I had it first' go too far? What about the murky ethics of selling galleys at sky-high prices despite receiving it for free? Henrichsen, who considers herself a book collector, has been on the hunt for an ARC of 'The Secret History' by Donna Tartt for quite some time. But on eBay, they can go for over $300. 'Social media, by nature, is built on envy and capital. That is the system, that is what algorithms want you to inhabit,' Sciarappa says. 'To an extent, galleys do tap into that culture.' It's also bled into 'haul' culture – in unboxing videos, book influencers open packages upon packages of gifted early copies. 'You're seeing more photos of the ARCs and there's such a volume of books going out, but sometimes you don't see the review of it,' says Laura Flavin, a senior marketing director at Holt, owned by Macmillan. 'There's no way they're going to be able to get to even half of those books.' Those who receive ARCs are never required to post reviews, but marketers do hope they'll share their thoughts. Part of Holt's intentional strategy, Flavin says, is to target smaller accounts as much, if not more, than ones with hundreds of thousands of followers. It's about quality over quantity – what matters is getting a book into the hands of someone who will hopefully enjoy it as much as the publisher does. But do ARCs translate to more books sold? It's hard to say, though Sciarappa notes it's complicated. His anecdotal rule of thumb is 'it takes three times seeing a book before somebody's willing to buy it.' 'The most successful stories about books and publishing happen without the hand of the publisher,' he says. 'It's when (readers) find that book and fall in love with it and, without any prompting, scream about it. That will sell books. That is the one thing that is going to make things skyrocket.' Clare Mulroy is USA TODAY's Books Reporter, where she covers buzzy releases, chats with authors and dives into the culture of reading. Find her on Instagram, check out her recent articles or tell her what you're reading at cmulroy@
