University of St. Thomas

University of St. Thomas geology professor Tom Hickson discusses the geological connection between Minnesota's rocks and the surface of Mars during an appearance on Minnesota Live. The article highlights the unique landscape of Minnesota and its extraterrestrial parallels.

Minnesota families are planning back-to-school shopping earlier due to rising prices and demand. National data shows families expect to spend an average of $922 this year, with 47% planning to spend more than last year. Parents are using AI tools for shopping and allowing children to influence purchases, while experts note increased costs driven by classroom technology and social pressures.

Minnesota's May labor report shows increased job openings but lower average hourly pay and a shrinking workforce. Unemployment decreased, yet employment numbers fell for six consecutive months, with more people exiting the labor force. Blue-collar jobs in leisure and hospitality are growing, while white-collar finance roles decline, contributing to a 0.5% drop in Minnesota's average hourly wage compared to the prior year.

Federal prosecutors charged 15 people tied to Minneapolis-based antifa groups with conspiracy to impede or injure a federal officer. A law professor noted the indictment's evidence varies in strength against the 15 defendants, while defense attorneys called the charges political persecution.

Pope Leo XIV's encyclical 'Magnifica Humanitas' warns AI could erode human judgment, deepen inequality, destabilize democracy, and enable unethical warfare, positioning the Vatican as a moral authority in AI ethics. The 43,000-word document draws parallels to the Industrial Revolution's Rerum Novarum and emphasizes AI's non-neutral nature shaped by human values.