Becca Stanek

Bio

Becca is a Mic Editorial Fellow writing for the news section. A recent graduate of DePauw University, she has previously written for TIME and The Oregonian.
Science Explains How Unconscious Racial Bias Undermines the U.S. Justice System
By Becca Stanek
If last year's Eric Garner and Michael Brown cases showed us anything, it's that, whether or not most Americans are aware of it, racism is deeply embedded in the criminal justice system. Now, science has the evidence to back it up. Even though most…
The Countries That Watch the Most Porn Aren't the Ones You'd Expect
By Becca Stanek
The news: The Middle East already has the world's most popular porn star ­— 21-year-old Mia Khalifa from Lebanon. According to PornMD, some of the 10 most searched terms in Iraq, Syria, Egypt and Iran include "blow job," "creamy squirt" and "Arab."…
A Satirical Paper Had the Perfect Response to Women Being Photoshopped Out of Paris Photos
By Becca Stanek
Photoshop is a great way to prove a point. After HaMevaser, an Israeli ultra-Orthodox newspaper, removed all female leaders from photographs of the million-strong Charlie Hebdo solidarity march in Paris last weekend, Irish satirical newspaper…
Science Has Good News for People Who Go to Bed Early
By Becca Stanek
Squeezing a few more hours out of the day by staying up late doesn't come without a cost. According to a recent study, there's an association between staying up later and worrying more the next day. The study, which was published in the journal…
One Image Sums Up the Problem With How the World Responds to Terrorism
By Becca Stanek
In case you needed a reminder of all of the wrong ways a country can respond to a terrorist attack, just take a look at the homepage of the Associated Press from Wednesday morning: Following the terrorist attacks on satirical newspaper Charlie…
Politicians Are Exploiting the 'Charlie Hebdo' Attack in the Most Predictable Way Possible
By Becca Stanek
A crisis is a terrible thing to waste. Following last week's deadly attack on satirical French newspaper Charlie Hebdo and subsequent hostage situations, which left 17 people dead, millions of people around the world have rallied in support of…
Science Reveals What Cats Really Think of Us
By Becca Stanek
Cat haters rejoice: Science is on your side. There's a common stereotype about America's favorite household pets: Dogs will love you unconditionally, and cats couldn't care less if you died as long as they get fed (horrifying aside: For some cats,…
Here's Scientific Proof Your iPhone Is Literally Driving You Crazy
By Becca Stanek
The symptoms of the sickness are almost immediately recognizable. Sufferers report anxiety, distraction, disengagement and phantom sensations that drive them insane. The diagnosis? iPhone separation anxiety. According to a new study, the phenomenon…
9 Awe-Inspiring Photos of Men Making History By Climbing the Hardest Route in the World
By Becca Stanek
Two men are about to make history climbing a 3,000-foot vertical wall of granite on the monolith El Capitan in Yosemite National Park in California. As if that weren't enough of a feat, the two are throwing in an additional challenge: They're making…
Think Your Job Is Too Demanding? Here Are the Top 10 Most Stressful Careers in America
By Becca Stanek
Think your job is stressful? Think again. Job listing website CareerCast released the list of this year's most stressful jobs, and while some of the jobs listed are no surprise — such as a police officer — others are more unexpected. CareerCast…