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Good morning! Here are today’s temperatures:

⛈️ 47 – 62° in Logan | 💧 90%

⛈️ 56 – 67° in Salt Lake | 💧 70%

🌤️ 60 – 78° in St. George

How do you feel about rattlesnakes?

Whether they fill you with a sense of dread or awe, there’s a lot to learn about these reptiles. Marjorie Cortez reports that two academic institutions and a snake removal company are collaborating on Project RattleCam, a 24/7 livestream that broadcasts rattlesnakes in their habitats.

“A ‘mega den’ at an undisclosed location in Colorado where some 2,000 rattlesnakes live has provided fascinating glimpses into the social structure of rattlesnakes,” she writes. “For instance, pregnant females that have not given birth have been observed ‘babysitting’ other snakes’ newborn offspring.”

Read more about the secret lives of rattlesnakes.

Also on our minds:

Utah intends to continue legal action against former owner of company that made OxyContin
Is cremation or body burial more affordable? How Gen Z and baby boomers differ on planning for death
How to see combined supermoon and lunar eclipse in September

‘Left’ versus ‘right’ is tearing our country apart. The Founding Fathers gave us a better way

Hyrum Lewis and Verlan Lewis write:

On Constitution Day, Sept. 17, it’s worth thinking about the political framework used by the framers of our constitutional system and comparing it to the one en vogue in America today. Is there something America’s founders can teach us about how to improve the way we think about politics?

Currently, the dominant political framework in America is the “left-right” political spectrum. According to this paradigm, we can place every person, party, idea or institution on a line running from left to right depending on its disposition toward change. (Those radically in favor of change are considered to be on the “far left,” those radically against change are on the “far right,” and those in favor of some change are in the middle.)

Instead of thinking in terms of a “left-right” political spectrum, the American founders conceived of politics as the quest to simultaneously empower and restrain government.

Read more about how we can resolve to think beyond the left-right divide this Constitution Day.

Why is it exciting to watch others betray their faith and families?

Meagan Kohler and Jacob Hess write:

Public reaction among Latter-day Saints to the latest Hulu series sensationalizing “Mormon wives” has focused on lack of representation — as it should. These featured women represent the typical Latter-day Saint woman about as well as the Kardashians represent the typical American one.

But does most of the viewing public actually believe these characters represent Latter-day Saint women? We doubt it, except for maybe those who really have learned “everything” they know about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from reality TV.

Even secular media critics acknowledge our faith is “known for the moral code its members are expected to adhere to.” People aren’t watching this series because they believe these women embody Latter-day Saint culture and values. They’re tuning in because of a kind of sordid pleasure some find in watching others flout their stated values and faith commitments.

Read more about what a caricature of suburban American excess really reveals about our society.

FROM OUR SPONSOR OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS

A Celebration of the Richness of Latter-Day Saint Art

Discover the long — and until now — under-studied tradition of Latter-Day Saint art. Including over 200 high-quality color illustrations and 22 essays from various perspectives, this new book looks at the painting, sculpture, film, textile arts, architecture and more that have shaped the history and culture of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

Utah

Utah intends to continue legal action against former owner of company that made OxyContin (Deseret News)
2030 and 2034 Winter Games bid timeline: Counting down to another Olympics for Utah (Deseret News)
How the Utah Inland Port is funded, and why it’s controversial (KSL)
After losing over 2 feet, Great Salt Lake to get another boost from Utah Lake (KSL)

The U.S.

Why 43 million acres in U.S. are owned by foreign nations (Deseret News)
Talking about death before it happens (Deseret News)

The World

An Austrian woman was convicted of fatally infecting her neighbor with COVID (Deseret News)
September harvest moon will provide combined supermoon and partial lunar eclipse (Deseret News)

Sports

‘I’m riding with him’: BYU players, coaches express confidence in starting QB Jake Retzlaff (Deseret News)
6 Utah Hockey Club standouts from the Rookie Faceoff (Deseret News)
What stands out about Utah basketball’s nonconference schedule this season (Deseret News)
Manti Te’o comments on ‘brother’ Tua Tagovailoa’s latest concussion (Deseret News)

Faith

How long is 100 years? Historians give a tour of jarring changes that span President Nelson’s life (Deseret News)
Sarah Jane Weaver: The ‘Secret Lives of Mormon Wives’ does not represent me (Deseret News)

Health

Bird flu: How a new outbreak is plaguing the West (Deseret News)
The godly geneticist: Inside the lab where faith meets science (Deseret News)

Check your inbox tomorrow morning for more news from the Beehive State and beyond!

And reply to this email or email newsletters@deseretnews.com to tell us what you think of Utah Today.

Thanks for reading!

— Ariel