M. Mitchell Waldrop

The electoral reform also known as instant-runoff voting promises bridge-building and broad appeal instead of culture war and gridlock.

Scientists have been chasing the dream of harnessing the reactions that power the Sun since the dawn of the atomic era. Interest, and investment, in the carbon-free energy source is heating up.

From the Big Bang to dark energy, knowledge of the cosmos has sped up in the past century — but big questions linger.