Current Events
How child mortality fell from 40% to 3.7% in 200 years
In 200 years, the mortality rate for children under the age of five (per 1,000 live births) has dropped from 40% to 3.7%.
The 4 risk factors behind someone becoming a mass shooter
Can we stop mass shootings? The first step is collecting data, and these authors have done just that.
How many bots are on Twitter? The question is difficult to answer and misses the point
Yes, there are reasons to worry about Twitter, but it's not about the bots.
“Just asking questions”: How healthy skepticism morphed into toxic denialism
Media provocateurs and conspiracy theorists insist that they're "just asking questions." No, they aren’t.
This is why the US dollar is a potent sanctions weapon — for now
A clear alternative has yet to emerge.
How “gate” became the syllable of scandal
In terms of sheer productivity, “-gate” has no peer. Wikipedia’s list of -gates has over 260 entries.
What do entrepreneurs dream about in Czechia? A world map of start-up ambitions
In New Zealand, ambitious Kiwis want to launch a lawn mowing business; in South Africa, it's cooking gas refills. Start-up dreams vary widely.
On tiny Hans Island, Denmark and Canada create world’s newest land border
A dispute marked by flags and booze has been replaced with an official land border.
Instead of the death penalty, let’s put dangerous criminals in a coma
Prison is an unreliable method of punishment. Let's do better.
China’s population is about to shrink for the first time in 60 years
The last time the population shrank was during the great famine of 1959-61.
What is “personhood”? The ethics question that needs a closer look in abortion debates
Suppose that fetuses are persons. Since pregnant people are too, how should conflicts between them be settled?
What does “pro-life” even mean anymore?
Regardless of political ideology, one of the few things that many people seem to have in common is a moral hypocrisy that arises from a fundamental lack of self-reflection.
What is monkeypox? A microbiologist explains
What you need to know about this smallpox cousin.
Finland prepares world’s first “nuclear tomb”
The site will be the first working example of a geological disposal facility.
If you have a 401(k), you’re an investor. Geopolitics will affect your financial security
Geopolitics is not a magic 8-ball. But making financial decisions — such as those regarding retirement — in a multipolar world without geopolitics is akin to flying blind in a storm.
Russia’s weaponization of natural gas could backfire
Could Russia's plan actually destroy demand for natural gas?
7 reasons why Zelenskyy’s crisis leadership is so effective
Aristotle's ancient virtues play a vital role in today's war.
Abortion has been common in the U.S. since the 18th century
And debate over it started soon after.
Russia’s embassies are being relocated to “Ukraine Street”
Diplomacy is war by other means.
Is college worth it? 3 reasons it is (and 3 reasons it isn’t)
Is college worth it? This question may seem a no-brainer, but there are many reasons why it is worthy of serious deliberation. Here are three.
What responsibility does Twitter have to free speech?
What responsibility do social media companies like Twitter have to free speech? It depends on whether they are "landlords" or "publishers."
No more Medvedev, Tchaikovsky, or Dostoevsky: the pros and cons of cancelling Russian culture
Some question the ethics of sanctions aimed at cancelling Russian art and culture and punishing ordinary citizens.
How the image of a victimized Russia got into the country’s psyche
Is there victory in defeat?
How Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter became another partisan issue in our culture war
Elon Musk's successful bid to take over Twitter has fragmented the internet along predictably partisan lines. But only time will tell whether this is a good or bad thing.
Synthetic media: How AI-generated characters spread disinformation
AI-generated photos, also known as synthetic media, are being used to create fake experts and journalists to spread disinformation.
“Is It Cake?” feeds viewers visual catharsis for uncertain times
Moments of social anxiety around truth tend to be accompanied by similar “fool the eye” pop culture phenomena.
An old satellite was hacked to broadcast signals across North America
"Dead" satellites aren't just space junk. They are also targets for hackers to hijack and use to broadcast misinformation.
Why a nuclear power plant would survive a 9/11-style airplane attack
U.S. nuclear power plants are built to survive external attacks. Even missiles or a commercial aircraft strike would not cause a meltdown or radiation leak.
The problem with social media is not content but its distortion of reality
Social media distorts the reality of the public sphere.