🎧 Unexplainable: The view from inside a volcano
Unexplainable is now publishing Mondays and Wednesdays. We also have beautiful new art. Celebrate by listening to the most recent story, a Byrd Pinkerton joint about how scientists are trying to build observation labs inside active volcanos. I know.
🎧 The Gray Area: The science of ideology
The word of the year is “ideology.” Seriously, if you could do an imaginary control-f on the current discourse, there’d be little highlighted ideologies everywhere you looked. In this episode of The Gray Area, host Sean Illing speaks with political psychologist and neuroscientist Leor Zmigrod about how our propensity to become ideologues is wired into our brains.
Just how bad can the India-Pakistan crisis get?
Here’s an example of what Vox does best. I knew that things were getting chippy between India and Pakistan. And I know they’re both nuclear powers. But I can’t say I knew a ton more than that. At least until I read this explainer from Josh Keating that caught me up on the current situation, the recent context of conflict, and gave me one more thing to worry about late at night, alone.
The warped reality of the elites shaping Trump’s administration
Look, this stuff is happening whether we want it or not so you might as well know why. Because the next time some big news comes down and your first response is to yell, “What were they thinking?” Zack Beauchamp is going to be there, looking straight at you, arms crossed, slowly shaking his head. If only you’d read the article, you'd think to yourself, I wouldn’t feel so judged. Save yourself the future hassle! Read this now.
✉️ Kids Today
Anna North writes a newsletter for Vox about kids. But it’s not about parenting. It’s about the experience of growing up in the world today. Which means it’s about all of society, the problems we’re facing, and the solutions we’re trying, or should be. It’s really great, and you should sign up for it. Recent editions cover the changing role of grandparents, whether the pro-natalist movement is good for kids and whether teen mental health days are actually helping anyone. Sign up here to get it in your inbox every Thursday.
