Reading List

The most recent articles from a list of feeds I subscribe to.

The biggest mosquito-borne disease in the world has a cure. There’s just one problem.

There’s a reason dengue infections are also called “breakbone fever.” Along with a mild fever, symptoms of the mosquito-borne illness include bone-deep, aching pain in the joints and behind the eyes. In severe cases, blood vessels begin to leak. And in the worst cases, that can lead to organ failure.  More than 14 million people […]

The only number that really matters

In 1972, the King of Bhutan announced that “gross national happiness is more important than gross domestic product.” It was a charming sound bite that captured imaginations worldwide. Finally, someone was brave enough to say it: Happiness matters more than money. At the time, Bhutan was poor. More than 50 years later, Bhutan still ranks […]

The mass shooting on Australia’s Bondi Beach, briefly explained

Two gunmen opened fire on a celebration of the first day of Hanukkah at Sydney’s famous Bondi Beach on Sunday, killing 15 and injuring dozens more. One of the gunmen was killed, and another alleged shooter was injured and is now in custody. What do we know about the attack in Australia? Australian officials have described […]

How do you know if you’re wasting your life?

Your Mileage May Vary is an advice column offering you a unique framework for thinking through your moral dilemmas. It’s based on value pluralism — the idea that each of us has multiple values that are equally valid but that often conflict with each other. To submit a question, fill out this anonymous form. Here’s this week’s question from a […]

We’re running out of good ideas. AI might be how we find new ones.

America, you have spoken loud and clear: You do not like AI. A Pew Research Center survey published in September found that 50 percent of respondents were more concerned than excited about AI; just 10 percent felt the opposite. Most people, 57 percent, said the societal risks were high, while a mere 25 percent thought […]