Reading List

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

Zohran Mamdani’s child care gamble

Zohran Mamdani, the 34-year-old progressive with a commanding lead in the New York City mayoral race, has placed universal child care at the center of his campaign, returning to it again and again as one of a few key policies that could redefine what City Hall delivers.  He’s promising to make child care free for […]

This beloved animal is back from the brink of extinction — with one big caveat

Scientists who study wildlife are often the bearers of bad news — this species or that is headed for extinction for the usual reasons, like deforestation or climate change. Just last week, for example, I wrote about new science showing that two valuable coral species in Florida were mostly killed off by global warming.  But earlier […]

Trump’s pettiest tariff, briefly explained

This story appeared in The Logoff, a daily newsletter that helps you stay informed about the Trump administration without letting political news take over your life. Subscribe here. Welcome to The Logoff: President Donald Trump’s wide-ranging tariff campaign is supposed to rest on an emergency authority — one he’s now using to ratchet up tariffs on one […]

Can AI make health care more human?

A couple weeks ago, I went to the doctor to go over some test results. All was well — spectacularly average, even.  But there was one part of the appointment that did take me by surprise. After my doctor gave me advice based on my health and age, she turned her computer monitor towards me […]

How pro sports gambled away the integrity of the game

Last week, the NBA was rocked by the indictments of three current and former players, including the current coach of the Portland Trail Blazers, in connection with sports betting and rigged poker games. I with talked my colleague Bryan Walsh, who oversees Vox’s Future Perfect, about the crisis the indictments create for the league — and […]