Essays Episodes
The weekly tent-pole essay, plus Action Steps. 10/10, you're welcome.
May 16, 2023
🌎 COVID has ended (or has it?)
This week: COVID is over (as far as we know it). What did we learn, and what’s next? PLUS: Gay blood donations are a go, wind power in the UK, social media guidelines, millions for Black farmers, water report cards, and more ...
May 5, 2023
🌎 Never Tell Me The Odds
This week: Solutions to our biggest problems shouldn’t be so perplexing. On the other hand, washing our hands wasn’t obvious for a couple hundred thousand years, and my kids STILL don't want to do it. Plus: Seasonal allergy n...
April 26, 2023
🌎 What Would You Say You Do Here
This week: Is what you’re working on important? Plus: The cleanest produce, a mosquito factory, lots of rooftop solar, autonomous GPT, maybe, and the latest with the Colorado River Here's What You Can Do: ⚡️ Climate change an...
April 18, 2023
🌎 This Isn't Rocket Science (Unless It Is)
This week: A very basic way to use a mental model, you’re welcome. PLUS: Mosquitoes, overseas abortion pills, healthy ice cream, German nuclear power, electric school buses, and more. Here's What You Can Do: ⚡️ Interested in ...
March 24, 2023
🌎 ESG is good business (but don't call it ESG)
This week: Fighting over ESG is stupid, risky, and bad business. Let’s move on. Plus: RSV vaccines, the E-BIKE Act, Skittles (?), deepfakes, allergies, and a new season of DRILLED What We Can Do: ⚡️ Submit your comment to kee...
March 17, 2023
🌎 Welcome to the Unknown Unknowns
This week: What we know — and more importantly, what we don’t — about what AI is capable of, and how much change we’re capable of absorbing. Plus: the Willow Project, H-1B visas, blueberries, honeybee vaccines, climate disclo...
March 8, 2023
🌎 A living act of resistance
This week: Can little-old-you really make a difference? Hell yes you can. Plus: cheaper insulin, cleaner camping gear, a new (lidless) coffee cup, good news on BetterHelp, and maybe even some paid leave. Here's What You Can D...
Feb. 24, 2023
🌎 How to get sh*t done
This week: Pulled in a million directions? Wondering what the hell you do with your days? Find your north stars (and become devastatingly effective) with one simple question. What We Can Do: ⚡️ Please don’t use public wifi wi...
Feb. 22, 2023
🌎 What Do You Need?
This week: The future of search and chatbots looks a lot like our ancient past. Why do we keep making the same tools over and over again? What We Can Do: ⚡️ Addiction is brutal. Help yourself or a loved one or someone you’ve ...
Feb. 15, 2023
🌎 How to Survive
This week: There are a default group of problems that exist in our society because of the basic needs required to be a human. They are: Air Water Food Sleep These, our most primal needs, are more or less biologically inarguab...
Feb. 13, 2023
🌎 "Why Do We Exist?"
This week: For the next few weeks, I’m rewriting and sharing a selection of essays I wrote in 2020 and 2021, so about two hundred years ago. I think they’re more relevant than ever — I can’t wait to hear what you think. This ...
Jan. 27, 2023
🌎 Insurance, for you and me
This week: Everyone needs insurance. But what kind? And what does it mean to have it, or not? Well, there’s actual insurance, which is a policy where you and an insurer contract with one another in case things go south with (...
Jan. 23, 2023
🌎 You Say You Want A Revolution
This week: What does it mean when people say “revolution”? For these purposes, which are pretty narrow and entirely of my own invention, I don’t mean some single moment in time, unless it was a bellwether for something bigger...
Jan. 13, 2023
🌎 What it all means
Across the front of our website, in big bold letters, is our calling card: “Science for people who give a shit.” You may have seen it and immediately thought “That’s me!” or “You sir, are a child.” Either reaction is well and...
Nov. 18, 2022
Newsletter #299: How to save 1.3 million lives
This week: Global climate news roundup beyond COP27 The human cost of vaccine inequity Water runs dry Chatbots aren't your friends Caveats to exciting AI developments Here's What You Can Do: More Democratic Senators means a g...