When is a cancer scare, a rejected mortgage loan, a false arrest, or predictive grading, more than a glitch in A.I.? That's today's big question, and my guest is Meredith Broussard. Meredith is a data journalist and associate professor at the Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute of New York University,…
How do we stop overfishing if we don't know who's doing the fishing? That's today's big question, and my guest is Jennifer Raynor. Jennifer is an Assistant Professor of natural resource economics at the University of Wisconsin Madison. Jennifer's research focuses on improving the efficiency and sustainability of fisheries and…
This week: We are occasionally asked why we link to scientific journals, news outlets, and sometimes even opinion pieces that are behind paywalls. In a world where HBO HBO Max Max and Spotify and everyone else raise prices once a month, it’s a great question: Our newsletter is free —…
Join host Quinn Emmett on this episode of 'Important, Not Important' as he dives into tackling systemic environmental justice issues at the local level with guest Jacqui Patterson. Jacqui, the founder and executive director of the Chisholm Legacy Project, shares insights on connecting black communities disproportionately affected by the climate…
Why is it so important that we share the science of fiction, and what do we do with it once we have it? That's today's big question, and my guest is Maddie Stone. Maddie is a prolific science journalist. She is a doctor of earth and environmental sciences. She's the…
This week: Do you like cookies? What about olive oil cake? What about chocolate chip coffee cake? Listen on. Here's What You Can Do: • 🌍️ Donate to support African farmers by increasing incomes and improving food security through the Alliance for a Green Africa (https://agra.org/?utm_source=importantnotimportant.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=in-bruges) . • 🌎️ Volunteer…
How do we take a huge chronic disease burden like Lyme disease or long COVID or even long flu and make it so personal that we simply can't ignore it anymore? That's today's big question and my guest is Dr. Mikki Tal, an immunoengineer and a principal scientist at MIT.…
This week: This week I wrote about a groundbreaking and essential new study that — thank christ — is not actually about which seemingly reasonable dietary supplement will definitely extend/tragically cut short your life. It’s about 🍿 film, and after you’re done reading, I’d love it if you replied to…
This week: In this essay, I will argue that Bridget Jones is the perfect climate-era hero, because she is all of us. Here's What You Can Do: • 🌍️ Donate to Project HOPE (https://flight.beehiiv.net/v2/clicks/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3NlY3VyZS5wcm9qZWN0aG9wZS5vcmcvc2l0ZS9TUGFnZU5hdmlnYXRvci8yMDIyXzA4X0RQT19yMV9jb250cm9sLmh0bWw_YXV0b2xvZ2luPXRydWUmbWZjX3ByZWY9VCZzX3N1YnNyYz1yZDEmdXRtX3NvdXJjZT1pbXBvcnRhbnRub3RpbXBvcnRhbnQuY29tJnV0bV9tZWRpdW09cmVmZXJyYWwmdXRtX2NhbXBhaWduPWJyaWRnZXQtam9uZXMtY2xpbWF0ZS1oZXJvIiwicG9zdF9pZCI6ImJjYjU0OGU1LWU1ODItNDNmOC1iN2E2LTJjMTc4MDBkNjlkYiIsInB1YmxpY2F0aW9uX2lkIjoiYTc4NGM3NWYtZmE4Ny00Y2QyLTg5ZTEtNjEwNjc1NjBiMTljIiwidmlzaXRfdG9rZW4iOiJlMGFkZDhjNi1lZWQ0LTRlYmQtYTM2OC1hZGQwMzFkNjZjMTYiLCJpYXQiOjE3MTM5OTA2OTIsImlzcyI6Im9yY2hpZCJ9.AkyVK2SFOR9muQMhsnU7pQaZ7EiaYVs_QrHXh0kMvwY) to support frontline teams working to strengthen healthcare systems and respond to crises globally. • 🌎️…
Who is still covering Long COVID, and how much is the audience actually growing? That's today's big question, and my guests are Betsy Ladygetz and Miles Griffis, editors and co-founders of The Sick Times, a journalist-founded website chronicling the Long COVID crisis. The Sick Times investigates injustices, challenges powerful institutions,…
This week: Let’s talk about the Information Era. Here's What You Can Do: • Donate (and subscribe!) to the 19th (https://flight.beehiiv.net/v2/clicks/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovLzE5dGhuZXdzLm9yZy8_dXRtX3NvdXJjZT1pbXBvcnRhbnRub3RpbXBvcnRhbnQuY29tJnV0bV9tZWRpdW09cmVmZXJyYWwmdXRtX2NhbXBhaWduPXByb2dyYW0tdGhlLXdvcmxkIiwicG9zdF9pZCI6ImJmZjNkY2I0LWYzNGYtNGZkMC1hYjM1LTE5YmU4ODgyMTZhYSIsInB1YmxpY2F0aW9uX2lkIjoiYTc4NGM3NWYtZmE4Ny00Y2QyLTg5ZTEtNjEwNjc1NjBiMTljIiwidmlzaXRfdG9rZW4iOiI0ZjY5MGQ2ZC0zZTRhLTQxNzYtYWVhZC1mMDQ5OTljOWE4MjAiLCJpYXQiOjE3MTI2OTMxOTQsImlzcyI6Im9yY2hpZCJ9.w0-rND27YYrWDTwcAaE0hGbpp4R7sHrirOZvaoAFF7c) , an independent, non-profit, kick-ass newsroom reporting on gender and politics. • Volunteer with Tech Shift (https://flight.beehiiv.net/v2/clicks/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy50ZWNoc2hpZnQub3JnLz91dG1fc291cmNlPWltcG9ydGFudG5vdGltcG9ydGFudC5jb20mdXRtX21lZGl1bT1yZWZlcnJhbCZ1dG1fY2FtcGFpZ249cHJvZ3JhbS10aGUtd29ybGQiLCJwb3N0X2lkIjoiYmZmM2RjYjQtZjM0Zi00ZmQwLWFiMzUtMTliZTg4ODIxNmFhIiwicHVibGljYXRpb25faWQiOiJhNzg0Yzc1Zi1mYTg3LTRjZDItODllMS02MTA2NzU2MGIxOWMiLCJ2aXNpdF90b2tlbiI6IjRmNjkwZDZkLTNlNGEtNDE3Ni1hZWFkLWYwNDk5OWM5YTgyMCIsImlhdCI6MTcxMjY5MzE5NCwiaXNzIjoib3JjaGlkIn0.Plu6OeXjC_ne48IcXaslwhdnH22odrBfpdZoIXpYp_s) to build a fairer, more just technological future. • 🌏️ Get educated…
What have we learned from millennia of water insecurity, of climate changes and disasters, of building along freshwater ways and the ocean, that we can apply today? That's today's big question, and my guest is Dr. Amber Wutich. Dr. Wutich is an ASU President's Professor, Director of the Center for…
This week: Bernie decided March 15th is Long COVID Awareness Day, so I thought it was an appropriate moment to try to pull together the threads of why Long COVID pisses me off so much, examples of other self-defeating issues we never learned from, and a blueprint for how to…
You know you're stressed. You know you're anxious. Do you have depression? And do you need to know the latest in the biology of how the brain works and depression works or doesn't work and whether the gut is involved in getting meaningful help? That's today's big question. I promise…
This week: There are few problems so simple that a single donation can fix them. Usually, to turn a problem into a realistic opportunity takes many donations. Over time, spread over a large number of donors. But all the work before that is kind of exhausting: you’ve gotta make sure…
The climate clock is ticking faster and faster. How can we use capitalism to undo the bad stuff that capitalism did and maybe even make things better? That's today's big (loaded) question, and my returning guest is Akshat Rathi. Akshat is a London-based senior reporter, newsletter writer, and podcaster for…
This week: Are we in the hardest part of the climate transition? Here's What You Can Do: • 🌎️ Donate to 350.org (https://350.org/?utm_source=importantnotimportant.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=how-to-see-the-forest) , a global movement working towards a fossil fuel-free world. • Volunteer with your local Mothers Out Front (https://www.mothersoutfront.org/?utm_source=importantnotimportant.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=how-to-see-the-forest) chapter to fight for a world that protects…
What are reverse coattails, and how might they slow climate change, prevent the next pandemic, and keep Nazis off of school boards? That's today's big question, and my returning guest is Amanda Litman. Amanda is one of my favorite people. She is the co-founder and co-executive director of Run for…
