One of my favourite journalists has started a newsletter. Amanda Shendruk has done a lot of interesting, relevant work at the intersection of climate and data, so there’s a lot to look forward to. This first piece is mostly an announcement of what’s to come (love this: «Don’t have many answers, but I do have data.»), but it also contains interesting charts about spiking uncertainty, and a flowchart of how solving the climate crisis is interconnected with other crises.

First, our friendships moved into the digital realm, at least some of the communication part. To ICQ, Facebook, Instagram, group chats. For a while time, that didn’t seem like a bad thing – more instant communication, easier to low-key stay in touch with people. But we’ve arrived in a world where these friendships have to compete for attention on that small black mirror in our hands with everything else that’s happening there. Social relationships and parasocial connections blend more and more.

Exactly my type of project. Rabbit holes, curiously and meticulously followed down and then documented beautifully for others to enjoy.

Short musings on what it means when you’re really good at something that just isn’t useful any longer. And why we shouldn’t give up on learning skills that appear obsolete. «But, at the same time, acquiring these bodies of knowledge is part of what makes life great. Learning a new language is brain-melting, soul-enlarging.»

What a beautiful conversation. Six years ago, Ed Yong wrote a story about the life and death of a snail. An endling, that’s the term for the last surviving member of a species. That story inspired two women, unbeknownst to one another, to write novels, both with the same title: Endling. Here, they meet for the first time.

It’s not too late. But it sure feels like tipping points are scary close. What will stop America from sinking into autocracy?

It was obviously absurd to even consider Donald Trump as a potential recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. However, with a ceasefire and peace plan in effect, you might still have wondered in how far Trump deserves credit for bringing peace to Gaza. I found this analysis illuminating. The argument: Yes, Trump was uniquely positioned to force a peace agreement – for all the worst reasons («the bond of authoritarianism and corruption»). For now, let’s take it («He can do it. He is doing it. And I’m glad he’s doing it.»).

One beast of an article (my reading app says 2 hours and 34 minutes), but you’ll take away some «Huh, I never thought of it that way!» moments from reading the introduction alone – so I highly recommend you at least do that. The author argues that we might be looking at the race for AI dominance all wrong. Yes, the US is leading the race in building artificial intelligence. But what if the intelligence part won’t matter all that much – and instead it will be all about the electric hardware stack, where China is far ahead of everyone else?