A space exploration update for November 2021. In Earth orbit news, one crew returned from the International Space Station, while a new crew rode a SpaceX flight to board the ISS. The ISS altered its orbit by a mile to avoid incoming debris from an old…
Coining xenophobia.
“Only by remembering xenophobia’s first instantiation do we bring these broader battles into focus.” Uncovering the origins of a word: stenography, kooky linguistic debates, Romanian ultra-nationalism, the Boxer rebellion, and the stranger-as-enemy rel…
The Nobel Peace Prize goes to Maria Ressa and Dmitry Andreyevich Muratov
“for their efforts to safeguard freedom of expression, which is a precondition for democracy and lasting peace.” The award celebrated Ressa and Muratov’s years of work in the Philippines and Russia, respectively. The Nobel Committee added that this yea…
That village near Gomorrah got too hot for Lot
The city’s destruction was associated with some unknown high-temperature event. An interdisciplinary research team claims that the ancient city of Tall el-Hammam (present-day Jordan) was destroyed by a meteor, or comet which detonated in mid-air. It ma…
Herrera wasn’t a saint. But he may have been something better than that.
“Costa Rica shows what an alternative looks like.” Atul Gawande explores the benefits of Costa Rica’s “braid[ed] together” health care and public health systems. (SLNYorker) Atul Gawande previously.