The Cruelty of Kindness

Does the ‘no kill’ animal shelter movement create more suffering than it spares?

Source: Aeon
Published: Mar 8, 2016
Length: 14 minutes (3,678 words)

Roots and Genes

Nelson uses Alex Haley’s seminal 1976 book “Roots” as a backdrop to explore the quest for African American identity and the appeal of genetic ancestry testing.

Source: Aeon
Published: Jan 4, 2016
Length: 19 minutes (4,787 words)

The End of Walking

Are Americans sacrificing their right to walk? On the culture war against walkability, and what it says about our health, communities, and humanity.

Source: Aeon
Published: Aug 20, 2015
Length: 13 minutes (3,300 words)

Homes for the Homeless

An illustrated look at Utah’s approach to providing housing for the homeless with no strings attached. It’s turning out both cheaper and more effective than other solutions, but why haven’t other cities followed suit?

Source: Aeon
Published: Aug 28, 2015
Length: 14 minutes (3,600 words)

An Unlikely Trade

For five years, Michael Erard worked full-time as a metaphor designer at a D.C. think tank. Here he meditates on the nature of metaphors and how they can be designed.

Source: Aeon
Published: Jun 9, 2015
Length: 12 minutes (3,172 words)

Hotel Melancholia

A meditation on the particular sadness of faceless hotel rooms.

Source: Aeon
Published: Jun 8, 2015
Length: 11 minutes (2,900 words)

Will We Ever Understand the Beginning of the Universe?

A deep exploration of cosmology and the issues we face when it comes to understanding what we still don’t know: “Cosmology’s hot streak has stalled. Cosmologists have looked deep into time, almost all the way back to the Big Bang itself, but they don’t know what came before it.”

Source: Aeon
Published: May 14, 2015
Length: 36 minutes (9,200 words)

The Power of Story

How storytelling affects our brains and the way we interact with one another.

Source: Aeon
Published: Jan 12, 2015
Length: 11 minutes (2,863 words)

The Shame of Poor Teeth in a Rich World

An essay about growing up poor in America, and the role of teeth as a class signifier.

Source: Aeon
Published: Oct 23, 2014
Length: 14 minutes (3,600 words)

Elon Musk: How We’re Going to Colonize Mars

An in-depth interview with the SpaceX founder on how we could make it to Mars—and why it’s important for us to get there.

Source: Aeon
Published: Sep 30, 2014
Length: 27 minutes (6,900 words)