On Earth Day, thousands marched in support of science and the environment. But as these stories show, the fight has just begun.
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Longreads Best of 2016: Science Writing
We asked a few writers and editors to choose some of their favorite stories of the year in various categories. Here, the best in science writing.
Maybe What We Need Is … More Politics?
Recent books by economists who hope to “save capitalism” dismiss popular ideas as “just politics.” But why assume the popular is the enemy of the good?
An Interview with MacArthur ‘Genius’ Jason De León
The anthropologist studies the objects left behind by migrants as they cross the border.
How Tiny, Yet Über-Efficient Spider Brains Can Improve Computer Technology
Big brains offer no advantage in the animal kingdom.
When It’s Time to Say Goodbye to the Old House
Siddhartha Mahanta looks back at the small suburban starter house in Texas that helped his immigrant father redefine “home.”
Why Oil-Loving Louisiana Should Embrace America’s Coming Offshore Wind Boom
The budding wind power industry is rich in jobs, and the people of south Louisiana are ready for clean energy.
The Tether Between Two Worlds: An Interview with Sergio De La Pava
His new novel is about mass incarceration, indoor football, and parallel universes. De La Pava says that when “you dig deep, you start seeing the way everything is connected.”
The Top 5 Longreads of the Week
This week, we’re sharing stories from Ronan Farrow, Diana Nyad, Rachel Monroe, Ross Andersen, and Teresa Mathew.
Mars Needs Women… Scientists
At the top of the SLS will be the Orion, the capsule designed to take astronauts—men and, yes, now women—as far as Mars (come the 2030s).

