“In Southern California’s Otay Mountain Wilderness, the federal surveillance network seems unavoidable. But year after year, migrant deaths persist.”
MIT Technology Review
What Happens When a Kid’s Robot Best Friend Dies?
“AI companion toys for neurodivergent children promise connection and therapy, but can they deliver for the long haul?”
The Top 5 Longreads of the Week
Recommending stories from Emi Nietfeld, Brendan Borrell, Boyce Upholt, Fernando Pinho, and Vann R. Newkirk II.
Colossal Biosciences Said It Cloned Red Wolves. Is It for Real?
“The red wolf has long been a contentious species. The debate over its preservation got even messier last year, when Colossal said it had cloned the animal.”
Why Conservationists Are Making Rhinos Radioactive
“Rapid DNA tests, x-ray fluorescence guns, and other technologies are being deployed in the fight against wildlife trafficking.”
The Top 5 Longreads of the Week
Recommending stories by Maddy Crowell, Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Fraser MacDonald, Shi En Kim, and Bryan Gardiner.
How Creativity Became the Reigning Value of Our Time
“In a new book, Samuel Franklin excavates the surprisingly recent history of an idea, an ideal, and an ideology.”
AI Is Coming for Music, Too
“New diffusion AI models that make songs from scratch are complicating our definitions of authorship and human creativity.”
A Year in Reading: The Dark Side of Progress
We’re moving farther, faster, than ever before. But we’re also destabilizing crucial areas of human experience.
The Weeds Are Winning
“As the climate changes, genetic engineering will be essential for growing food. But is it creating a race of superweeds?”
