A long list of good reads
Editor’s Note: As we enter a long weekend, here’s a longer list of the best reads to keep you company.
- Wall Street Journal (splainer gift link) looks at why people who spend their time alone are not usually the loneliest.
- Also in the Wall Street Journal: Anne Curzan argues that we should question how dictionaries decide what is a ‘legitimate’ word.
- Bloomberg News has an excellent interview with former RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan who warns against the dangers of hyping economic growth in India—as there are still major structural issues that need to be fixed.
- Popular Mechanics explores the fascinating (and slightly bonkers) fringe theory of panpsychism—which states that everything in existence possesses some form of conscience. Even the sun!
- The Guardian has a disturbing report on how the climate crisis causes tangible and visceral changes to our brains.
- Louise Matsakis in The Atlantic looks at the unintended effect of artificial intelligence—people may not want to learn a foreign language.
- TIME Magazine analyses the psychology behind why we suddenly get the “ick” about a love interest.
- Hemant Gairola in Article 14 has an incredible report on how the SBI illegally took money from their customers’ bank for government schemes.
- Gideon Rachman in Financial Times (splainer gift link) offers a scathing take on the ‘mysterious’ ways of the global conscience—which cares more about Ukraine and Gaza than Sudan.
- New York Magazine has an explosive report on neuroscientist and celebrated podcaster Andrew Huberman—and his disturbing behaviour with former girlfriends including manipulative behaviour, infidelity and anger issues.
- This one’s slightly nerdy: Gwern.net offers a helpful guide on how to improve your research skills on Google.
- Vinay Aravind in Outlook traces the evolution of wedding photography in India and why it is witnessing a full circle moment.
- BBC News profiles the Indian girl band W.i.S.H who aim to put Indian pop or I-pop on the map.
- New York Times (splainer gift link) has an alarming ground report on how women employed in the sugar industry in India are forced to have hysterectomies.
- Sonja Sharp in Los Angeles Times looks at how ‘Generation Alpha’ has emerged as TikTok’s newest supervillain.
