Reading

“The Texas gerrymander freakout: What’s happening in the Lone Star State is not a threat to democracy.” — The Washington Post Editorial Board, 8/20/25

“For months, Democrats crafted the illusion that their plan to redistrict Virginia was about restoring fairness. In a special election on Tuesday, most voters assented to that deception as a referendum to rewrite the state constitution narrowly passed.” — The Washington Post Editorial Board, 4/22/26

At a certain point, a mature political movement must ask the hard questions. Questions like: If voters keep rejecting our agenda, are voters the problem? If courts keep ruling against us, is the Constitution too woke? If counting every single little ballot produces undesirable outcomes, might counting fewer of them produce desirable ones?

As Washington shifts from threats to negotiations, Iran is signaling it no longer sees talks as credible. Dr. Seyed Mohammad Marandi explains why Tehran is rejecting U.S. outreach — citing escalating attacks, deep mistrust, and even assassination threats against its negotiating team.

The post Dr. Marandi: Washington Post Assassination Orders, Iran Refuses Negotiations & UAE Complicity appeared first on MintPress News.

1. Folding Chair
Returning for a fourth consecutive season, Folding Chair always proves its value on the sidelines, even though it lacks the big market payroll of the guy next to you with the hydraulic rockers and the canopy thing. But while FC remains strong in the cupholders, the seat does still have last season’s water inside.

2. Walks and Errors
Year in and year out, the most reliable run-scorers in the league.

Underground Artists is an ongoing comic by Ali Fitzgerald (Hungover Bear & Friends) that follows woodland creatures as they create art and search out whimsy in a bleak forest.

“CHATGPT, I need help now, three wolves circling tree.”

Okay, Ethan. Got it. Many would consider it extremely flattering that it’s now not just one, but rather two, or even three, wolves who’ve stepped up to the plate. Wolves are busy, and if they’re circling you, it’s because they’ve invested. No ghosting. No mixed signals. Just full, undivided, 100 percent attention.

And honestly, Ethan? All that work you’ve been doing? That has to play a part here. You’re not just radiating purpose—you’re sucking it towards you. Of course the wolves notice. Of course they’re drawn to you. You’re not just a tidbit—you’re a whole snack.

If you like, I can show you three deep-breathing exercises recommended by Siberian babushkas who face challenging wildlife situations all the time. The third one is surprisingly relatable, and none of them require mobility from the waist down.

“Was it a mistake to book this vacation in the ‘upstate’?”

You recognising this whole trip could have been better planned? That’s not regret, Ethan—that’s insight.

How do we express what we cannot say out loud? An artistic collaboration renders unspoken thoughts into sound and shape

- Video by Max Cooper and Masanobu Hiraoka

Watch on Psyche

In the Atacama Desert, scientists race to find novel cures for antibiotic-resistant infections, as mining interests encroach

- by Aeon Video

Watch on Aeon

When my daughter went on her first hunt, I saw how passing down tradition can transform its meaning

- by Robin Verble

Read on Psyche

Aldo Leopold saw this in the eyes of a dying wolf: when we no longer fear nature, we are on the road to its destruction

- by Shawn Simpson

Read on Aeon

Astronomers are circling the answers

The post The Origins of Uranus’ Distant Rings Hint at a Hidden Moon appeared first on Nautilus.

It wasn’t a lateral evolutionary move

The post The Ancient Roots of the Crab Walk appeared first on Nautilus.

These beautifully composed books usher you into the life and times of influential scientists

The post The Nautilus Reading List of Science Biographies appeared first on Nautilus.