Back when I wrote about how to take an image of a black hole in Issue #102 and Issue #103, I described how astronomers used a trick to create a virtual telescope the size of the earth.

One thing that’s always in the way of taking pictures of stars from earth is the atmosphere. But now a new technique could change it from an obstacle to a boon: Earth Could Be a Lens for a Revolutionary Space Telescope

The Opposite of the Promise

The industrial revolution was supposed to bring a new age of leisure and free time to workers. But the opposite has happened: we work more and enjoy less leisure time than ever: Workism Is Making Americans Miserable

The Importance of Privacy

Sometimes, it’s hard to explain why you should care about privacy. After all, you have nothing to hide, right? So who cares if everything we do is recorded? Because we act differently when we know we’re being watched.

Busy Friends

Many modern workers enjoy more flexibility in their jobs than ever. You decide when and where you want to work from. But there’s a social downside to this flexibility: If everyone gets off at different times and days, it’s harder to meet up at the same time: Why You Never See Your Friends Anymore

Game Theory

We like historical heroes. We prefer to attribute success or blame on a single person, since we don’t have to consider the situation and the participants involved, both of which are usually complicated. But beware when you’re working for someone who revers them, for these people have the wrong idea about the history they’re about to write: Have you heard of the catastrophic men theory of history? Step forward Boris Johnson…

Big Pollution

It probably won’t surprise you that oil, gas, and coal companies have known about the dangers of carbon emissions and climate change for quite some time. But what may surprise you just how long they’ve known — and for much of the emissions they’re responsible for: The 20 firms behind a third of all carbon emissions

Seeing the Invisible

Radioactivity is an invisible spectre. It doesn’t smell, is invisible, and doesn’t hurt you¹. But thanks to a technique called a cloud chamber, you can actually see the radioactivity given off by a piece of Uranium: Seeing Radiation (YouTube)

📖 Weekly Longreads 📚

Sexual harassment. Hate speech. Employee walkouts. A Silicon Valley giant trapped in a war against itself. And there’s no end in sight: Three Years of Misery Inside Google, the Happiest Company in Tech

🦄 Unicorn Chaser 🦄

The Winners of the 2019 Wildlife Photographer of the Year