Peru’s ancient irrigation systems turned deserts into farms because of the culture − without it, the systems failed

| Insights & Views

Seeing the north coast of Peru for the first time, you would be hard-pressed to believe its one of the driest deserts in the world. Parts of the region receive less than an inch of rain in an entire year. Yet, water and...

The ‘courage to be’ in uncertain times − how one 20th-century philosopher defined bravery

| Insights & Views

Over the past few weeks, as negotiations for a ceasefire in Ukraine drag on, Ive thought back to Feb. 28, 2025: the day of Volodymyr Zelenskyys heated visit to the Oval Office. Zelenskyy has called the tone of the meeting...

How racism fueled the Eaton Fire’s destruction in Altadena − a scholar explains why discrimination can raise fire risk for Black Californians

| Insights & Views

The damage from the Eaton Fire wasnt indiscriminate. The blaze that ravaged the city of Altadena, California, in January 2025, killing 17 people and consuming over 9,000 buildings, destroyed Black Altadenans homes in...

Providing farmworkers with health insurance is worth it for their employers − new research

| Insights & Views

Agricultural employers who provide farmworkers with health insurance earn higher profits, even after accounting for the cost of that coverage. In addition, farmworkers who get health insurance through their employers are...

Cities that want to attract business might want to focus less on financial incentives and more on making people feel safe

| Insights & Views

To attract business investment, American cities and states offer companies billions of dollars in incentives, such as tax credits. As the theory goes, when governments create a business-friendly environment, it encourages...

The founder kings of Silicon Valley: Dual-class stock gives US social media company controllers nearly as much power as ByteDance has over TikTok

| Insights & Views

When Congress passed a law in 2024 to ban TikTok unless it came under U.S. ownership, lawmakers argued that the apps Chinese parent company posed national security concerns. The Trump administration, which had granted the...

Social media before bedtime wreaks havoc on our sleep − a sleep researcher explains why screens alone aren’t the main culprit

| Insights & Views

Avoid screens before bed is one of the most common pieces of sleep advice. But what if the real problem isnt screen time its the way we use social media at night? Sleep deprivation is one of the most widespread yet...