The inspiring tale of Mars rover Opportunity (Wired)
by Matt Simon
The mission of the Mars rover Opportunity was only supposed to last three months. Instead, the brave little robot surveyed the planet for fifteen years. Why did it live so long, and what finally brought about its demise?
Racism at med school has a long history (The Washington Post)
by Christopher D.E. Willoughby
Blackface in modern medical schools may seem shocking, but in fact it’s perfectly in line with a long history of horrific racist practices by U.S. medical institutions.
The homicidal origins of human society (The New Yorker)
by George Scialabba
We’ve long known that humans “self-domesticated.” A new book argues that the turning point came when we figured out that we could collaborate to murder really terrible men.
Diabetes without insulin (Pens and Needles)
by Tucker Legerski
Before the discovery of insulin, diabetics resorted to extreme measures like starvation diets to try to manage their disease. Today, with the drug’s cost out of reach for many, some people are turning to similar methods.
How crows, and fruit flies, see the world (The Atlantic)
by Ross Andersen
For thousands of years, Jains have believed that every animal, however tiny, possesses consciousness. Western science is moving toward a similar conclusion.
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