Walls in our minds (The New Yorker)
by Jessica Wapner
Living near a border wall is associated with higher rates of mental illness. Around the world, walls are both causes and symptoms of fear and division.

The evidence for trigger warnings is lacking (The Atlantic)
by Olga Khazan
Trigger warnings are often blamed for excusing students from engaging with difficult topics. The bigger problem with them is that there’s little evidence they have the helpful effects proponents hope for.

The meaning of Tantra has always been changing (Scroll.in)
by Vikram Zutshi
In America, Tantra has become part of a wellness culture that prizes openness, health, and a straightforward pursuit of pleasure. That’s a long way from its origins as an esoteric, sometimes subversive, spiritual practice.

Cyclone Idai is just the beginning (The Conversation)
by Ryan P. Mulligan
Cyclone Idai may be the worst weather-related disaster ever to hit the southern hemisphere. Warmer sea-surface temperatures make storms like this more common, but the complexity of weather systems means it’s hard to know how much worse they’ll get, and how quickly.

Fighting harassment with violence (The Washington Post)
by Fern Riddell
One hundred years ago, a young singer and dancer named Kitty Marion survived sexual assault and harassment. She fought back, eventually joining other English suffragists in a nationwide bombing and arson campaign.

Got a hot tip about a well-researched story that belongs on this list? Email us here.