The climate politics multiverse (Quartz)
by Michael J. Coren
The path our climate future takes will depend on complicated interactions in the physical world—and in the world’s political systems. The new IPCC report lays out some political scenarios that could await us.

Meet the new robot chameleon (Gizmodo)
by Andrew Liszewski
Robots can’t match the ability of chameleons and cuttlefish to change color with a flick of their muscles. But engineers are giving robots camouflage techniques of their own. Should we be worried?

What if churches paid taxes? (The Conversation)
by Ryan Cragun
Religious organizations aren’t just exempt from taxes on their church buildings and tithes from the faithful. They can buy cars, run businesses, and invest in stocks without owing anything to federal, state, or local governments. How much does this policy cost?

Yes, COVID-19 is here to stay (The Atlantic)
by Ed Yong
The rise of the Delta variant has quashed any hopes we might have had that COVID-19 would simply disappear. But that doesn’t mean it will remain a pandemic forever.

Art from an unusual mind (Aeon)
by Michael Stanley
An artist’s neurological condition changed her physical approach to painting, and her view of objects and people around her. The resulting work raises questions about how all of us see the world.

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