The hot dog eating contest, scientifically analyzed (CNN)
by AJ Willingham
For decades, the world record for hot dog eating was ten or fifteen in a ten-minute period. Then it jumped dramatically. But a new study finds that we may be hitting the theoretical limit for cramming processed meat into our bodies.

How can we mourn now? (Maclean’s)
by Christina Frangou
Grief can be more damaging when it’s not possible to say goodbye to a loved one, or hug their other friends and family members. The complicated deaths of this pandemic could spark an ongoing mental health crisis.

What can courts do for Native nations? (NBC News)
by Nick Estes
Native people have secured several legal victories in recent years, including the remarkable Supreme Court decision that much of Oklahoma remains reservation land. But legal changes only matter when they go hand-in-hand with continued grassroots pressure.

Seeking the basic unit of biology (Quanta Magazine)
by Jordana Cepelewicz
Biology often focuses on the behavior and relationships of individual organisms. But what is an individual? A virus embedded in an animal cell? A human body containing as many bacterial cells as human ones? An ant, or an ant colony? New lines of thinking in biology could change the way we think about life.

Gender roles in a time of plague (The Lily)
by Caroline Kitchener
A new study confirmed what we all suspected: Mothers are reducing their paid working hours much more than fathers due to the disruptions COVID-19 has caused. The long-term consequences could be dramatic.

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