Writer Jen Doll makes a case that reading scary books is better than watching horror movies.
Author Archives: Chandler Gifford
Undocumented journalist describes immigrant experience, American dream
The work of award-winning journalist Jose Antonio Vargas explores the immigrant experience and the road to American citizenship.
The Question We Must Keep Asking
What does it mean to be human? In this opinion piece, artist Ai Weiwei stresses the importance of asking ourselves this question. He believes it is crucial for people to examine and re-examine who they are in a rapidly changing world.
Finding connections to nature in cities is key to healthy urban living
How does living in a big city, where there are relatively few opportunities to interact with the natural world, affect a person’s health? What’s it like to grow up in a place where city lights obscure the stars? This article explains why it’s important for urban dwellers to connect with nature.
Climate Change Is A Public Health Emergency, Doctor Says. Here’s How To Respond
You may not think of climate change as an issue of public health. However, the doctors featured in this article view it as part of their responsibility to help to address the threats to human life and health posed by climate change, such as the devastation caused by increasingly severe wildfires.
How did 16 photographs change the way we see the world?
Photography has helped us to see things we couldn’t see with our eyes. It has captured important moments in time. It has even helped to some of the mysteries of the universe. Click through the features at this link to see some of the most significant photos of all time.
A Dictatorship Is Rising in My Country, Again
The author of this opinion piece, whose family fled Nicaragua when she was a child to escape a tyrannical regime, believes her home country has once again fallen into the hands of a dictator.
After 39 Years of Wrongful Imprisonment, Ricky Jackson Is Finally Free
Ricky Jackson spent nearly four decades in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. While he was incarcerated, he wrote letters to journalists about his case. Learn how the charges against Jackson were finally dismissed.
Shirley Jackson: the US queen of gothic horror claims her literary crown
Shirley Jackson, author of “The Lottery,” was largely overlooked by critics during her lifetime because she was viewed only as a horror writer. According to this article, she is finally being recognized as an important figure in American literature.
Our laws make slaves of nature. It’s not just humans who need rights
Read this article to learn about efforts to grant legal rights to the natural world, such as the work some in Nepal are doing to recognize the rights of the Himalaya mountains to freedom from the threat of climate change.
11 dramatic ways the world has changed in the last 20 years alone
According to this article, the widespread use of smartphones and social media are two of the most significant developments of the past two decades. What are some of the other major ways the world has changed in the last 20 years?
The eyes have it: Seven tips for maintaining vision
Click this link for some tips for keeping your eyes healthy, including protecting them from the sun’s UV rays.
More than 12 years after Hurricane Katrina, scientists are learning what makes some survivors more resilient than others
Why have some survivors of the devastation of Hurricane Katrina been able to recover effectively, while others have had a harder time getting back on their feet? Click this link to learn more about research on this topic.
AI is sending people to jail—and getting it wrong
Can the legal system rely on artificial intelligence to make fair recommendations for sentencing criminals? Or do these technologies perpetuate historical biases against low-income and minority communities? Read to learn more.
Ursula K. Le Guin Was a Creator of Worlds
This article remembers the life and literary accomplishments of science fiction writer Ursula K. Le Guin, author of “The Wife’s Story,” who learned from her father the importance of being curious about others who are different from ourselves.
The Best Technology for Fighting Climate Change Isn’t a Technology
The author of this article urges world leaders to consider how we can better use forests as natural carbon-capture systems to help fight climate change.
5 Tips to Help You Respond Effectively to Change
Click this link for some helpful tips about responding to change in your life, including a reminder that when things are shifting around you, it’s important to stay focused on who you are.
Gabriel García Márquez remembers his dearest friend, Julio Cortázar
Great thinkers can change how we see the world. In 1994, Nobel Prize winner Gabriel García Márquez wrote a tribute to Julio Cortázar, author of “The Night Face Up.” The piece begins with the story of a memorable night on a train to Prague. Click this link to read.
Eight Current Dictators as of 2018
This article suggests that today’s “dictator-led” countries, such as North Korea, are recognizable by their severe poverty and rampant human rights abuses.
Martin Luther King was no prophet of unity. He was a radical
This opinion piece points out that people tend to remember Martin Luther King Jr. fondly as a civil rights leader while overlooking the fact that his views and actions were radical.