Sanaz Meshkinpour
Stories
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Short-term loss for long-term gain? The ethical dilemma at the heart of EVs
As mines meet mineral demands for electric vehicles, they put communities and ecosystems at risk. Sustainability researcher Elsa Dominish says the EV industry cannot repeat fossil fuel's mistakes.
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Satellites can monitor climate emissions... but space junk puts them at risk
To solve the climate crisis, we need reliable satellites to track carbon emissions and changing weather patterns. Astrodynamicist Moriba Jah says space junk is putting these satellites in jeopardy.
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Wind energy can be unpredictable. AI can help
Sims Witherspoon is a researcher using AI to fight climate change. She says AI can help solve the biggest problem with renewables like wind and solar: their unpredictable nature.
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Sex ed is awkward. But it doesn't have to be
Talking about sex can make many of us feel uncomfortable. Sex and relationship counselor Erin Chen shares her secret to normalizing "the talk."
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Stop judging yourself and embrace your cringe
Journalist Melissa Dahl went on a mission, researching the nature of "cringe." She hoped to free herself from awkward moments. Instead, she learned from them.
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Anne Lamott reflects on life, death, and 'learning to endure the beams of love'
Anne Lamott has always been honest about the messiest parts of her life, from addiction to parenthood. Now, in her 20th book, she reflects on the beautiful—and complicated—realities of love.
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What happens when Black women start walking en masse?
Black women are dying from preventable, obesity-related diseases, more than any other group in the U.S. GirlTrek co-founder Vanessa Garrison is asking Black women to take one immediate step: to walk.
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What are animals saying to each other? AI can help us eavesdrop
From a bat's shrill speech to a peacock's mating call, environmental researcher Karen Bakker studied the sounds of nature. She wrote extensively on how AI can help translate these conversations.
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Plants don't have brains — but they sure act smart
Plants "eat" bugs, avoid predators and even count. Neuroscientist Greg Gage shows that even without a nervous system, plant behavior can be remarkably sophisticated.
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How moving back to the South could give Black Americans' vote more power
Black Americans' political interests are often overlooked at both state and federal levels. To give Black voters more power, writer Charles M. Blow has a bold proposal: a mass migration to the South.