This is why Kamala Harris really lost
Trump would’ve won by 5 points if everyone had voted? Of all the fascinating tidbits in this conversation between Eric Levitz and influential data scientist David Shor, that’s the point that most caught my attention. But there’s plenty more worth your time — on TikTok swinging voters right, on Trump winning voters under 30, on what the Democratic Party should learn. This is the definitive breakdown of what really happened in the 2024 presidential election that you’ve been waiting for.
🎧 The AI revolution is here. Can we build a Good Robot?
I never realized how much the story of AI was a story of parables — parables understood and misunderstood, interpreted and riinterpreted. A world-ending paper clip optimizer, an octopus — and, on the third episode of Good Robot, a great mini-series from the Unexplainable team, the story of a drowning child. The implications and influence of that parable will change the way you think about the threat and opportunity of AI.
The surprising thing I learned from quitting Spotify
Last summer, Adam Clark Estes quit Spotify. Now he’s back on the platform, and he’s got a lesson for all of us about how to optimize the many algorithms shaping our world.
Think twice before you smear beef tallow and salmon sperm on your face
I can’t do a better job of selling you on this story from Sam Delgado than she does in the opening paragraph: “For a chance at a youthful complexion, you could slap rendered cow fat on your face, rub snail slime into your wrinkles, or get a salmon sperm facial right after a microneedling treatment.” The rest of the article is a fascinating look at the hidden costs of these unusual beauty trends.
It’s spring. Take a breath. Read a book.
I delight every month when Constance Grady’s book recommendations newsletter hits my inbox. For March, she recommends four books “that offer us portraits of women in complicated, visceral detail.” I immediately requested two from the library, so you know I think this month’s choices are worth your time. But my recommendation to you is to sign up for the newsletter so you get help every month finding your next read.
