D.I.Y. Biology
A once niche subculture, “biohacking” has become a fast growing movement of people looking to optimize themselves. Through a combination of technology, nutritional supplements, and lifestyle choices, biohackers experiment with diet, exercise, sleep, and various other interventions in order to enhance physical and cognitive performance, improve health, and prolong life. While many biohacking practices are …
The Medical Tourism Trend: Patients Seek Healthcare Abroad
Medical tourism, once a niche sector, has burgeoned into a significant global industry, mobilizing over 21 million individuals annually and generating a market worth between $74 and $92 billion as of 2023, according to the latest data compiled by Patients Beyond Borders. This growth is propelled by the pursuit of cost-effective healthcare services combined with …
Space Mining: From Cosmic Prospecting to Galactic Property Rights
In the ongoing saga of space exploration, national flags on the moon are more symbolic than legally significant. Technically, no one owns any part of outer space, but space mining companies are on a mission to change that. The Outer Space Treaty of 1967 established that no nation can claim land in outer space or on celestial bodies like …
Fare Free Public Transit
A growing number of U.S. cities are allowing public transit riders to hop on board for free. Proponents of the zero-fare movement argue that eliminating fares boosts ridership by removing cost burdens — particularly for lower-income passengers, who typically rely most on public transportation. Kansas City, Missouri, was the nation’s first large city to adopt …
Zoned Out: America’s Housing Affordability Problem
Cities across the U.S. are facing housing shortages and affordability problems due to, among other things, archaic zoning regulations.
The Growing Momentum for Basic Income
Amid the rise of AI services like ChatGPT, approximately 25 percent of U.S. jobs are at high risk of automation. With the majority of Americans living paycheck to paycheck, calls for a universal basic income are growing louder than ever. UBI proponents argue that it could be the difference between poverty and making ends meet …
The Long Path to America
Until 2017, migrants fleeing Cuba received special treatment from the U.S. immigration system under a policy known as “wet-foot, dry-foot,” which permitted Cubans to legally remain in the country and pursue an expedited track to official residency if they could reach American soil on their own. Those intercepted at sea, however, were turned back. Nearing …
Teaching the Superheroes of Tomorrow
Nestled behind the storefront of the Brooklyn Superhero Supply Company in Park Slope lies 826NYC, a nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering creativity and literacy among New York City’s youth. Since its founding in 2004, 826NYC has provided free, high-quality after-school tutoring, creative writing workshops, and in-school programs for students ages 6 to 18. By blending …
Celebrating Ball Culture and Community
Though its origins date back to the late 1800s, ball culture as recognized today truly began to take shape amidst the social and artistic movements of the early 20th century Harlem Renaissance. At first, performances mainly featured white men, but by the 1960s, Black and brown queer and trans communities were carving out their own …
Stop Swapping Forests for Solar Farms
More and more solar arrays are cropping up around the world, as countries move to replace oil and gas with sustainable energy sources. While the shift toward carbon-neutral power production has never been more crucial, few seem to recognize the counterproductive impact of building solar farms on previously forested land. Take Rhode Island, for example, …