The Trouble with “Superintelligence” (Literary Hub)
by Ted Chiang
Long before we dreamed of artificial intelligence surpassing humans, science fiction writers imagined human beings so intelligent that they could master every area of intellectual endeavor. There’s a reason these stories rarely had happy endings.

Making a “Woolly Mouse” (NPR)
by Rob Stein
For years, scientists have been working toward the “de-extinction” of woolly mammoths. There’s a lot of debate about whether this is a good goal, but the project has certainly created some extremely cute weather-resistant mice.

Who Owns Genetic Data? (Undark)
by Peter Andrey Smith
Genetic engineering technology is changing the world and generating massive profits for some players. It depends on sources from Ebola patients to researchers finding exceptional microorganisms in glacial ice—who often go unrewarded for their contributions.

What Do Illiberal Regimes Want? (Noema)
by Alexandre Lefebvre
Classical liberal ideology, in which the state supposedly exists to allow its subjects freedom to pursue a range of values and lifestyles, is deeply entrenched in the US. But the leaders of many other countries see things in a very different way—and view the American claim to value neutrality as patently fake.

Black Lives Matter’s Unexpected Impact (The Conversation)
by Karyn Vilbig
The Black Lives Matter movement shifted Americans’ views of race relations. In the process, it also changed attitudes toward a topic that has long been mired in racist stereotypes: the value of public benefits.

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