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Hi Seq-ers. It’s Maddie, coming to you from a remote island in the middle of the Pacific where I’ve gone in order to flee the news. (Oh wait, I lived there already? Sick!) I wanted to devote this newsletter to something I’ve been feeling acutely these past few weeks. As an avid consumer of news and Extremely Online individual, I’ve been surprised to find that the last thing I want to do is check social media or read the news. It’s presented a problem, since according to my iPhone I spend about two hours a day on social media/news (not to count whatever I do on my computer….agh.) So with all this newfound free time, I’ve found myself scraping the bottom of the barrel for things that will entertain, inform, or distract me. I filed a freelance story that was due in July (*gulp*) and have been doing some creative writing, too. For some people, science journalism is how they escape the news. I think there’s very much a case to be made for this, and I’m sure I’d do it too if keeping up-to-date with science writing weren’t my livelihood. Science journalism can transport us back in time to imagine worlds that came before us, or allow us to understand our own humanity from the most mundane activities. There’s an element of speculation, too, in imagining how new advances can shape our world for the better — and in prepping for future public health calamities, if that’s your sort of thing. Wonder and curiosity have been balms for my feelings of hopelessness, self-doubt, and anxiety. I think it’s also important to acknowledge that apoliticality is a myth. Science is inherently political, and it takes great privilege to be in a position where you can forget or ignore that. One of the great things about being a science journalist, honestly, is getting to see the curtain peeled back to understand how the scientific establishment works to reinforce itself, funding and elevating certain groups while leaving others at the margins. Eagle-eyed readers will notice that every single article I linked to is something that Sequencer has published. I’m not gonna do the whole “news is more important than ever to hold truth to power and deliver a vital service” spiel — but I do think there are more people out there who would love a newsletter like this and a magazine like Sequencer. If you know a person like that in your life, would you mind forwarding them this newsletter? Word-of-mouth is our best bet to reach new people, and it’s a win-win because you get to feel like you did something in a time where a lot of things feel out of your control. Yours, Maddie Plus, we’re all on Bluesky now (I was the last holdout) — find us at @sequencermag.bsky.social @goesbykim.bsky.social @maxlevy.bsky.social @dsamorod.bsky.social @maddiebender.bsky.social What we’re working on: Kim: I published my first piece in Quanta that I took almost a year to work on. This Q&A which, honestly, took a bit more work than writing a standard reported article of the same length. But it was worth it — I’m really proud of how my piece turned out. Two weeks ago I was also avidly avoiding the news, and what a blissful week it was! I went on a backpacking trip with friends to the middle of nowhere — Havasu, the so-called waterfalls of the Grand Canyon. It was a great experience, and I kinda wish I stayed at the cell-signal-free bottom instead of climbing out. I agree with Maddie that science journalism can be a form of escapism, so I’m probably going to write up a piece about my travel experience as a way to prolong the serenity I felt there. Stay tuned! Dan: A few articles that I wrote for the Mayo Clinic earlier this year went live — they feature deeply dramatic headshots of doctors, which I have to imagine was a semi-hilarious experience for them. Try to look tough on cancer. Like you’re going to beat the tumor up. As far as work theseadays, we are kicking the tires on grantwriting and fiscal sponsorship and sort of that thing. If you know any foundations or rich uncles with several hundred thousand dollars to give to me, a certifiable lunatic, get in touch! Max: In more pleasant circumstances: I’m working on being #1 Uncle. “Tonton Max” is visiting his 7-month-old nephew in NYC right now. I’m doing some work while I’m here, including a video script about the saunas. Also, a couple TED-Ed videos that I helped edit were released a few weeks ago: 3 reasons why medications are so expensive in the US and What are those colors you see when you rub your eyes? I’ve been teetering between massively bummed & ambitiously energized by the election (possibly dictated by a mix of tiredness and hunger levels). In the more manic moments, I’m working on a piece about misinformation & pseudoscience that I’m really excited to share. It’s a deeply alarming but fascinating trend that touches so many corners of science. If you’ve got any thoughts feel free to send them my way. Maddie: I probably spent over a month working on this story about the insurance law issue that has been holding up a $4 billion settlement for Maui fire victims. I’m no legal reporter, but the story arose from a “do the journalism you wish to see in the world mentality.” Local journalism is weird like that; I live in a place that is technically a news desert, so there are all sorts of stories outside my “beat” that I feel like I have a moral obligation to report. I hope this helps at least one person understand a complicated issue! What we’re reading: Kim: I first read the simultaneously heartbreaking and healing essay about adopting a dog by Na Mee in Suleika Jauoad’s newsletter. Read more about how the author and her dog, Bear, saved each other — “They say you don’t adopt the dog you want, you adopt the dog you need.” Dan: People who know me know that there’s nothing I love more than a gigantic nonfiction book that absolutely ruins my life and social abilities for a few months. I once got pulled aside going through airport security because the x-ray machine couldn’t penetrate a brick-shaped object in my bag, which was a paperback copy of the 1400-page Rise and Fall of the Third Reich. Other entrants in this genre in which I am the only reader are The Eighth Day of Creation, an unbearably detailed history of 1950s-1980s molecular biology written by a journalist who couldn’t write his way out of a wet paper bag, as well as The Making of the Atomic Bomb, maybe the best nonfiction book ever written and the reason I was an unrestrained, gesticulating madman coming out of a screening of “Oppenheimer.” This is all to say that I have succumbed to true internet brain poisoning and purchased a copy of The Power Broker, by Robert Caro. If you’re not familiar with this book, it’s a 1300 page or so biography of Robert Moses, an urban planner who used every hook and crook of American politics to build the New York City of his vision, despite never once actually holding elected office. In this present day and age it feels very relevant to learn about how the absolute worst among us in the US gain and wield power in direct contravention of what most people actually want. Timely! This is also encouraged by Elliott Kalan, my favorite comedian and denizen of The Flop House podcast, collaborating with 99% Invisible to do a breakdown of The Power Broker. Max: Ahem, here’s my recent essay ICYMI: I’ve been reading a lot of Instagram memes (coping mechanism) and Bluesky skeets (networking???). I also just checked out Elvia Wilk’s Oval. Am I in for a treat? I also caught this nice article from friendofthepod, Celia Ford at Vox: Do I actually need electrolytes to stay hydrated?. That led me to find her explainer about the limits of scientific progress, which addresses all sorts of fascinating questions, such as “How can we help scientists do cooler, more ambitious research?” Maddie: Really enjoyed the concept of “climate dice” to illustrate the statistical nature of global warming, as presented in Michael Greshko’s newsletter. And on the plane to NYC (haha hi, I’m on the East Coast for the next week!) I was incredibly moved by this episode of “Pablo Torre Finds Out” about death-row inmates who use their last words to shout-out their favorite sports teams. For a show that I think of as highlighting Celebrity Family Feud episodes and athlete weed gummies, the care that went into telling this story really impressed me.
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