Banning Data Centers Would Blow up the U.S. Economy
by Noah Smith
What happens when the machines that run the economy start outbidding humans for electricity?
0:00 / 9:50 · Narrator Charon
Daily edition
2026-08-09
Today's Crosscut
Fear of Bold Design
Whether voters freeze city blocks to stop ugly buildings or buyers choose gray paint to protect resale value, the physical world keeps getting blander because people are terrified of making a mistake.
How Ugliness Helps NIMBYs × The Color Recession May Be Permanent
0:00 / 51:40 · Narrator Sulafat/Charon/Vindemiatrix
Future-gazing →
Behind the news →
When the Deployment Doesn’t End
by Mark Hertling
How do you face a room full of angry military families when a deployment doesn't end?
0:00 / 8:19 · Narrator Algieba
Opinion: Supreme Court Ruling on Roundup Points to a Confusing Difference Between the Law and Science
by Alex Smolak
When a jury decides a chemical causes cancer, does that mean the science is settled?
0:00 / 10:41 · Narrator Gacrux
For the curious →
Louis Pope Gratacap, a Curator in Lost Worlds
When a museum curator invents a lost world, what exactly does he put in it?
0:00 / 22:14 · Narrator Sulafat
Smart escape →
How Do I Direct My Kid to the Stuff They’ll Enjoy and Be Good At?
by Chris Thompson
How do you help a child find a hobby without turning it into a test of talent?
0:00 / 9:41 · Narrator Rasalgethi