Touch, our most complex sense, is a landscape of cellular sensors–Quanta
Every soft caress of wind, searing burn and seismic rumble is detected by our skin’s complex tangle of touch sensors. David Ginty, head of the neurobiology department at Harvard Medical School, has spent his career cataloging the neurons beneath everyday sensations. His work has given him a deeper appreciation of this sense we so often take for granted—how nuanced and multidimensional it is, and how much it can still surprise him.
As AI’s power grows, so does our workday–CEPR
Very counter-intuitive! We would expect technological progress to lighten the burden of work, but as these four economists show, the opposite is happening. They look at the relationship between AI exposure, the length of the workday, time allocation, and worker satisfaction, and conclude that, although AI-driven automation allows workers to complete the same tasks more efficiently, employees in AI-exposed occupations are working longer hours and spending less time on socialization and leisure.
Finland says it can teach tourists to be happy. Challenge accepted–The New York Times
How to be well in an unwell world? To test the World Happiness Report’s conclusion that the Finns are consistently the “happiest” people in the world, the author went to Finland to check whether forest walks, cold plunges and talking to trees contribute to happiness and could be taken home. They do (to some extent) and could, but the key ingredients that makes Finns so happy—the Nordic welfare state, trust in the government, and public policies like free education and universal health—can’t simply be exported.
A prescription for produce can combat anxiety, loneliness, and chronic disease–Stanford Report
Nutrition intervention programs that include produce deliveries and coaching can significantly improve both mental and physical health, according to a new study from Stanford University.
A Striking Stat:
Health/wellness is now the #1 life goal for Americans (36% of respondents), ahead of family/friends (34%), financial success (15%) or career (6%).
Source: Forerunner survey, April 2025
