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A Conductor of Evolution’s Subtle Symphony

Stephanie Bucklin Quanta Magazine
At first, the biologist Richard Lenski thought his long-term experiment on evolution might last for 2,000 generations. Nearly three decades and over 65,000 generations later, he’s still amazed by evolution’s “awesome inventiveness.”

Fidel Castro and the Question Of Power

Van Gosse Portside
Fidel Castro's life, and the example of the Cuban Revolution, demonstrates the enduring relevance of state power. It is fundamentally irresponsible for anyone on the left to think one can avoid the question of power, and let someone else face its contradictions and deformations. Somebody will exercise it, for good or ill. Fidel Castro embraced this question, choosing to wield power in as many ways possible for what he deemed social goods, even on the global scale.

The System IS Rigged!—The Electoral College and the 2016 Election

Bob Wing, Bill Fletcher Jr. Common Dreams
The pro-Republican bias of the Electoral College derives from two main dynamics: it overweights the impact of mostly conservative voters in small population states and it negates entirely the mostly progressive votes of nearly half of African American voters, more than half of Native American voters and a major swath of Latino voters.

Can Supergirl Survive Trump?

Heather Davidson Polygon
What had been cautiously optimistic when the episode had premiered just a few weeks before was now upsettingly fantastical. In the wake of Donald Trump’s win, a pro-immigration woman of color being elected president seemed less realistic than the alien trying to kill her.

The Workers Versus Trump

Dave Kamper Jacobin
From local to local, the labor movement needs to transform into an effective machine for fighting the Right.

Dear Mr. President: Please Stop With These Science "Moonshots"

Jonathan M. Gitlin Ars Technica
Science doesn't need another moonshot, and it really doesn't need another vaguely thought-out initiative dropped on it during a State of the Union address. What it needs is much more important—and probably much more difficult politically, because those needs are much less flashy. What science needs is stable, sustainable budget growth. Take the NIH budget and promise to grow it at a percent or two above inflation for a number of years. The number 10 would be good.

Bernie Sanders Releases Outline of Universal Health Care Plan—And It's Pretty Good

By Kevin Drum Mother Jones
Bernie’s plan will cover the entire continuum of health care, from inpatient to outpatient care; preventive to emergency care; primary care to specialty care, including long-term and palliative care; vision, hearing and oral health care; mental health and substance abuse services; as well as prescription medications, medical equipment, supplies, diagnostics and treatments. As a patient, all you need to do is go to the doctor and show your insurance card-you'll save $$$$$