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I’m Quinn Emmett, and this is science for people who give a shit.
Every week, I help 15,000+ humans understand and unfuck the rapidly changing world around us. It feels great, and we’d love for you to join us.
Welcome back, Shit Givers.
Programming note: The regular newsletter will be off the next two weeks for family time, but if I have time before then (haha), I’ll send you something fun.
This week: How to be excited about the future, explained.
Plus, the news:
🌊 The tipping point for the Atlantic Ocean
👶 An RSV shot for babies
🥕 Examining the “N” in SNAP
🤖 Profiting from AI tools
And more!
Did you know we record an audio version of all of our essays? Subscribe to our podcast feed and listen to this essay now 👇
Last week’s most popular Action Step was buying, selling and eating fresh local produce with GrownBy.
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Join a Ride Spot Challenge by committing to replace car trips with bike rides. Biking is an easy way to lower your emissions and be part of the climate solution, even if you just start at one trip a week.
Get educated about parking reform, which has the potential to impact climate change, equity, and housing.
Be heard about climate change by helping Climate Cabinet elect candidates that give a shit about drafting legislation to combat the climate crisis.
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Together With The Goodnewsletter
Ever feel weighed down by everything that’s going on in the world? Me too.
I don’t know about you, but it’s hard to find a balance between staying informed and taking care of myself.
When I found the Goodnewsletter, I realized that consuming news doesn’t have to be draining; in fact, it can be hopeful! Which is — honestly — what we all need a little more of.
Want an ad-free experience? Become a Member.
SHINY THINGS
We can love them and know they’re not enough.
I love shiny things. LOVE.
For example, precision medicine is awesome. Or — it will be awesome. Soon. At some point. For some of us?
Wait! Don’t go.
Again I want to be crystal clear: I’m INCREDIBLY excited about the technologies and treatments that will reinvent and redefine medicine, food, power, and more.
Truly. I soak this stuff up. Oh, we can do surgery on fetuses in the womb now? We can probably cure blindness soon? We can make drugs in space? Fuck yeah, sign me up. Plug it into my veins.
There’s a reason so many movies hinge on finding the antidote to some terrible, timely poison. An antidote worth its weight in gold because everybody needs it.
But what if — hear me out — we stopped poisoning everyone in the first place?