Is America Ready for a Global Pandemic?

The epidemics of the early 21st century revealed a world unprepared, even as the risks continue to multiply. Much worse is coming.

Has the quest for top-down unification of physics stalled?

After the success of the Standard Model, experiments have stopped answering to grand theories. Is particle physics in crisis?

Brains May Teeter Near Their Tipping Point

In a renewed attempt at a grand unified theory of brain function, physicists now argue that brains optimize performance by staying near — though not exactly at — the critical point between two phases.

Freeman Dyson: “I kept quiet for 30 years, maybe it’s time to speak.”

One of the greatest scientists of the 20th century, Freeman Dyson, is as much known for his significant contribution to science as he is for courting controversy throughout his life. Over six decades, he built a body of work that sits alongside some of the most renowned physicists, mathematicians, and intellectuals of our time.

Explainer: How scientists estimate climate sensitivity

The sensitivity of the Earth’s climate to increases in atmospheric CO2 concentration is a question that sits at the heart of climate science.

Joe and the Whale (via Nature Briefing)

Joe Howlett gave his life to save an animal that may already be past the point of no return. After ten centuries of annihilation, is there any way to undo the damage done?

Iran’s ancient engineering marvel

Dating back around 3,000 years, the qanat is an ingenious and sustainable solution to Iran’s dearth of easily accessible water.

The bizarre story of Australia’s floating hotel and its 14,000km round journey to North Korea

Australia was once home to the world’s first floating hotel, and over the past 30 years it’s been on a wild ride, from Singapore to the Great Barrier Reef — and eventually to North Korea.

The Boys From the Banlieues

The vast sprawl of suburbs and satellite towns around Paris, disdained by some as a breeding ground for crime and terrorism, is home to the greatest pool of soccer talent in Europe.

What Makes a Baseball Team Great?

Inside the wide-ranging search—led by economists and psychologists—for the elixir that turns good squads into great ones

Note: “10 stories to read this weekend” is a weekly feature of this blog. New issues are published every Friday at 22:00 IST / 16:30 GMT