|
Listen To This Story
 |
PICKS are stories from many sources, selected by our editors or recommended by our readers because they are important, surprising, troubling, enlightening, inspiring, or amusing. They appear on our site and in our daily newsletter. Please send suggested articles, videos, podcasts, etc. to picks@whowhatwhy.org.
Webb Telescope Captures the Most Beautiful Object in the Night Sky (Maria)
The author writes, “It’s one of the most incredible naked-eye sites in the night sky — and it’s now been imaged by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). The Orion Nebula — also known as M42 — is a stellar nursery, home to newborn stars. It’s the closest such region to us in space and maybe, just maybe, where our own star, the Sun, formed about 4.5 billion years ago.”
‘Burn and Rave at Close of Day’: The New MAGA Military and Steve Bannon’s Hundred-Year Reich (Reader Steve)
From The Washington Spectator: “The contest for control of the Senate, the House of Representatives, and key gubernatorial seats in the November midterm elections may rest to a large degree on the dozens of far-right military veterans contesting seats in swing states. Drawn largely from the elite combat units of the armed forces, they are backed by Donald Trump, a new cluster of military-oriented political action committees (PACs), and leading members of the secretive Council for National Policy. If elected, they would pose an alarming threat to American democracy and the constitutional order in 2024 and beyond.”
Prominent Republicans Join Coalition to Support Whitmer for Reelection (Dana)
From the Detroit Metro Times: “More than 150 Michigan Republicans banded together to launch a group supporting Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s reelection bid, her campaign announced Monday. The group includes business leaders, former state lawmakers, an ex-congressman, and top staff from the Republican administrations of Gov. John Engler and Rick Snyder. Jeff Timmer, the former head of the Michigan Republican Party, also signed on. … The formation of the group comes as the Michigan Republican Party struggles to unify ahead of the November election. With far-right candidates for governor, secretary of state, and attorney general, the party has alienated moderate Republicans as it continues to echo former President Donald Trump’s election lies and push an anti-abortion agenda.”
Woman in Agony From Nonviable Pregnancy Forced to Wait Five Days for Abortion in Texas (Mili)
The author writes, “Anti-abortion laws in Texas, and the healthcare crisis that followed them, forced a pregnant woman in the state to wait five days to receive abortion care for a nonviable pregnancy facing a severe medical emergency. By the 15th week of Kristina Cruickshank’s pregnancy, a large, fluid-filled sac had surrounded the fetus, and blood-filled cysts covered her ovaries while fluid filled her abdomen, according to the Houston Chronicle, citing medical records shared with the newspaper.”
There Can Be No Compromise Between Russian Genocide and Ukrainian Freedom (Sean)
From the Atlantic Council: “Ever since Vladimir Putin’s troops first crossed the Ukrainian border on February 24, there has been no shortage of Western commentators seeking to explain why Ukraine really has no choice but to offer Russia land in exchange for peace. Despite a series of Ukrainian military successes and mounting evidence that the Russian invasion has run out of steam, calls for a compromise peace continue. The self-styled foreign policy realists behind these calls tend to overlook the fact that the land they are so eager to give away is actually home to millions of Ukrainians who would face a desperately bleak future under prolonged Russian occupation. Such arguments reflect a fundamental failure to grasp the unrepentant imperialism at the heart of modern Russian identity and the genocidal objectives underpinning the invasion of Ukraine.”
As Colorado River Dries, the US Teeters on the Brink of Larger Water Crisis (Sean)
The author writes, “The megadrought gripping the western states is only part of the problem. Alternative sources of water are also imperiled, and the nation’s food along with it.”
Humpback Whales Almost 9,000 Miles Apart Have Been Caught Singing the Same Song (Mili)
The author writes, “Humpback whales throughout the entire South Pacific Ocean are connected to each other via shared song, according to new research. From the east coast of Australia to French Polynesia to breeding grounds off Ecuador — a total distance of more than 14,000 kilometers (8,700 miles) — researchers have heard humpbacks (Megaptera novaeangliae) trading the same viral hits.”
