Our Climate Just Hit a New, Terrible Tipping Point: Here’s What We’re Reading Today
The Daily 5 is Sharp’s essential reading list for what’s happening in the world today. Make sure to follow us on Twitter or subscribe to the Sharp Insider newsletter to stay up to date.
Here’s what we’re reading:
1. Earth’s relentless warming
“The number of climate records broken in the last few years is stunning. But here’s a new measure of misery: Not only did we just experience the hottest April in 137 years of record keeping, but it was the 12th consecutive month to set a new record.”
2. Life after Boko Haram
After escaping from months of captivity at the hands of Boko Haram, Zara and her little brother thought they were finally safe. Only no one at their government camp would trust them.
“They beat her 10-year-old brother, convinced that anyone who has spent time among the militants, even a young kidnapping victim, could have become a sympathizer, possibly even a suicide bomber.
3. Sleep as a sign of success
“‘Let them get sleep!’ Similar to the way Marie Antoinette’s infamous — and not entirely accurate — phrase about a certain dessert has come to represent classist ignorance, the West’s newfound fascination with sleep is the latest example of extreme cognitive dissonance.”
4. Sex is kind of a weird way to make a baby, isn’t it?
“Is it time to give up sex? Oh, it has plenty to recommend it; but as a way of making babies it leaves an awful lot to chance. I mean, you might have some pretty good genes, but – let’s face it – some of them aren’t so great. Male pattern baldness, phenylketonuria, enhanced risk of breast cancer: I’m not sure you really want those genetic conditions passed on in the haphazard shuffling of chromosomes after sperm meets egg.”
5. This is Guantanamo Bay’s in-house magazine
“The recurring narrative is that no one outside of Gitmo knows just how great Gitmo is. Ignore the horror stories by a biased American and international media. Focus on the volleyball games.”
