Commentary

Digital disruption and the climate crisis are often framed as economic or social challenges. But they force crucial moral questions. Who will be held accountable for the human cost? What will it take to transform business culture so that those costs are not treated as inevitable and acceptable? The answers will shape not only technology’s impact on humanity and the planet but the moral foundations of democracy itself.

Political leaders in the United States, Israel, and Iran are increasingly employing religious rhetoric to justify ongoing military actions. From biblical metaphors used by American and Israeli officials to messianic narratives within the Iranian leadership, faith serves as a tool for authoritarian nationalism, but the instrumentalization of scripture sets a dangerous precedent for international relations, complicating efforts toward peace and violating historical secular norms during war.

NASA redesigned the Artemis program to prioritize building a permanent human presence on the lunar surface through strategic infrastructure investments. The agency added intermediate missions in low Earth orbit to test docking systems and life-support technologies. The shift ensures the development of reliable operations for repeated lunar missions. Consistent activity on the Moon will eventually shape international space law expectations.

In his powerful book “The Burnout Society,” South Korean philosopher Byung-Chul Han argues that in modern society, individuals have an imperative to achieve. Han calls this an “achievement society” in which we must become “entrepreneurs” – branding and selling ourselves; there is no time off the clock. But there’s a connection between unhealthy forms of leisure and burnout. Philosophy can help us navigate some of the pitfalls of leisure in an achievement society. The celebrated Greek philosopher Aristotle in particular can offer important insights.

It is a tumultuous time in the politics of gender. On the one hand, transgender and queer social movements have sought to expand people’s ability to break out of the gender binary of man or woman. On the other, the Trump administration has aggressively worked to reassert the gender binary by law.

Starting in 2026, companies selling coffee on the European Union market will have to prove that their product is “deforestation-free.” That means every bag of beans, every jar of ground coffee and every espresso capsule must trace back to coffee plants on land that hasn’t been cleared of forest since Dec. 31, 2020. The rule change could transform how coffee is grown, traded and sold.

The Trump administration revoked protections on more than 13 million acres of a 23-million-acre Alaskan reserve in November 2025, including some of its most ecologically sensitive areas. Congress also voted to rescind protections in the reserve and open the door to oil and gas drilling. The moves followed the administration’s decision in October to also open the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil and gas drilling.

In the vast majority of cases, polygamy takes the form of one husband and multiple wives – more precisely referred to as polygyny. Leading political scientist Rose McDermott described polygyny as evil. Other researchers, such as anthropologist Joseph Henrich, even go as far as to credit Christianity’s derision of polygyny as a driving force of Western prosperity. A trio of new studies, all relying on the highest standards of data analysis, contend that these arguments are misguided.

AI agents can generate varied, credible content at a large scale. The swarms can send people messages tailored to their individual preferences and to the context of their online conversations. The swarms can tailor tone, style and content to respond dynamically to human interaction and platform signals such as numbers of likes or views. An AI-controlled bot swarm could create the false impression of widespread, bipartisan opposition to a political candidate.

Two-thirds of Americans are very worried about their ability to pay for healthcare – whether it’s their medications, a doctor’s visit, health insurance or an unpredictably costly medical emergency.

In 2016, The Guardian’s Brian Moylan asserted that the “The West Wing” was appealing because it portrayed “a world where the political system works.” Audiences have been comfort-streaming the “The West Wing” since Trump’s first term. Interest in the series spiked after Trump’s election in 2016, and it served as an escape from the contentious 2020 campaign.

When it comes to national politics, Americans are fiercely divided across a range of issues, including gun control, election security and vaccines. It’s not new for Republicans and Democrats to be at odds over issues, but things have reached a point where even the idea of compromising appears to be anathema, making it more difficult to solve thorny problems. But things are much less heated at the local level. A survey of more than 1,400 local officials by the Carnegie Corporation and CivicPulse found that local governments are “largely insulated from the harshest effects of polarization.”

Donald Trump entered the Iran war with historically low public support. Americans traditionally favor restraint over forced regime change, but the administration failed to prepare the public or the cabinet for significant economic sacrifices as oil price hikes are fueling domestic resentment and influential conservative voices and young male supporters feel betrayed.

The Trump administration’s assault on Iran features inconsistent justifications, ranging from nuclear destruction to divine plans. Although the executive branch often sidesteps traditional declarations of war, Congress retains significant constitutional checks. By utilizing the War Powers Resolution, public oversight hearings, and the power of the purse, lawmakers can challenge presidential authority. Mounting fiscal deficits and declining public support may eventually force congressional action.

The joint U.S.-Israeli assault on Iran provides significant indirect support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Rising global oil prices, triggered by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, bolster Russian federal revenues. Additionally, the diversion of American munitions and diplomatic attention leaves Ukraine vulnerable. However, Ukraine’s superior drone warfare capabilities offer a unique bargaining chip for maintaining critical U.S. support during this period.

While the U.S. Constitution grants Congress the exclusive power to declare war, modern presidents have increasingly used Article 2 to bypass legislative approval. Historical precedents like the 1973 War Powers Resolution show a once-defiant Congress, but contemporary lawmakers appear less willing to challenge executive authority. As conflicts in Iran and Venezuela escalate, the legislative branch faces a critical choice: reassert its authority or remain compliant.

At the 2026 Detroit Auto Show, the spotlight quietly shifted. Electric vehicles, once framed as the inevitable future of the industry, were no longer the centerpiece. Instead, automakers emphasized hybrids, updated gasoline models and incremental efficiency improvements. The message from Detroit was unmistakable: The United States is pulling back from a transition that much of the world is accelerating.

While global attention remains on Gaza, Israel has rapidly accelerated its creeping annexation of the West Bank through legislative bills, security measures, and settlement expansion. Despite President Donald Trump’s stated opposition to annexation, the Israeli government continues establishing irreversible facts on the ground. To preserve any possibility of a future independent Palestinian state and to maintain regional stability, the United States must intervene decisively now.

The new Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs) for 2025-2030 have caused significant controversy, with polarised opinions between their supporters and detractors. They are disruptive, to say the least, both in how they are presented and the recommendations they make. Little has been said about the fact that, for the first time since 1980, after nine editions in 45 years, the standard scientific procedure for preparing them has been completely bypassed.

High-speed rail systems are found all over the globe. Japan’s bullet train began operating in 1964. China will have 31,000 miles (50,000 kilometers) of high-speed track by the end of 2025. The fastest train in Europe goes almost 200 mph (320 kph). Yet high-speed rail remains absent from most of the U.S.

Each year on the holiday that bears his name, Martin Luther King Jr. is remembered for his immense contributions to the struggle for racial equality. What is less often remembered but equally important is that King saw the fight for racial equality as deeply intertwined with economic justice. To address inequality – and out of growing concern for how automation might displace workers – King became an early advocate for universal basic income. Under universal basic income, the government provides direct cash payments to all citizens to help them afford life’s expenses.

Highly educated, accomplished professionals worry whether there will be a place for them in an economy where generative AI can quickly – and relativity cheaply – complete a growing list of tasks that an extremely large number of people currently get paid to do.