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“My Great-Great-Aunt Discovered Francium. And It Killed Her.” This piece by Veronique Greenwood, about the false romance of self-sacrificing scientists, is one of the best of the year—a wonderful piece of assured, considered writing that readers will savour and writers should deconstruct.

“Forty years ago, Earth beamed its first postcard to the stars.” Such a great story by Nadia Drake. Don’t miss the ending.

“Inside Yucca Mountain, incomprehensibly long time scales clash w/ human ones.” Beautiful piece on radiation by Sarah Zhang.

How addicts gained the power to reverse overdoses. Great piece by Carrie Arnold on naloxone

James