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Today’s essential reads

Can Changing Spark Plugs Improve Fuel Economy?

Spark plugs play a pivotal role in your vehicle’s performance, but can changing them improve fuel economy? Here’s everything you need to know.

The People Who Are ‘Allergic’ to Other Humans

Some people are allergic to others – but the mystery of how this works is only just starting to be unravelled.

For Dan Colen, Farming Is the New Punk Rock

Derek C. Blasberg talks to the artist about the winding road to creating Sky High Farm, the nonprofit he founded to battle food insecurity, which is staging its first art biennial this summer

WhatsApp’s Rollout of Ads Will Change the App Forever

Some users want to switch to Signal instead.

Norway Is All in on Electric Cars. What Can the U.S. Learn?

Norway’s crusade to eliminate gasoline powered cars was years in the making. Can that achievement be replicated?

Fascinating stories

Via the False Claims Act, NIH Puts Universities on Edge

A funding pause at the University of Michigan illustrates the uncertainty around new language in NIH grant awards.

4 Genius Ways to Use Banana Peels for Healthier, More Abundant Roses

Don’t toss your banana peels—use them to boost your rose garden. Discover these expert-approved ways to use banana peels in your garden to promote healthier, fuller blooms.

Why Budget Travel Abroad Is Ideal for Families This Summer

The Best Writing Advice I’ve Ever Read Comes From Robert Frost

It has been a useful framework for me as a writer, but even more so as a reader.

3 Push-up Modifications to Try If You Can’t yet Get a Full One

These expert-approved moves will help you build the strength you need.

This Is How You Stop Data Trackers From Sucking up Your Health Data

The Markup and CalMatters found multiple ways consumers can block the trackers quietly sending your data to tech companies, including those used on state-run health exchange websites.

You’re Probably Drinking Enough Water

If you’re a healthy person worried about hydration, odds are, you’re getting plenty. But no one can say exactly what the right amount is.

When Reading Can – and Can’t – Help With Mental Health

"Bibliotherapy" has been soaring in popularity as a means of improving people's wellbeing. But getting it right depends on the book, and the person.

See What’s in the Supreme Court Justices’ Annual Financial Disclosure Reports

The annual disclosures have received heightened attention since ProPublica revealed in 2023 that Justice Clarence Thomas accepted luxury trips from a GOP megadonor.

If You’ve Applied to 1,000+ Jobs With No Results, This Is Your Next Move

In a job market that can feel impossible, cybersecurity is a still-hiring field where skills, drive, and curiosity > formal degrees.

If You Master This Listening Technique, You’ll Hear What People Don’t Say Out Loud

Learning to “hear offers” like an improviser can turn obstacles into opportunities.

Instagram Users Complain of Mass Bans, Pointing Finger at AI

Instagram users report that their accounts were banned even though they had not violated the company’s terms of service or other policies.

4,000 Employees Took “Fork in the Road” at Justice Dept., With More Cuts to Come

Former officials and law enforcement analysts said the cutbacks are draining DOJ of experienced agents and leaders.

Visionary Ways of Caring: Five Books That Capture the Expansiveness of Queer Love

When I began to compile this list of queer love stories, I couldn’t help but think of the potential for “love” to expand laterally, for desire to take shape in ways that are imaginative…

The Customers Who Repeatedly Buy Doomed Products

‘Harbinger customers’ are really good at picking out things that fail — and in the product marketing business, they can be a kiss of death.