A new, highly mutated Covid variant differs from the latest omicron subvariant by more than 30 amino acid changes—a similar scale to what originally led to omicron. / CNN

"It's really difficult to torque up a planet...but relatively simple to change the moment of inertia and get it to speed up a little." Mars is spinning faster. / The New York Times

Among US adults, regularly saying hello to six neighbors is associated with a greater sense of wellbeing. Anything beyond six, though, and the benefits diminish. / Gallup

Researchers find a correlation between diminished Black voter turnout in the South and when Confederate monuments were installed. / Hoptown Chronicle

See also: We cannot out-organize voter suppression. / Democracy Docket

Spotify is paying $18,000 a month in ad revenue to some individuals uploading podcasts of white noise—which are frequently recommended by the platform's algorithm. / The Verge

An appreciation of a $13 booklet, first published in 1986, that introduced a writer to the world of lesser-known national parks. / Slate

"For the moment, we have control over the monsters without—and the monsters within." Why horror makes us feel safe. / CrimeReads

You may not have noticed, but car wheels in the US keep getting bigger—an argument for why small wheels are better. / Ars Technica

Switching back to magnetic tape for long-term data storage—instead of hard drives—could help the computing industry reduce its carbon footprint. / IEEE Spectrum

The pre-PowerPoint world of corporate presentations was, frankly, spectacular. / MIT Technology Review

See also: Walt Disney's mid-century business strategy charts. / Daring Fireball

In summation: "We're bad at predicting the future and there's no way around it." / Vox