Time to leave the capsule, if you care
This week Democrats flipped enough legislatures and governorships to kill the electoral college and move to a national popular vote for presidential elections. / The New Republic
Voter turnout for the midterms shows the young male voters who fueled Trump’s ascent didn’t transfer across generations. / Garbage Day
In flipping Texas’s attorney general’s office, Democrats can halt a Republican legal strategy that has shaped national policy over the past 30 years. / Vox [$]
See also: Texas’s new attorney general previously composed the music for five Dragon Ball Z movies and 67 episodes of the anime series. / Variety
Even as the midterms were a repudiation of MAGA’s inherent racism, many prominent Republicans are blaming diversity for the party’s heavy losses. / The Atlantic [$]
A security firm says it’s discovered at least one device that appears to give outsiders access to other devices on the White House’s network. / This Week in Security
What are these little red dots in the sky that aren’t quite stars or black holes? “We just need to concede that this is a fundamentally new kind of astrophysical object.” / The Economist
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Chihuahuas are a rarity among dogs, scientists have discovered, in that they carry a tiny sliver of coyote DNA going back to pre-Columbian times. / The New York Times [$]
Researchers discover ancient cave art in Catalonia covered by layers of tourists’ graffiti and engravings, and that went unnoticed for at least 19,000 years. / Gizmodo
Jennifer Daniel shows how ancient writing systems provide a guide to the future of emoji. / Did Someone Say Emoji?
When an ebook format dies, your personal library can go down with it—here are new, Kindle-free ways to read ebooks. / Ironic Sans
Why hasn’t lab-grown meat taken off like people assumed? According to one reporter’s taste test, “the problem was not the flavor, not the texture, but the knowing.” / The Guardian
Juan Atkins pioneered Detroit techno, and whether or not you know it, changed your life. Here are six records to prove it. / Pitchfork
Natalie Waksman illustrates how getting hit by a car while walking led to a revelation of “magical thinking OCD.” / The New Yorker
How is it that nine out of every 10 time capsules go missing? “There’s all this interest in time capsules, but people tend to forget about them the next day.” / Longreads