Field Notes
Blog dispatches from our younger contributors featuring news, developments, personal insights and reviews related to various themes on human development.
The Illusion of Precise Predictions in Economics
Economists have long used forecasting and predictions to approach the unknown. But as Ayubkhon Azamov writes, their accuracy, for a variety of reasons, is more often flawed than not.Read more
When Numbers Trick the Mind
Statistics, whether in the service of advertising or politics, don't just hide the truth—they guide your mind to a particular version, or interpretation, of it.Read more
Community Health Workers: Bridging the Gap in Underserved Communities
Community health workers (CHWs) play a vital role in global healthcare systems, but challenges placed on their work are putting strain on the communities they serve.Read more
Building a More Playful World
In our screen and achievement-obsessed culture, the play instincts of children are being smothered, inhibiting their natural creativity and curiosity. Loosening the reins on childhood can help fix that.Read more
Bird Flu: Another Pandemic in the Making?
As concern rises about the H5N1 or “bird flu” virus, will the lessons learned about the COVID-19 pandemic be squandered—especially in the current political environment of the United States?Read more
Perception of Colors—and the Words We Use to Describe Them
The way in which different cultures describe and classify colors reveals differences in how they perceive the world. It also might help us navigate the increasingly polarized nature of our conversations, globally, into the future.Read more
China's 2060 Carbon Neutrality Goal: An Unrealistic Dream?
China is by far the world’s leader in generating renewable energy, beating out the United States and the EU combined. But given its increasing reliance on coal, is its pledge to be carbon neutral by 2060 realistic?Read more
Tropical Cyclones in a Warming World
As hurricanes and typhoons appear to be strengthening, the question of how to better prepare for them becomes more pressing. Archie O’Shaughnessy suggests an update to the current storm classification system.Read more
