The Year of ‘Post-Truth’

The Year of ‘Post-Truth’

“Post-Truth.” The Oxford English Dictionary named this its word of the year for 2016. This was a year when campaign lies — most, though not all, coming out of the Donald’s mouth — were so numerous that fact checking became nearly impossible. Yes,...
This Deal Could Save the World

This Deal Could Save the World

While the U.S. was distracted by an election that felt like it would never end, the world did something wonderful. It sounds boring and requires a mini chemistry lesson, but it’s huge. In October, nearly 200 nations signed a deal to phase out the potent...
Who Won in 2016? Big Money.

Who Won in 2016? Big Money.

In one of Agatha Christie’s murder mysteries, the key clue that solved the whodunit wasn’t something that happened, but something that didn’t — specifically, a dog that didn’t bark. That plot fits one of the great mysteries of this year’s...