Historically, we've trained various animals for specialized tasks: ferrets for cleaning particle accelerators, and dolphins for detecting underwater mines. While dogs have long been celebrated as ideal pets and service animals, I argue that domesticated raccoons could surpass them in utility and companionship. This analysis explores why we should—and must—domesticate raccoons for the advancement of human civilization...

In 1977, NASA launched Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 as part of the Voyager Program. These robotic probes were equipped with sophisticated instruments to study celestial bodies, but they also carried something unique: the Golden Record. This set of gold-plated phonograph records contained mathematical definitions, pictures, and depictions of our culture, intended to communicate with potential intelligent extraterrestrial life...

Have you ever experienced a moment when reality seemed to slip away? I've had two such experiences that left me questioning my very existence. The first occurred after unknowingly consuming a potent "special" brownie, which sent me spiraling into a world of paranoia and delusions...