Asterisk Magazine

If YIMBY is winning in California, where are all the houses?

Brian Hanlon of California YIMBY answers a rude question.

Apr 7 • Brian Hanlon and Clara Collier

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March 2026

Pausing isn't policy

Bernie Sanders wants a moratorium on data center construction. The political calculus makes sense, but the policy prescription does not.

Mar 31 • Nat Purser

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In defense of climate uncertainty

We can’t predict the full impact of climate change – so why did the climate movement stop pushing this fact and start denying it?

Mar 25 • Alex Trembath

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The $16 million bet that created Taiwan's chip industry

How did Taiwan implement one of the most successful industrial policy programs of all time?

Mar 16 • Karthik Tadepalli

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3,000 languages are dying, but more are being invented

The losses of linguistic diversity have attracted wide attention. But the gains are comparatively underappreciated, or even unfairly disdained.

Mar 9 • Karson Elmgren

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Factory Logic

Xinyan Yu’s Made in Ethiopia documents the growth of a Chinese factory complex in the Ethiopian countryside. The director has much more to say on how it…

Mar 2 • afra

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February 2026

A Brief History of the History of Science

Leviathans, air pumps, Manhattan Project, a physicist at every dinner party, and more.

Feb 23 • Asterisk Magazine

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The Sweet Lesson of Neuroscience

Scientists once hoped that studying the brain would teach us how to build AI. Now, one AI researcher may have something to teach us about the brain.

Feb 16

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Rethinking High-School Science Fairs

America’s earliest science fairs gave students the chance to do independent research. Today, they’re a competitive gloss to glorified internships. It’s…

Feb 9 • Leah Libresco Sargeant

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AI After Drug Development

Coming up with drug candidates isn’t the bottleneck on finding new treatments. Can AI help with the things that are?

Feb 2 • Abhishaike Mahajan and Clara Collier

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January 2026

Seeing Like a Sedan

Waymos and Cybercabs see the world through very different sensors. Which technology wins out will determine the future of self-driving vehicles.

Jan 26 • Andrew Miller

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The Fight For Slow And Boring Research

As federal research funding shrinks, scientists are looking to other sources of support. Can they learn to sell their work without selling out?

Jan 20 • Jolie Gan

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