Stop (or at least pause) your doomscroll here

Each week, a different Vox editor curates their favorite work that Vox has published across text, audio, and video. This week’s recommendations are brought to you by Vox editorial director for audio A. Hall.

Hello and happy April! Here’s hoping you made it through April Fools Day unscathed. Did you know that April 2 was International Fact-Checking Day? I didn’t, but it feels appropriate that it follows our biggest pranking holiday. It also gives me a nice opportunity to shout out Vox’s style and standards team, which includes our fact-checkers. They might not be names you’re familiar with but they do incredibly important work and are instrumental in our ability to deliver news and information that helps you understand our world. So, thank you Elizabeth Crane, Anouck Dussaud, Kim Eggleston, Melissa Hirsch, Caitlin PenzeyMoog, Sarah Schweppe, and Madeleine Vasaly for all that you do. 

This week, like many weeks, it’s easy to scroll through the news and find story after story about things that are dividing us. It’s an election year and there are various conflicts around the world that are deeply troubling and have landed along familiar partisan lines here in the US. Understanding these issues — the context, the stakes, and how they impact us all —  is vital and I always appreciate the clarity and context I get from reading, watching, and listening to my colleagues here at Vox. 

But I’ve also noticed over the last couple of weeks a few big news events that have created moments for shared experiences that, for a change, actually feel good. So, if you’re experiencing any headline fatigue or if you’re having trouble shaking off the last bit of winter blues, let me suggest a few stories to stop (or at least pause) your doomscroll.

Beyoncé's “Jolene” and country music's scorned woman trope

I spent last weekend binging Cowboy Carter. Like many, I was fully pulled into the Bey hive in the days and weeks leading up to its release. It helps that I spend so much time at Vox working with Weeds host Jonquilyn Hill, a self-proclaimed member of the hive. Then news leaked that Dolly Parton was a collaborator on a rendition of "Jolene," a song I’ve long loved. My colleague Kyndall Cunningham wrote a piece I didn’t know I needed: an explainer that delivers important context for understanding and appreciating both the new and the original "Jolene," connecting them to a long but evolving history of female country music stars singing about relationships.   

Why March Madness is all about Caitlin Clark

Let me begin by saying I do not follow basketball, and if you’re an LSU fan I understand why this might not be a feel-good story for you, but damn, Caitlin Clark’s skill on the court has captured the nation. As a novice, I appreciated this piece from Alex Abad-Santos — it’s a definitive explainer on who she is, what she brings to the game, and why we can’t stop talking about her. If you haven’t already, read it before tonight’s game, you’ll be glad you did.  

🎧 The eclipse chasers 

Are you ready for the solar eclipse on April 8? This week’s episode of Unexplainable has me wishing I had planned better! I could be enjoying the magic from somewhere along the path of totality but alas, I’ll have to make do with a “deep partial” eclipse from my home in New Jersey. What I love about this episode of Unexplainable, as well as the video team’s "Tales from the shadow of the moon," is the genuine awe in the voices of the eclipse chasers as they attempt to describe their experiences. Many of them have been chasing eclipses across every continent for decades. Beyond what is apparently an experience with no earthly parallel, researchers like Shadia Habbal are doing important work. Habbal, who you can hear in the Unexplainable episode, is studying the sun’s corona, gathering data to learn more about solar storms that can wreak havoc on things like satellites and the energy grid. Vox can’t get you to the path of totality but we’ve got all your eclipse needs covered. 

Are rainforests doomed? Not necessarily.

Let’s be honest, it can be difficult to see progress and find hope in climate coverage so the above headline had me cautiously optimistic. It’s a piece from senior environmental reporter Benji Jones, who reminded me of something really important: “Forests can be protected. Laws — and the enforcement of them — can root out harmful activities. Activism can actually transform an entire industry.” Read Benji’s piece for the data that backs it up. 

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