They Say / I Blog

All alone in our screens: Jenna Wortham on the paradox of wellness apps

As people deal with the persistent stressors of pandemic life, they are increasingly turning to mindfulness apps like Calm and Headspace to soothe their anxieties. Corporate wellness programs have jumped on the bandwagon, sponsoring these apps as a way to promote well-being for their employees, whose lives have suddenly moved almost completely online. In this essay, Jenna Wortham details the complexities of corporate wellness programs and the mindfulness apps sponsored by them. As you read (or listen!) to Wortham’s essay, note the connections she makes among corporate wellness programs, surveillance capitalism, the gig economy, and rising pay disparities in the US.

Jenna Wortham, "The Rise of the Wellness App," The New York Times Magazine, 17 February 2021

 

Lunar landings: Alexandra Witze on protecting the Moon by regulating scientific exploration

Scientists and space explorers face a conundrum: What if upcoming scientific missions to the Moon end up contaminating the very ice researchers are so eager to study? In this January 5, 2021 Nature article, Alexandra Witze explains how experts are determining ways to balance their scientific goals with their responsibility to act as stewards of the Moon for future generations.

Alexandra Witze, "Will Increasing Traffic to the Moon Contaminate Its Precious Ice?" Nature, 5 January 2021