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May2026_Highlight_LandingPage_LauraSimonati
May2026_Highlight_LandingPage_LauraSimonati

Welcome to the May issue of The Highlight

How well do you know your neighbors? Could you ask them for a favor? The internet and its promise of limitless connectivity has led many people to overlook those kinds of connections, which used to be far more common. But things are starting to shift back the other way: Americans are rediscovering the value of relationships next door. In this month’s Highlight cover story, Sara Radin reports for Vox on the rise of “neighborism” and the benefits — emotional, social, and practical — of cultivating a strong local community. Also in this issue: The compassion fatigue crisis facing animal shelter workers. What happens when teenagers embrace the Make America Healthy Again movement? And should you feel guilty for killing the bugs in your house?


Should you feel guilty for killing the bugs in your house?

By Sigal Samuel


MAHA wellness culture is coming for teens. Grown-ups aren’t ready.

By Anna North


Renewable energy just broke a 100-year-old streak

By Bryan Walsh


What haunts America’s animal shelter workers

By Kenny Torrella


Why “neighborism” is having a moment

By Sara Radin


What twins can teach us about friendship

By Allie Volpe

See More:
The Highlight
What twins can teach us about friendshipWhat twins can teach us about friendship
The Highlight

They grow up together, but are twins destined to share a social network?

By Allie Volpe
The Highlight
Why “neighborism” is having a momentWhy “neighborism” is having a moment
The Highlight

After decades of social isolation, people are realizing proximity is a resource.

By Sara Radin
The Highlight
What haunts America’s animal shelter workersWhat haunts America’s animal shelter workers
The Highlight

“It’s draining, heartbreaking, and maddening.”

By Kenny Torrella
The Highlight
Renewable energy just broke a 100-year-old streakRenewable energy just broke a 100-year-old streak
The Highlight

Coal’s century at the top of the world’s power mix is over.

By Bryan Walsh
The Highlight
MAHA wellness culture is coming for teens. Grown-ups aren’t ready.MAHA wellness culture is coming for teens. Grown-ups aren’t ready.
The Highlight

A new generation of influencers is changing the face of the movement.

By Anna North
The Highlight
Should you feel guilty for killing the bugs in your house?Should you feel guilty for killing the bugs in your house?
The Highlight

Insects may feel pain. Do you have a moral duty to protect them from harm?

By Sigal Samuel