For every story lambasting the Biden administration for a calamitous withdrawal from Afghanistan, there’s another solemnly noting the unavoidable eventuality of a disorderly U.S. departure. The reasons to leave are compelling, but so too are the reasons to stay—lives, financial resources, and the futures of innumerable individuals are at stake. The U.S. is desperate to break the shackles of a forever war, but what else will break when it leaves?

Discussions of domestic terrorism have become increasingly relevant in the news, especially following the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. Such disagreements have filtered into more general statements about domestic terrorism: President Biden declared white supremacist terrorism as a historical and lethal threat to the U.S. homeland as he commemorated the Tulsa Race Massacre’s centennial this June.

Ranked choice voting (RCV) has been a much touted remedy for some of the ailments of American democracy. Broadly speaking, RCV is supposed to help more closely align candidates, and eventual winners, with voter preferences by permitting a more detailed expression of those preferences. That could mean the inclusion of more voices in politics and a shift away from divisive campaigning that trends toward extremes.

A year ago, the idea that SARS-CoV-2 emerged from a Chinese laboratory was regarded widely with suspicion, disbelief, and, at times, dismissal. Now, the possibility is treated as far more plausible, with recent statements from President Biden, Dr. Fauci, and WHO General-Secretary Tedros Adhanom Ghebreysus insisting that the theory cannot be ruled out. This shift reflects the changing attitudes of scientists, government authorities, and the media, despite no definitive explanation for the origins of the virus.