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Welcome to the April issue of The Highlight

A woman in hiking boots and shorts crouches by the edge of a tidepool, with a colorful sea creature on the rocks in the foreground.

There’s so much to be said about — and to be gained from — the magic of nature, especially with spring upon us. So what happens when we lose the natural world’s most special places? This month’s cover story takes a look at the vanishing tidepools of California for answers. You’ll find a piece about the wonders of gardening after a long winter, and an illustrated feature on the life of a dairy cow.

It’s also a time for some more interior reflection, as we look at how to think about personal risk in a risky world, what it means to quit your government job now, and even the appeal of astrology. Plus, we answer all sorts of questions like: Why do we want to smell like food? And what religious divide helps explain politics in America today?


At the edge of the ocean, a dazzling ecosystem is changing fast

By Byrd Pinkerton


The Democrats’ Michelle Obama problem

By Christian Paz


Ask a Book Critic: I want a book that won’t stress me out before bed

By Constance Grady

Coming April 2


I’m doing good work in my government job. Should I quit anyway?

By Sigal Samuel

Coming April 2


The hidden religious divide erupting into politics

By Katherine Kelaidis

Coming April 2


Everyone wants to smell like a doughnut

By Kyndall Cunningham

Coming April 3


The life of a dairy cow

By Marina Bolotnikova

Coming April 3


How to live with life’s inevitable risks

By Allie Volpe

Coming April 3


Why are so many people into astrology?

By Alex Abad-Santos

Coming April 4


When your garden fails, the magic happens

By Natalie Patillo

Coming April 4

#April #issue #Highlight

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