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Future Perfect

Finding the best ways to do good. Check out our 2024 Future Perfect list, which presents the 50 thinkers, scientists, activists, and scholars who are working to build a more positive future.

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Harvard just fired a tenured professor for the first time in 80 years. Good.
Future Perfect

A step forward in academia’s existential fight against scientific fraud.

By Kelsey Piper
Harvard just fired a tenured professor for the first time in 80 years. Good.
Future Perfect

A step forward in academia’s existential fight against scientific fraud.

By Kelsey Piper
The Future of Meat
Why the right wants to ban this innovation before you get to try itWhy the right wants to ban this innovation before you get to try it
The Future of Meat

When animal cruelty trumps capitalism.

By Eric Levitz
Future Perfect
Future Perfect, explainedFuture Perfect, explained
Future Perfect

Welcome to Vox’s home for stories about changing the world.

By Dylan Matthews
Future Perfect
Support Future PerfectSupport Future Perfect
Future Perfect

We are always searching for new and innovative ways to fund the work we do and ensure the health of Future Perfect for years to come.

By Vox Staff

The latest in Future Perfect

Future Perfect
What will happen to the US when Harvard can’t be HarvardWhat will happen to the US when Harvard can’t be Harvard
Future Perfect

The real cost of forcing foreign students away from elite universities like Harvard.

By Bryan Walsh
Technology
Google as you know it is slowly dyingGoogle as you know it is slowly dying
Technology

The search giant’s midlife crisis is now your problem.

By Adam Clark Estes
Housing
The deceptively simple reform that could unlock more housingThe deceptively simple reform that could unlock more housing
Housing

Do we need apartment buildings to have two staircases?

By Rachel Cohen
Future Perfect
Why Pope Leo has so much to say about AI, briefly explainedWhy Pope Leo has so much to say about AI, briefly explained
Future Perfect

Pope Leo’s unusual crusade should be a model for every religion.

By Sigal Samuel
Future Perfect
You’re being lied to about proteinYou’re being lied to about protein
Future Perfect

Yes, protein builds muscle. No, you don’t need as much as lifting influencers say.

By Marina Bolotnikova
Future Perfect
My family has money but doesn’t give to charity. How do I challenge them without being weird?My family has money but doesn’t give to charity. How do I challenge them without being weird?
Future Perfect

How to get parents and friends to get serious about doing good.

By Sigal Samuel
Future Perfect
The case against summerThe case against summer
Future Perfect

Your summer won’t be as good as you think it will be. It never is.

By Bryan Walsh
Future Perfect
Why we need a Memorial Day for civilian victims of warWhy we need a Memorial Day for civilian victims of war
Future Perfect

Non-combatants bear the brunt of modern war’s toll, but we don’t know how to memorialize them.

By Bryan Walsh
Good News
Something remarkable is happening with violent crime rates in the USSomething remarkable is happening with violent crime rates in the US
Good News

Americans remained scared of violent crime. The numbers tell a different story.

By Bryan Walsh
Future Perfect
4,000 chicks died in the mail. They expose a darker truth about the meat industry.4,000 chicks died in the mail. They expose a darker truth about the meat industry.
Future Perfect

Why millions of chickens never make it to the slaughterhouse.

By Kenny Torrella
Future Perfect
One chilling forecast of our AI future is getting wide attention. How realistic is it?One chilling forecast of our AI future is getting wide attention. How realistic is it?
Future Perfect

Rapid changes from AI may be coming far faster than you imagine.

By Kelsey Piper
Philanthropy
Bill Gates shows what the end of perpetual philanthropy looks likeBill Gates shows what the end of perpetual philanthropy looks like
Philanthropy

Why billionaires need to give more — and give faster.

By Benjamin Soskis
Future Perfect
How switching to a flip phone deepened my friendshipsHow switching to a flip phone deepened my friendships
Future Perfect

Social media gives the illusion of connection. Here’s what happened when I ditched my iPhone for a month.

By Izzie Ramirez
Good News
How the US turned the tide on drug overdose deathsHow the US turned the tide on drug overdose deaths
Good News

The record drop in drug overdose deaths, briefly explained.

By Bryan Walsh
Future Perfect
How we stretched our aviation system to the brinkHow we stretched our aviation system to the brink
Future Perfect

We’re still good at preventing plane crashes. We just have to actually do it.

By Kelsey Piper
Future Perfect
The number of animals that humans are on pace to slaughter will shock youThe number of animals that humans are on pace to slaughter will shock you
Future Perfect

The mass killing of tiny creatures, explained.

By Kenny Torrella
Future Perfect
The best plant-based meat products, according to a huge blind taste testThe best plant-based meat products, according to a huge blind taste test
Future Perfect

One company dominated the competition: Impossible Foods.

By Kenny Torrella
Future Perfect
How to save 400,000 babies a yearHow to save 400,000 babies a year
Future Perfect

We can keep saving lives when foreign aid is dying.

By Dylan Matthews
The massive stakes of the Trump administration’s plans to end animal testing
Future Perfect

Is Trump doing the right thing on animal research for the wrong reasons?

By Rachel Fobar
Future Perfect
Does your job feel pointless? This might be the answer.Does your job feel pointless? This might be the answer.
Play
Future Perfect

What if we measured success in terms of how much good we do?

By Sigal Samuel
ChatGPT or Grok? Gemini or Claude?: Which AIs do which tasks best, explained.
Future Perfect

From image generation to writing, ranking the best — and worst — of AI.

By Kelsey Piper
Future Perfect
Americans are dying younger. 5 science-based tips could reverse the trend.Americans are dying younger. 5 science-based tips could reverse the trend.
Future Perfect

How to live longer — and healthier.

By Bryan Walsh
Future Perfect
Progressives should care that the global population is set to fallProgressives should care that the global population is set to fall
Future Perfect

Don’t let polarization distract you from one of the most important issues the world faces.

By Kelsey Piper
Future Perfect
Smallpox used to kill millions of people every year. Here’s how humans beat it.Smallpox used to kill millions of people every year. Here’s how humans beat it.
Future Perfect

More contagious than Covid-19 and with a 30 percent mortality rate, smallpox was one of history’s biggest killers. Now, it’s gone.

By Kelsey Piper
Future Perfect
The future to fighting airborne viruses is in…lamps?The future to fighting airborne viruses is in…lamps?
Future Perfect

How to block the next Covid in mid-air.

By Dylan Matthews
Future Perfect
Why humans are still much better than AI at forecasting the futureWhy humans are still much better than AI at forecasting the future
Future Perfect

AI is the future. It just can’t predict it.

By Dylan Matthews
Future Perfect
The life-or-death case for self-driving carsThe life-or-death case for self-driving cars
Future Perfect

Sorry, a robot is probably a safer driver than most humans.

By Bryan Walsh
Future Perfect
When AI tells you that you’re perfectWhen AI tells you that you’re perfect
Future Perfect

OpenAI released a model that tells users they’re right — no matter what. That’s more dangerous than it seems.

By Kelsey Piper
Future Perfect
The US government’s war on wildlife, explained in 3 chartsThe US government’s war on wildlife, explained in 3 charts
Future Perfect

A federal program killed nearly 2 million wild animals last year. The reason might surprise you.

By Kenny Torrella
Future Perfect
Every president is friendly to the meat industry — but Trump is taking it to another levelEvery president is friendly to the meat industry — but Trump is taking it to another level
Future Perfect

In its first 100 days, the Trump administration has moved to roll back food safety measures, endanger slaughterhouse workers, and more.

By Kenny Torrella
Future Perfect
5 ways we’re making progress on climate change5 ways we’re making progress on climate change
Future Perfect

The good news about global warming.

By Bryan Walsh
Future Perfect
OpenAI’s nonprofit structure was supposed to protect you. What went wrong?OpenAI’s nonprofit structure was supposed to protect you. What went wrong?
Future Perfect

How the company’s transition to for-profit will affect everyone.

By Kelsey Piper
Future Perfect
I’m doing good work in my government job. Should I quit anyway?I’m doing good work in my government job. Should I quit anyway?
Future Perfect

I want to believe I can make a positive impact from the inside, but maybe I’m deluding myself.

By Sigal Samuel
Future Perfect
The life of a dairy cowThe life of a dairy cow
Future Perfect

The surprising truth about milk is hiding in plain sight.

By Marina Bolotnikova
Unexplainable
The real quest for fake bloodThe real quest for fake blood
Podcast
Unexplainable

Lab-grown blood could save tens of thousands of lives. Is it possible?

By Noam Hassenfeld
Climate
Let’s not panic about AI’s energy use just yetLet’s not panic about AI’s energy use just yet
Climate

Computing has a big energy appetite. What does that mean for our climate goals?

By Umair Irfan
Future Perfect
The false climate solution that just won’t dieThe false climate solution that just won’t die
Future Perfect

A star-studded film explains the hope and hype behind regenerative agriculture.

By Kenny Torrella
Political news is making me miserable. Is it wrong to tune out?
Future Perfect

It feels very tempting to cocoon myself in relaxing hobbies to spare my mental health.

By Sigal Samuel
Future Perfect
The immigration fix hiding in plain sightThe immigration fix hiding in plain sight
Future Perfect

Biden got immigration wrong. But there’s something both parties can agree on.

By Kelsey Piper
Future Perfect
A massive blind taste test fed people real and vegan meats. It revealed something surprising.A massive blind taste test fed people real and vegan meats. It revealed something surprising.
Future Perfect

Some of your feelings about meat are just in your head.

By Kenny Torrella