Wednesday morning news drop
A moment of clarity The Russian invasion of Ukraine should wake us up. Ukraine wasn’t threatening Russia in any way; Ukraine never fired a shot into their neighbor, even though that neighbor had already carved off pieces of their country in 2014 and subjected them to a grinding eight-year war. Putin simply declared that Ukraine is historically part of Russia and sent in his troops. (Noahpinion)
Is Taiwan Next? Russia’s invasion of Ukraine makes the frightening possibility of China seizing control of the island more real. (The Atlantic)
At 91, Warren Buffett Still Isn’t in Any Hurry: Lacking prospects for a new megadeal, he and longtime Berkshire Hathaway partner Charlie Munger are content to bide their time sitting on a massive pile of cash. (Bloomberg)
How Ikea tricks you into buying more stuff The home furnishings giant enlists a maze-like layout, cheap food, and crafty psychology to get you to fill up your cart. (The Hustle)
Sea Level Rise Will Be Catastrophic—and Unequal: A chilling new report predicts a foot of sea level rise in the US by 2050. But quirks of physics mean everyone will suffer in different ways. (Wired)
Climate change is killing people, but there’s still time to reverse the damage Heat waves, droughts, floods, wildfires, disease outbreaks and other dire effects of climate change are accelerating more rapidly than scientists expected in many parts of the world, including in North America. And as oceans, rainforests and polar regions heat up, nature is less and less able to help us with the task of adapting to a hotter Earth. (NPR)
A Nineteenth-Century Flu Pandemic May Be a Window into Coronaviruses Experts have turned back the clock to see what the Russian flu and other epidemics can teach us. (Walrus)
The Fall and Rise of CM Punk Nearly a decade ago, he walked away from pro wrestling and swore never to return. Now he's back, headlining All Elite Wrestling, a new league that's challenging the mighty WWE for dominance. Where did CM Punk go, and how did he get here? (Esquire)