April, 2020 | The Walrus

Illustration of two hands reaching for one another across the frame and unable to touch. Behind the hands are blocks containing text that says "Quarantine: Contagious Disease" in all capital letters.

The Plague Story We’re Living Through

April 16, 2020May 1, 2020 - by Michael Lista

Romeo and Juliet reminds us that all the best human things are unhygienic—sex, kissing, a touch from the person you love

A kaleidoscopic oil painting composed of green leaves and red flower petals.

Society

Taking Hallucinogens with My Mom

April 14, 2020April 16, 2020 - by Rachel Matlow

When my mother was diagnosed with cancer, she didn’t want chemo. Instead, she tried every other potion under the sun

A quadrant of four black and white photos of people experiencing fear or stress. Surrounding the photos are red lines that resemble the beeps on a heart monitor, suggesting a fast heart rate.

Science

How Fear Takes Hold of Our Bodies

April 13, 2020May 1, 2020 - by Eva Holland

Shallow breathing, dizziness, pounding heart: the science behind why we’re so afraid right now

A hand holding a yellow watering can is watering indoor plants on a windowsill.

Science

Are Plants Listening to Us? It Depends Who You Ask

April 9, 2020February 24, 2021 - by Michael Rancic

A controversial 1970s book claimed that plants can hear. It turns out its authors might not have been entirely wrong

Illustration of a ghostly figure walking off a white grid and into darkness. Behind the person is a ghostly collage of all the data they've left behind––photos, passwords, location pins, emails, and text messages. The background is midnight blue.

May 2020 / Technology

The Digital Afterlife

April 8, 2020April 11, 2020 - by Brian J. Barth

The ongoing legal battle to decide who owns our data after we die

Health

Record of a Pandemic

April 7, 2020February 12, 2021 - by The Walrus Staff

COVID-19 has transformed our world. The Walrus explores these changes and asks what comes next

An illustration of a woman, sitting at a window inside an apartment. In front of her is a laptop with an open window that says "stay home." Outside the window is a park and a block of buildings, in which people socialize, picnic, play basketball, and talk, not bothering to maintain any physical distancing measures.

Society

Family on the Front Lines of a Pandemic

April 7, 2020June 27, 2020 - by Judy Ziyi Gu

Until my uncle was sent to care for patients in Wuhan, the outbreak didn’t feel real to me. If only we had all paid attention sooner

A cutout illustration of a rocket ship rising above a large institutional building. The building is perched on a rock outcropping, which emerges from a body of water.

April 2020 / Business

Can the New Space Race Save Small Towns?

April 6, 2020September 28, 2020 - by Matthew Halliday

The promise of a spaceport could give a boost to a struggling Nova Scotia community

A celestial nebula composed of a latticework of green beads, with a line of yellow threaded throughout, and small circles outlined with brown and blue beads.

April 2020 / Arts & Culture

How One Artist Captures the Night Sky in Beads

April 3, 2020April 4, 2023 - by Pamela Young

The otherworldly beadwork of Margaret Nazon

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Month: April 2020

The Plague Story We’re Living Through

Taking Hallucinogens with My Mom

How Fear Takes Hold of Our Bodies

Are Plants Listening to Us? It Depends Who You Ask

The Digital Afterlife

Record of a Pandemic

Family on the Front Lines of a Pandemic

Can the New Space Race Save Small Towns?

How One Artist Captures the Night Sky in Beads

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Fund the journalism that helps you make informed decisions. Fund The Walrus.

Fund the journalism that helps you make informed decisions. Fund The Walrus.

Fund the journalism that helps you make informed decisions. Fund The Walrus.