Why global crises are the mother of invention. “In 1815, a volcanic eruption wreaked havoc around the world. But it led to the birth of the bicycle.” (And there’s nothing like a post-eruption ride to clear your head.)

+ “More than 170 years ago, the Choctaw Nation sent $170 to starving Irish families during the potato famine. A sculpture in County Cork commemorates the generosity of the tribe, itself poor. In recent decades, ties between Ireland and the Choctaws have grown. Now hundreds of Irish people are repaying that old kindness, giving to a charity drive for two Native American tribes suffering in the Covid-19 pandemic.”

+ The universal challenge of getting your parents on Zoom.