When a story fizzles out, it’s often best to move on to the next idea, the next tip. But sometimes you find a story where the original one wasn’t. Sometimes the real story is better than the mirage you were chasing.
It worked out twice in this issue. We asked Andy Walsh to write about a video we saw on a bunch of science blogs: scientists had found an explosion of light at the moment of human conception. What a metaphor! When he came back telling us he was submitting a story on how so many science blogs got the story wrong, I was grateful for his accuracy but skeptical about his plan. Debunkers are great, but they don’t tend to inspire awe and wonder. Was this really a Behemoth article? Indeed it is, and I’m really happy Andy kept at it.
Likewise, I planned to write an article about bison as President Obama signed a bill declaring the animal America’s national mammal. But I was adamant: It’d be an article about beholding the bison as bison, not its role in the American West. Not so fast. This story locked horns with me and head-butted me into submission.
So now on to the next idea! Which reminds me: We’re having great fun putting together a special 3D issue of The Behemoth. And we’re sending 3D glasses to folks who subscribe to both The Behemoth and our sister magazine, Christianity Today. (More accurately, because of shipping costs, we’re only doing this for US subscribers; sorry.) So if you’ve been thinking about buying a CT subscription, you can grab 2 free issues plus your 3D glasses if do it before June 1!
