Welcome to the July issue of The Highlight

For all the talk of the glamour and ritz of big-city living, the United States is (and will remain) a nation of suburbs. Yet suburbs, too, are increasingly unable to build enough housing, affected by the same slowdown as their denser counterparts. The old suburban frontier is closing — but that means we have an opportunity to take another look at this often-maligned model of American life and develop a new and better vision. Also in this issue, you’ll find the “intellectual vibe shift” that could lead to an era of liberal flourishing and a feature on the path to a less painful IUD procedure. Plus: Can AI stop bioweapons? And are microwaves actually bad for your health? The old suburban frontier is closing. Here’s what the new one could look like. By Marina Bolotnikova The spiritual life calls out to me. But is it self-indulgent? By Sigal Samuel Will we know if the next plague is human-made? By Joshua Keating Coming July 8 The end of the anti-liberal moment By Zack Beauchamp Coming July 9 What if IUD insertion didn’t have to be so painful? By Allie Volpe Coming July 10 Microwaves produce radiation. Is that bad for me? By Dylan Scott Coming July 11