Ten Must-Read Vox Stories From 2025: Energy, Climate, AI, and Democracy

As 2025 draws to a close, Vox highlights ten pieces of reporting and audio that stood out for clarity, reporting depth, and emotional resonance. These selections — drawn from beats across energy, environment, technology, health, culture, and politics — offer both explanation and perspective on the year’s biggest questions.

Big Grid Batteries (April)

In April, Umair Irfan reported on a hopeful development in clean energy: very large grid-scale batteries. He explains how these storage systems are essential to unlocking the full potential of wind and solar power and to modernizing America’s aging electrical grid, calling them 'the peanut butter to the chocolate of renewable energy' because they strengthen renewables while mitigating their intermittency.

Madagascar Reporting (Three-Part Package)

Benji Jones produced a remarkable three-part reporting package from Madagascar shortly before the country’s government was overthrown in a military coup. His stories examined threats to coral reefs, lemurs, and chameleons, and emphasized that conservation efforts are likelier to succeed when they also address local economic needs and livelihoods.

The Case for Silence

Adam Clark Estes explored how modern technology reshapes attention — including experimenting on himself — and argued for the restorative power of silence. His piece makes a persuasive case that constantly filling background time with podcasts and noise can erode focus and emotional calm, and suggests small practices to reclaim quiet in daily life.

Suppressed Alcohol Study Scoop (September)

Dylan Scott landed a major scoop in September: he obtained the findings of an alcohol study that Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Health and Human Services Department reportedly sought to suppress. The study linked alcohol consumption to higher cancer mortality. Follow-up reporting from Vox noted that overall alcohol consumption fell in the U.S. in 2025.

AI and the Risk of New Oligarchies

Eric Levitz examined a bleak but urgent possibility he calls 'fully automated neofeudalism,' in which artificial intelligence could help entrench the wealth and power of a small elite. While Levitz warns of the danger, he also argues we are not yet trapped in that future and that policy choices and public pressure can still make a difference.

Trump, Orbán, and Democratic Backsliding (February)

Zack Beauchamp applied his experience covering democratic decline abroad to compare President Trump’s trajectory with Viktor Orbán’s Hungary. Published nearly a year into what the piece calls 'Trump 2.0,' the story serves as a cautionary map of democratic backsliding and the institutional vulnerabilities to watch.

Tide Pools and Climate (Unexplainable Podcast, July)

Byrd Pinkerton’s July episode of Vox’s Unexplainable podcast blends science and sentiment. She tells the story of California tide pools beloved by researchers, describes the ways climate change is altering those ecosystems, and closes with a humane reminder: focus on controllable action and continue to appreciate local beauty even when global problems feel overwhelming.

The Great Gatsby at 100

Constance Grady marked the 100th anniversary of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby with a concise account of how the novel came to be and how accidents and reception helped secure its status as an American classic. The essay is a readable invitation to revisit a novel many readers last met in school.

Suburban Affordability and the Abundance Playbook (July)

In July, Marina Bolotnikova examined a pressing housing story on the fringe of America’s suburbs: once-spacious, affordable areas are hitting their outer limits and risk becoming much more expensive. She argues policymakers should consider an 'Abundance playbook' to expand housing options and slow runaway costs in 2026 and beyond.

Republican Infighting and Extremism (November)

A November episode of the Today, Explained podcast investigated an intense intraparty fight over extremism within the Republican Party, framed by the episode as a dispute over the party’s growing Nazi problem. Co-host Noel King and the team unpacked how this dispute arose, why it matters, and the high stakes for American democracy.

Finally, the editor calls out a personal favorite from Vox’s The Logoff: Allie Volpe’s practical essay urging readers not to let a messy house stop them from hosting friends. It’s a small, actionable reminder about reclaiming social time and mental space amid a relentless news cycle.

These selections reflect a year of reporting that combined on-the-ground work, careful explanation, and a focus on solutions and civic stakes.