Welcome to Sunday. Our top five articles of the week are listed below.

As news broke about the spread of COVID-19 among the nation’s political and military leaders, stories about the virus got a lot of views this past week. So I’d like to offer a soothing Sunday read that will take you away to a remote windy island off the edge of South America where the world’s southernmost tree clings to life.

Emily Costello

Deputy Editor

Ethan Hawke plays John Brown in Showtime’s new miniseries. Showtime

In ‘The Good Lord Bird,’ a new version of John Brown rides in at a crucial moment in US history

William Nash, Middlebury

The abolitionist's legacy is often molded to fit various political agendas. Yet the Brown who appears in Showtime's new miniseries is one we haven't seen before.

Classroom experiments show how the coronavirus can spread and who’s at greatest risk. Tom Werner via Getty Images

When COVID-19 superspreaders are talking, where you sit in the room matters

Suresh Dhaniyala, Clarkson University

Experiments in college classrooms show how tiny respiratory droplets known as aerosols can spread, even with good ventilation. The risk isn't the same in every seat.