November’s election was already set to go down as the most litigated in U.S. history — but then Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died, opening up a whole new layer of complications. To understand the stakes of filling the feminist icon’s now-vacant seat, Elamin calls on Zoe Tillman, who covers the intersection of law and politics for Buzzfeed News. Tillman explains how the next few weeks could change the highest court for generations.

Meanwhile, the West coast is still burning. Elamin rings up California-based journalist and podcast host Amy Westervelt, who explains what this election could mean for climate policy. One thing is for sure: if the U.S. decides to deny the science, the consequences will reach far beyond its borders. Westervelt notes, “unfortunately, because of the size and the influence of the U.S., it kind of makes that decision for the world.”