Oppenheimer’s Cry of Despair in The Atlantic
At the dawn of America’s arms race with the Soviet Union, all the great scientist could do was plead for hope.
Israelis Protest Against Law to Limit Supreme Court Powers
Images from recent protests against plans to reduce judicial oversight of the government, in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem
Why Elon Killed the Bird
Three theories about Twitter’s seemingly nonsensical rebrand to X
A Controversial Model for America’s Climate Future
In much of the South, electricity is in the hands of the U.S. government, not private companies. Is anyone better off?
The Two Players Who Tell the Story of U.S. Women’s Soccer
Megan Rapinoe represents the national team’s legacy; Alyssa Thompson, its future.
A New Kind of Fascism
I’ve resisted using the word until now, but something menacing and novel is taking shape with the possibility of a second Trump term.
Can Nature Lie?
The lying that we humans do requires a more sophisticated kind of cognition than a bird, flower, or fungus can muster.
The American Evangelical Church Is in Crisis. There’s Only One Way Out.
Evangelicals can have revival or nostalgia—but not both.
Seven Books for the Lifelong Learner
These books may tempt you to take up a new pursuit and enlarge your sense of your own capabilities.
AI Companies Are Trying to Have It Both Ways
In agreeing to guardrails, industry leaders are nodding to the possible risks of their creations without pausing their aggressive competition.
The Perfect Service to Make Everyone at the Airport Hate You
The identification company Clear allows travelers to pay to cut in line. But you can’t buy your way out of inconvenience at America’s airports.
The Ticks Are Winning
Their saliva is a secret weapon.
Does Sam Altman Know What He’s Creating?
The OpenAI CEO’s ambitious, ingenious, terrifying quest to create a new form of intelligence
Why You Have to Care About These 12 Colleges
Change them, and you change America.
Why Is Tracy Chapman at the Center of a Country-Music Controversy?
The response to Luke Combs’s cover of “Fast Car” raises questions about the relevance of race to certain news stories.
The Women’s World Cup Is About More Than Soccer
A short guide to help you get into the game
Claude Glass as Night Song
A poem for Sunday
A Very Tasty, Very Cold Experiment
Why scientists froze an orange half a mile underwater
The Great PowerPoint Panic of 2003
Twenty years ago, corporate-presentation software was called “the end of reason.” Why?
Liberal Suburbs Have Their Own Border Wall
Residents of rich blue towns talk about inclusion, but their laws do the opposite.