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The Origins of the Socialist Slur

Reconstruction-era opponents of racial equality popularized the charge that protecting civil rights would amount to the end of capitalism.

A New Coca-Cola Flavor at the End of the World

Y3000, the latest Coke flavor, was purportedly made with the assistance of AI. What does it taste like?

The Horror Stories of Black Hair

The Hulu series The Other Black Girl dramatizes the pains of managing Afro-textured hair—and other people’s perceptions of it.

So Much for ‘Learn to Code’

In the age of AI, computer science is no longer the safe major.

The Painful Afterlife of a Cruel Policy

Across memoir and fiction, Fae Myenne Ng has explored the true cost of the Chinese Exclusion era.

Where the New Identity Politics Went Wrong

Don’t let right-wing culture warriors obscure the fact that some ideas behind this progressive ideology have genuine problems.

The Supreme Court Needs to Make a Call on Trump’s Eligibility

The question of the former president’s possible disqualification needs to be resolved sooner or later. Sooner is better than later.

The Coming Attack on an Essential Element of Women’s Freedom

No-fault divorce has improved the lives of millions. Now some extreme Republicans want to abandon it.

How We Got ‘Democracy Dies in Darkness’

And other stories from eight years running The Washington Post

What It Would Take to Avoid a Shutdown

How we arrived at the brink of a government shutdown—and how the power to avert it lies with Kevin McCarthy

The Next Supercontinent Could Be a Terrible, Terrible Place

A new study predicts that one giant, hot, dry landmass is looming in Earth’s future.

A Little Bit O’ Magic in Chicago

You’ve heard of Chicago-style pizza and Chicago-style hot dogs, but what about Chicago-style magic?

What I Found in a Database Meta Uses to Train Generative AI

Nobel-winning authors, Dungeons and Dragons, Christian literature, and erotica all serve as datapoints for the machine.

These 183,000 Books Are Fueling the Biggest Fight in Publishing and Tech

Use our new search tool to see which authors have been used to train the machines.

Winners of the 2023 Astronomy Photographer of the Year

Some of the winners and runners-up from this year’s astrophotography competition

Trump Floats the Idea of Executing Joint Chiefs Chairman Milley

The former president is inciting violence against the nation’s top general. America’s response is distracted and numb.

Lincoln’s Lessons

Don’t let the art of democracy go out of fashion.

Dear Therapist: My Mother Is Rewarding My Brother’s Bad Behavior

I feel like she’s ignoring his mistakes by leaving him a substantial inheritance.

China Is All About Sovereignty. So Why Not Ukraine’s?

Russia’s war has confronted Xi Jinping with a stark choice between standing for principle or defending his strategic partner in Moscow.

The Parents Trying to Pass Down a Language They Hardly Speak

Losing your family’s language can feel like an inevitable side effect of immigration—but it’s one I want to prevent.