Low Stakes, High Drama
Some of our writers’ most entertaining—and controversial—opinions on everyday matters
Humans Can No Longer Ignore the Threat of Fungi
Climate change could make fungal diseases more potent and widespread than ever before.
An Octogenarian Horror Villain Still Racking Up Scares
The long-running Saw franchise is back, and finally putting its most defining antagonist in the spotlight.
It’s Okay to Like Barry Manilow
Besides, you probably know all the words.
A Final Chapter Unbefitting an Extraordinary Legacy
One lesson of Dianne Feinstein’s career: Stay in your job too long, and you risk losing control of the finale.
New York City Is Not Built for This
The city is seeing rainfall patterns that look more like Miami’s or even Singapore’s, an official said at The Atlantic Festival.
A Scientific Feud Breaks Out Into the Open
I’m a pseudoscience? No, you’re a pseudoscience!
This Week in Books: History Scares Authoritarians
A new book looks at the “underground historians” of China who are resurfacing moments from the past that authorities would prefer be forgotten.
Should Democrats Stick With Biden?
Plus: controversy over a talk about racial color-blindness
Have Republicans Learned Nothing From the War on Terror?
They decry “endless” conflicts. So why are they talking about waging war in Mexico?
One Big Benefit of Remote Work
It’s helped bring mothers back to the workforce.
Good Luck Getting Into the Club
Nightlife cover charges can be arbitrary and humiliating—yet people still accept them.
Photos of the Week: Andean Bear, Burial Chamber, Secret Heart
Fencing at the 19th Asian Games in China, the felling of a famous tree in England, drag racing in England, the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in India, and much more
America’s Eyes Are on Unions
The UAW strike could energize labor activity in the U.S., but the stakes are high for union leaders.
Trump Didn’t Go to Michigan to Support Autoworkers
So why did so many news outlets report he did?
Iran’s Influence Operation Pays Off
The emails look bad.
The 24-Year-Old Who Outsold Oprah This Week
The Shadow Work Journal has exploded on TikTok as an inexpensive mental-health tool, even as experts question its approach—and the author’s credentials.
Basil the Opossum Has One Eye, a Big Heart, and a Job to Do
The National Zoo’s newest resident isn’t colorful or exotic. That’s exactly the point.
Could Ozempic Derail the Body-Positivity Movement?
The medical miracle could reverse our progress on accepting bodies of all sizes.
Chinese Leaders Are Scared of Their Country’s History
A new book explores the Chinese filmmakers, writers, and artists who are trying to uncover a past that the authorities would rather forget.