A Humanist Manifesto
The world feels like an awful place right now. Here’s how to make it better.
The Axis of Resistance Has Been Gathering Strength
When the U.S. stepped back from the Middle East, Iran stepped up.
A Movie About the Perils of Being a Control Freak
David Fincher’s The Killer is a darkly funny look at a cold-blooded murderer’s tedious daily routine.
Britney Finally Tells Her Story. It’s Dark.
With her new memoir, the pop star tries to close a long and maddening chapter of her life. Will we finally let her?
Will the Expelled People of Chagos Finally Find Justice?
A new book from Philippe Sands, The Last Colony, tells the story of the Chagossians, an island people who were expelled from their homes by the British and Americans.
The Great Underappreciated Driver of Climate Change
Household food waste is a problem for the planet—but a few simple changes can help.
Hands Off Shakespeare
Don’t bar the bard.
I Was a Child in a War
In Israel, Gaza, and around the world, my experience is all too common.
I Don’t See a Better Way Out
I envy those who know exactly how Hamas can be stopped without any more killing, because I don’t.
The Republican Party’s Culture of Violence
Threats and intimidation are the new normal in the GOP.
The Invisible Force Keeping Carbon in the Ground
In climate-addled places, mats of mycelium may make all the difference for the trees they live alongside.
Fall Is in the Air: Images of the Season
A collection of images of autumn—the best season
Is a Coincidental Similarity Enough for Real Intimacy?
Why people are seeking out their “astrological twins” online
A Record of Pure, Predatory Sadism
Officials in Israel screened footage of the Hamas attack for the press: “What we shared with you, you should know it,” one official said.
How Do I Make Sense of My Mother’s Decision to Die?
No state laws, planning, or pageantry can erase the horror of losing someone you love.
How the Media Got the Hospital Explosion Wrong
Amplifying dubious Hamas claims caused real damage. No wonder public trust in news reporting is so low.
A Haunting in Manhattan
Lizzie and Kaitlyn try to find ghosts, but all they see is Anderson Cooper’s apartment.
A Portrait of American Housing
Lee Friedlander’s photographs of beauty queens and real estate
When America Helped Assassinate an African Leader
The murder of Patrice Lumumba, independent Congo’s first prime minister and the subject of a new book, had lasting psychological effects on the whole continent.
The Hard Truth About Immigration
If the United States wants to reduce inequality, it’s going to need to take an honest look at a contentious issue.