Why Attacks on Trump’s Mental Acuity Don’t Land
A decade-old interview shows he has long sounded unhinged.
Things Get Strange When AI Starts Training Itself
What happens if AI becomes even less intelligible?
The Real Difference Between Trump and Biden
Watching both men in office reveals a sharp distinction.
Photos of the Week: Surf Torch, Lion Dance, Pancake Race
An ancient town-wide football match in England, sumo wrestling for youngsters in Japan, the Super Bowl halftime show in Las Vegas, a destructive wildfire in New Zealand, and much more
Don’t Panic About Russian Space Weapons
There’s plenty to worry about here on Earth.
The AI Industry Is Stuck on One Very Specific Way to Use a Chatbot
OpenAI, Google, and Microsoft are dying to help plan your next trip.
The Twin Drives of Love and Death
Atlantic writers have long meditated on these two fates of all living things.
How to Defeat a Mafia State
An unlikely coalition of urban professionals and Indigenous people has pulled off something extraordinary in Guatemala.
Why the Most Educated People in America Fall for Anti-Semitic Lies
At Harvard and elsewhere, an old falsehood is capturing new minds.
A Paradigm Shift in How Scientists Study Kids
Developmental psychology is notoriously reliant on certain demographics of children. A new tool is changing that.
The Other Time America Panicked Over a President’s Age
For two weeks in 1984, I made Ronald Reagan look old.
City Planning’s Greatest Innovation Makes a Comeback
Long live the street grid.
Of Course Presidents Are Officers of the United States
To think otherwise threatens the entire idea of a constitutional republic.
What If Your Best Friend Is Your Soulmate?
A new book explores deeply platonic friendships.
Anchorage Fell in Love With a White Raven
Reports that the leucistic raven was spotted at a McDonald’s—and then later at a Wendy’s—drew large crowds.
The Ex Factor in Valentine’s Day Marketing
Sex sells. Brands are banking on the idea that heartbreak does too.
The Moneyball Theory of Presidential Social Media
Not even the president can bend the internet to his will.
The Carry-On-Baggage Bubble Is About to Pop
Airplanes aren’t made for this much luggage.
Please, No More Shared Cinematic Universes
Madame Web doesn’t just scrape the bottom of the barrel—it finds new depths.
The Case for Spending Way More on Babies
Why America should give kids cash