Europe’s Elon Musk Problem
He and other tech oligarchs are making it impossible to conduct free and fair elections anywhere.
A Sea Story
One of the worst maritime disasters in European history took place two decades ago. It remains very much in the public eye. On a stormy night on the Baltic Sea, more than 850 people lost their lives when a luxurious ferry sank below the waves. From a mass of material, including official and unofficial reports and survivor testimony, our correspondent has distilled an account of the Estonia’s last moments—part of his continuing coverage for the magazine of anarchy on the high seas.
The New, Unsettling Truth at the Heart of Yellowjackets
Its characters can never truly escape danger, in the past or present.
When Robert Frost Was Bad
Before he became America’s most famous poet, he wrote some real howlers.
Capitulation Is Contagious
When fear spreads in a society, powerful people who know better are often the first to show their weakness.
The Oligarchs Who Came to Regret Supporting Hitler
They helped him in pursuit of profit. Many ended up in concentration camps.
The Hidden Costs of Musk’s Washington Misadventure
Max Stier wants to improve the government. Elon Musk’s campaign against civil servants is making it worse.
Why the COVID Deniers Won
Lessons from the pandemic and its aftermath
The Erasing of American Science
How far can the Trump administration bend U.S. research before it breaks?
History Will Judge the Complicit
Why have Republican leaders abandoned their principles in support of an immoral and dangerous president?
Why the Past 10 Years of American Life Have Been Uniquely Stupid
It’s not just a phase.
DNA Tests Are Uncovering the True Prevalence of Incest
People are discovering the truth about their biological parents with DNA—and learning that incest is far more common than many think.
What Everyone Gets Wrong About Tulsi Gabbard
Other than raw ambition, only one through line is perceptible in a switchbacking political career.
Confessions of a Republican Exile
A longtime conservative, alienated by Trumpism, tries to come to terms with life on the moderate edge of the Democratic Party.
Dear Therapist: I Was the Other Woman
I know I sound naive, but this wasn’t like a “normal” affair.
A Proven Way to Ease L.A.’s Housing Crisis
States around the country are showing Southern California how to rebuild.
The Rich Tourists Who Want More, and More, and More
Can anything satisfy the guests of The White Lotus?
Something’s Fishy About the ‘Migrant Crisis’
The federal government’s dysfunction leaves immigrant-friendly cities feeling overwhelmed.
Find the Place You Love. Then Move There.
If where you live isn’t truly your home, and you have the resources to make a change, it could do wonders for your happiness.
How America Got Mean
In a culture devoid of moral education, generations are growing up in a morally inarticulate, self-referential world.