Lamentations
A short story
An AI That Couldn’t Care Less About Humans
The quirky show Murderbot suggests that intelligent machines might be interested in something other than humanity.
Trump World’s Wizard of Oz Problem
Tucker Carlson and Steve Bannon don’t speak for Trump or his base. So why do people think they do?
What Moving Your Body Can Mean
Sometimes it takes a new community or type of exercise to reset your relationship with working out.
The Elite College Students Who Can’t Read Books
To read a book in college, it helps to have read a book in high school.
The Feminine Pursuit of Swoleness
Casey Johnston’s new book, A Physical Education, considers how weight lifting can help you unlearn diet culture.
The Birth-Rate Crisis Isn’t as Bad as You’ve Heard—It’s Worse
Humanity is set to start shrinking several decades ahead of schedule.
The AI Birthday Letter That Blew Me Away
Google is ushering in an era of custom chatbots.
The Rise of the ‘Club-Sandwich Generation’
America has more great-grandparents than ever. It also has a new caretaking challenge.
Why China Isn’t a Bigger Player in the Middle East
Iran and Israel came to blows, and Beijing mostly ducked.
The Making of Kurt Vonnegut’s Cat’s Cradle
How the novelist turned the violence and randomness of war into a cosmic joke
The Invisibility of Older Women
As they age, women experience less public scrutiny—and entertain a wider set of choices about when and how they are seen.
Surviving Anxiety
I've tried therapy, drugs, and booze. Here’s how I came to terms with the nation's most common mental illness.
What Trump—And the U.S.—Can’t Understand About Air Strikes
American leaders refuse to learn from allies and overestimate the benefits of showy tactical attacks.
The Liberal Misinformation Bubble About Youth Gender Medicine
How the left ended up disbelieving the science
Your Sweaters Are Garbage
The quality of knitwear has cratered. Even expensive sweaters have lost their hefty, lush glory.
America’s Incarceration Rate Is About to Fall Off a Cliff
Long sentences and recidivism kept prison populations high for decades, but prisons are now starting to empty.
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