The Whole Country Is Starting to Look Like California
Housing prices are rising fast in red and purple states known for being easy places to build. How can that be?
A Classic Childhood Pastime Is Fading
Kids on bikes once filled the streets. Not anymore.
Why Can’t Americans Sleep?
Insomnia has become a public-health emergency.
They Didn’t Have to Do This
By passing Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, congressional Republicans have talked themselves into an incomprehensibly reckless plan.
What Really Happened to Malaysia’s Missing Airplane
Five years ago, the flight vanished into the Indian Ocean. Officials on land know more about why than they dare to say.
Canada’s Terrible New Freedom
This Canada Day, Trump is fueling a very different kind of nationalism.
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.
A Big, Bad, Very Ugly Bill
“Beautiful” it is not.
The Sociopaths Among Us—And How to Avoid Them
You’re bound to come across the “Dark Triad” type of malignant narcissists in life—and they can be superficially appealing. Better to look for their exact opposite.
That Dropped Call With Customer Service? It Was on Purpose.
Endless wait times and excessive procedural fuss—it’s all part of a tactic called “sludge.”
The New Old Age
What a new life stage can teach the rest of us about how to find meaning and purpose—before it’s too late
The Christian Rocker at the Center of MAGA
Sean Feucht is bringing Christian nationalism to the masses.
Trump Insults America—Again
The president of the United States seems to have no interest in appealing to a national sense of pride or honor.
A Sea Story
One of the worst maritime disasters in European history took place in 1994. 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 Mainstreaming of Literary Kink
A noirish novel set in the world of strip clubs and BDSM dungeons ventures beyond titillation and into the daily grind.
The Cringeworthy End of Harry & Meghan on Netflix
The ex-royals insist they’re moving on. Viewers should be so lucky.
The Biggest Anti-Abortion Victory Since ‘Dobbs’
The legislation that just passed the Senate represents a big win for anti-abortion advocates—and a subtle shift in their strategy.