Hawk Tuah Wasn’t What It Seemed
What the meme of the year tells us about the state of online culture
The Walmart Effect
New research suggests that the company makes the communities it operates in poorer—even taking into account its famous low prices.
The Godfather of American Comedy
The funniest people on the planet think there’s no funnier person than Albert Brooks.
The Nuclear Family Was a Mistake
The family structure we’ve held up as the cultural ideal for the past half century has been a catastrophe for many. It’s time to figure out better ways to live together.
How Putin Tapped a Well of Ethnic Hatred in Russia
Radical nationalists have infiltrated the country’s police and politics.
A Diet Writer’s Regrets
No one has ever known so much about healthy eating and been less successful at following her own advice.
Are Young Men Really Becoming More Sexist?
What the research says about the gender divide across the world
The Big Thing to Know About Pain
Trying to avoid suffering can paradoxically make it worse. You can train your mind to find a better way.
Masters of Love
Science says lasting relationships come down to—you guessed it—kindness and generosity.
Star Trek’s Cold War
While America was fighting on the ground, the Federation was fighting in space.
The Carry-On-Baggage Bubble Is About to Pop
Airplanes aren’t made for this much luggage.
How the Ivy League Broke America
The meritocracy isn’t working. We need something new.
The 20 Best Podcasts of 2024
The shows that kept listeners refreshing their apps this year
The Darkest Movie of the Year
Even the camera seems to fear the grunting, shadowy demon in Nosferatu.
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.
Bob Dylan Broke Rules. A Complete Unknown Follows Them.
The biopic turns its subject’s independence and idiosyncrasies into the stuff of bland summary.
Six Books to Read by the Fire
Each of these titles is a perfect companion while the days grow imperceptibly longer.
We’re Entering Uncharted Territory for Math
Terence Tao, the world’s greatest living mathematician, has a vision for AI.
‘Dumbed-Down Catholicism Was a Disaster’
America’s most watched bishop, Robert Barron, is scouting out a new future for Christianity.
America Needs to Radically Rethink What It Means to Be Old
As 100-year lifespans become more common, the time has come for a new approach to school, work, and retirement.