Imagine a Drug That Feels Like Tylenol and Works Like OxyContin
New research points to a future in which pleasure and pain relief can be independently controlled.
The Perception Gap That Explains American Politics
Americans overwhelmingly—but, it turns out, mistakenly—believe that Democrats care more about advancing progressive social issues than widely shared economic ones.
Why the Past 10 Years of American Life Have Been Uniquely Stupid
It’s not just a phase.
How the Ivy League Broke America
The meritocracy isn’t working. We need something new.
Why Are You Still Cooking With That?
Black plastic spatulas, nonstick pans, and other Thanksgiving cooking worries
The Most Controversial Game on the Internet
Wyna Liu, the editor of the New York Times game Connections, discusses her process and the particular ire her puzzles inspire.
What Pete Hegseth’s Nomination Is Really About
Revenge on the military is just the start of it.
Is Wokeness One Big Power Grab?
Behind much social-justice discourse is a self-interested struggle for power.
The Atlantic Gift Guide
The Atlantic has chosen 65 gifts for bringing more merriment, adventure, and wonder to the ones you love.
The Democrats’ Billionaire Mistake
In a populist moment, the Democratic Party had the extremely rich and the very famous, some great music, and Mark Ruffalo. And they got shellacked.
The Business-School Scandal That Just Keeps Getting Bigger
The rot runs deeper than almost anyone has guessed.
The Most Miraculous—And Overlooked—Type of Milk
Shelf-stable milk is a miracle of food science that Americans just won’t drink.
Expiration Dates Are Meaningless
Do I dare to eat an old peach yogurt? Yes, yes I do.
What Breaking Up Google’s Search Monopoly Could Do to AI
The most powerful chatbot may not be the most successful one.
Kendrick Lamar Makes His Point Clearer
On his new album, GNX, a rapper who’s obsessed with excellence tries to entertain the masses.
A Horror Movie About an Atheist Who Won’t Shut Up
The hollowness at the center of Heretic
The Musical Blockbuster That Didn’t Play By the Rules
Wicked makes the case that audiences aren’t so tired of the genre after all.
The Trends Atlantic Writers Love and Hate
Six answers to the question: “What’s a trend you wish would come back, and one you wish would go away?”
Always a Girlboss, Never a Tradwife
A new Netflix documentary explores the cost of Martha Stewart’s chase for domestic perfection.
This Is What Happens to All the Stuff You Don’t Want
I ventured into the belly of the holiday-returns beast.