What Does the Department of Education Actually Do?
With the help of Congress, a president could get rid of the agency. Getting rid of the programs it runs and the money it spends would be a different matter.
The Beating Heart of Twin Peaks
David Lynch’s work was often described as “mysterious” or “surreal”—but the emotions it provoked were just as fundamental.
Bridget Jones Isn’t a Postfeminist Relic
How the beloved British diarist outlasted her critics
A New, Unbearably Honest Kind of Writing
Two authors’ memoirs attempt to communicate intensely isolating experiences to readers.
Pay Attention to the FBI
That’s a whole other crisis brewing.
Dear Therapist: I Was the Other Woman
I know I sound naive, but this wasn’t like a “normal” affair.
The Challenges the U.S. Would Face in Gaza
The president offered no outline for overcoming a daunting set of obstacles.
Trump Is Inheriting an Environmental Disaster
PFAS could be the rare environmental issue that gets addressed this term.
The Anti-Social Century
Americans are now spending more time alone than ever. It’s changing our personalities, our politics, and even our relationship to reality.
How Trump Lost His Trade War
When the U.S. breaks its treaties, only China wins.
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.
America’s ‘Marriage Material’ Shortage
Adults are significantly less likely to be married or to live with a partner than they used to be.
10 Indie Films You Should Watch for in 2025
Conan O’Brien’s dramatic debut and a look back at To Catch a Predator rank among the standouts at this year’s Sundance Film Festival.
The Army of God Comes Out of the Shadows
Tens of millions of American Christians are embracing a charismatic movement known as the New Apostolic Reformation, which seeks to destroy the secular state.
Trump Advisers Stopped Musk From Hiring a Noncitizen at DOGE
The world’s richest man still relies on the president for his authority.
The Constitutional Crisis Is Here
If Congress won’t stop Donald Trump and Elon Musk from arrogating its power over federal spending, who will?
Dear Therapist: I’m Having an Affair and I’ve Never Been Happier. Should I Confess?
I feel incredibly guilty and am worried that if we come clean, we will lose the respect of our children and become pariahs in our community.
Photos of the Week: Mandarin Duck, Groundhog Day, Llama Race
Hot summer weather in Brazil, snowboarding in Colorado, protests against President Donald Trump and Elon Musk in several states, and much more
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.