Why Simple Is Smart
Complicated language can send a signal that a writer is dense or overcompensating.
What Schwarzenegger Knows About George Washington
The former California governor is the latest to recognize that the most remarkable thing about the first president was not how he exercised power, but how he yielded it.
The Most Mysterious Cells in Our Bodies Don’t Belong to Us
You carry literal pieces of your mom—and maybe your grandma, and your siblings, and your aunts and uncles.
RFK Jr. Is Noticeably Quiet About a MAHA Obsession
The health secretary has no plan for addressing the country’s sleep problem.
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 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.
Your Professional Decline Is Coming (Much) Sooner Than You Think
Here’s how to make the most of it.
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 AI Birthday Letter That Blew Me Away
Google is ushering in an era of custom chatbots.
America Is Watching the Rise of a Dual State
For most people, the courts will continue to operate as usual—until they don’t.
Trump’s Only-Okay Economy
He hasn’t crashed it, but he hasn’t made it great either. That’s a problem.
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?
The Type of Love That Makes People Happiest
When it comes to lasting romance, passion has nothing on friendship.
‘Success Addicts’ Choose Being Special Over Being Happy
The pursuit of achievement distracts from the deeply ordinary activities and relationships that make life meaningful.
A Writer Who Slows Down the Speed-Reader
Culture and entertainment musts from Ashley Parker
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.
Baby Boomers’ Luck Is Running Out
After a lifetime of good fortune, the generation has become vulnerable at exactly the wrong moment.
Is My Electric Fan Going to Kill Me in My Sleep?
Concerns about “fan death” in Korea are unfounded, but persist because of the power of belief.
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 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.
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