Crazy/Genius: Is Online Dating Destroying Romance?
Two sociologists debate the merits of online dating and discuss their research on the history of romance in America.
People Are Changing the Way They Use Social Media
Posts are getting less personal—and privacy breaches like Cambridge Analytica could be partly to blame, an Atlantic survey finds
The Icelandic Families Tracking Climate Change With Measuring Tape
Volunteers who have been monitoring glaciers for generations are firsthand witnesses to a warming Arctic landscape.
Gambling Channels Are the Latest Victims of YouTube's Arbitrary Moderation Process
"This is my full-time job. You spend so many years to build it up and they can just erase it with one button."
How Bad Is Facebook’s New China Problem?
A Chinese tech giant with connections to the government appears to be among Facebook’s partners in a data-sharing program.
A Defense of the Suburbs
An architect immerses himself in residential production housing to learn why people like it—and what it can teach Americans about the future of urban design.
How the Gas Oven Changed Humans’ Relationship With Fire
The ability to turn flames on and off at will was “one of the single greatest contributors to human happiness in the kitchen.”
The Unequal Geography of the Gig Economy
Solving rural poverty in Arkansas will take more than odd jobs from smartphone apps.
Satellite Images Can Harm the Poorest Citizens
In Ho Chi Minh City, computer analysis of orbital images overlooks some urban communities. To represent them, cities will have to put boots on the ground.
How Instagram Threads Became the WikiHow for Gen Z
How does a Google-averse generation figure out how to deal with acne, fake friends, and boy trouble? On Instagram, of course.
What We Know About Facebook’s Latest Data Scandal
A new report raises questions about just how much Facebook data phone manufacturers could access.
Why Do People Sign Yearbooks?
Commemorative class books evolved from practical notebooks into collections of hair clippings, rhyming couplets, and “have a great summer” wishes. An Object Lesson.
The Death of a Gig Worker
An SUV killed Pablo Avendano as he picked up jobs for the food-delivering app Caviar. Who is responsible?
Porn’s Uncanny Valley
The San Fernando Valley was once the bedroom community of the adult industry. Now technology hopes to disrupt traditional pornography—and the city it calls home.
Unfortunately, the Electric Scooters Are Fantastic
But can they succeed despite their essential dorkiness?
Crazy/Genius: Are Smartphones Ruining Our Lives?
We ask psychologists and authors if smartphone and social media usage has triggered a national health crisis — and what we can do to free ourselves from the allure of modern technology.
Memes Are Becoming Harder to Monetize
The online joke cycle moves too fast now for e-commerce businesses to keep up.
Why No One Answers Their Phone Anymore
Telephone culture is disappearing.
When Did TV Watching Peak?
It’s probably later than you think, and long after the internet became widespread.
The Radical Preacher of Palo Alto
A pastor who resigned after tweeting scathing criticisms of liberals in Silicon Valley proved too leftist even for California.