The Shell of a Dying Star
Day 6 of the 2025 Space Telescope Advent Calendar
How to Approach Even the Hardest Family Discussions
There’s a way to talk that doesn’t end in fighting.
Fallout From the Signal Report
Panelists joined to discuss Pete Hegseth’s tenure, and more.
The Mad Men Streaming Debacle Is a Strange Cautionary Tale
The show’s messy HBO Max debut reveals the quirks of ushering old shows into a new era.
By the Horns
Miriam Cabas is one of Spain’s few female bullfighters. What does her success mean for bullfighting, and for Spain?
Rage Bait Is a Brilliant Word of the Year
In the free market of language, the most innovative and incisive words win.
Putin Lives by a Code Trump Doesn’t Understand
Where Trump sees a deal, Putin sees submission.
The Origin of Hegseth’s Anti-Beard Obsession
The fierce opposition to facial hair is less about policy and more about memory.
Pete Hegseth Is Seriously Testing Trump’s ‘No Scalps’ Rule
Lawmakers are finally waking up to the problems the defense secretary has created.
Trump Campaigned on Affordability. Now He’s Calling the Idea a ‘Con Job.’
His messaging on the cost of living contradicts itself.
‘We Are Looking at a Massive Crisis’
Health-care costs are about to spike in a way that Americans can’t afford.
Atlantic Trivia on the Hittites, Hitchcock, Comics, and More
And did you know that hieroglyphics could be read from left to right or right to left?
Trump’s Security Strategy Is Incoherent Babble
But mixed in with the ranting are three valuable points.
The Vaccine Guardrails Are Gone
RFK Jr.’s allies are in full control of U.S. immunization policy.
Debate Your Favorite Books of the Year
No list can match everyone’s tastes. That’s a good thing.
The Father of Rhythm Guitarists
The late Steve Cropper laid a template for generations of rock-and-roll guitarists.
When Chatbots Break Our Minds
How big a problem is “AI psychosis”?
Colorful Stars of All Ages
Day 5 of the 2025 Space Telescope Advent Calendar
Is MAGA Becoming Pro-War?
Debate over Venezuela is dividing the Republican Party.
The Trump Lawyer Scandal Is About Something Much Deeper Than Legal Technicalities
The saga is emblematic of Trump’s most dangerous and self-serving tendencies.
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