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The Currency of the Journal Article Is Collapsing

As an editor I can say that we are being flooded with AI-assisted work.

The Nobel Prize Winner Who Thinks We Have the Universe All Wrong

Cosmologists are fighting over everything.

Forget Grit

Even the luminaries of the self-help genre have begun to recognize how little in life we can actually control.

The State Department Is in Disarray

It hasn’t received as much scrutiny as some parts of the Trump administration, but its personnel decisions reflect both disturbing ideas and general incompetence.

Redistricting Isn’t Going as Republicans Planned

A North Carolina Democrat is trying to keep his seat in a district that’s been redrawn twice.

Where No Man Has Gone Before

The late actor exemplified the wisdom and sophistication of his most famous character, Jean-Luc Picard.

The Variety Bag Has Ruined Halloween

Corporate consolidation and changing tastes have made kids’ holiday hauls boring.

Just Noting That Your Candy Corn Is Made of Bug Secretions

Sorry!

A Very Bad 24 Hours for Crypto

The aftershocks of two hacks on Binance and Polymarket have rippled across digital finance.

The Gestures We’ve Forgotten

Time and change have obscured certain gestures, such as cranking a machine or dialing a rotary phone, but we can still rediscover them.

The Real Threat of Election Interference

Experts worry that Donald Trump could use claims of foreign meddling as a pretext for seizing control.

How Elon Musk Turned on Ukraine

No reliable alternatives exist to Musk’s satellite network, and Ukraine cannot survive for long without it.

Why Wouldn’t Google Tell Me Who Won the 2020 Election?

The world’s most popular AI tool dodged a consequential question.

How American Girl Doll Lost Its Way

At 40, the brand faces a midlife crisis.

What Horror Films Have to Say About God

Scary movies may appear irreverent or profane—but many of them are deeply interested in theological questions.

The Internet Might Need to Be Rebuilt From Scratch

Bank hacks, power grids, and AI’s Black October

When a Movie Hinges on a Kid’s Performance

Directors are taking new pains to protect young actors, but many of the perils of early stardom are out of their control.

Photos of the Week: Surfing Devil, Sheltered Owl, Fresh Snowfall

Sheep herding in central Madrid, Halloween displays in California, scenes from Brazil’s general election, autumn colors in China, and much more

I Gave Myself Three Months to Change My Personality

The results were mixed.