The Atlantic

A Waste of 1,000 Research Papers

Decades of early research on the genetics of depression were built on nonexistent foundations. How did that happen?

No One Is Prepared for Hagfish Slime

It expands by 10,000 times in a fraction of a second, it’s 100,000 times softer than Jell-O, and it fends off sharks and Priuses alike.

The Dark Psychology of Social Networks

Why it feels like everything is going haywire

How Life Became an Endless, Terrible Competition

Meritocracy prizes achievement above all else, making everyone—even the rich—miserable. Maybe there’s a way out.

Workism Is Making Americans Miserable

For the college-educated elite, work has morphed into a religious identity—promising transcendence and community, but failing to deliver.

On Chandler Bing’s Job

Twenty-five years ago, <em>Friends</em> anticipated a time that would both romanticize and mistrust the culture of work.

The Peculiar Blindness of Experts

Credentialed authorities are comically bad at predicting the future. But reliable forecasting is possible.

Call Them What They Wants

As more English speakers adopt the singular <em>they</em> and reject the gender binary, resisters will have to accept that language changes over time.

An Extraordinarily Expensive Way to Fight ISIS

The tale of a bombing raid in the Libyan desert, pitting stealth bombers and 500-pound bombs against 70 ragtag fighters

The Real Roots of American Rage

The untold story of how anger became the dominant emotion in our politics and personal lives—and what we can do about it.

Why We Forget Most of the Books We Read

... and the movies and TV shows we watch

Why Are Young People Having So Little Sex?

Despite the easing of taboos and the rise of hookup apps, Americans are in the midst of a sex recession.

What It Takes to Be a Trial Lawyer If You’re Not a Man

In more than a decade of arguing cases in court, I’ve witnessed the stubborn cultural biases female attorneys must navigate to simply do their jobs.

My Family's Slave

She lived with us for 56 years. She raised me and my siblings without pay. I was 11, a typical American kid, before I realized who she was.

Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation?

More comfortable online than out partying, post-Millennials are safer, physically, than adolescents have ever been. But they’re on the brink of a mental-health crisis.

How Irving Langmuir Thought He Could Harness Hurricanes

Irving Langmuir’s ill-fated attempts at seeding storms showed just how difficult it is to control the weather.

Trofim Lysenko, the Soviet Era's Deadliest Scientist, Is Regaining Popularity in Russia

Trofim Lysenko’s spurious research prolonged famines that killed millions. So why is a fringe movement praising his legacy?

The Nationalist's Delusion

Trump’s supporters backed a time-honored American political tradition, disavowing racism while promising to enact a broad agenda of discrimination.

Constant Anxiety Won't Save the World

Spreading fear and worry about issues you care about on social media can lead to burnout rather than action.

The World Might Be Better Off Without College for Everyone

Students don't seem to be getting much out of higher education.