War of the Words
How did an uninhabitable stretch of volcanic rock in the Caribbean become a hotly contested fantasy kingdom for self-proclaimed monarchs and writers such as Dylan Thomas and Ian McEwan?
The Spectacular Fall of the “Wife Guy”
Cheating scandals involving everyone from Adam Levine to Ned of the Try Guys are putting a crack in the carefully tailored “wife guy” aesthetic
OkCuAnon
A new dating app for right-wingers is less about loving tradition than it is about hating the libs
Access Denied
Quintessentially, the accounting-error-prone concierge company that once organized parties at Buckingham Palace, is reportedly facing a takeover
Selfies from Saudi
To rebrand from an oppressive regime to a luxurious cultural hub, the Saudi Arabian government is paying influencers to vacation in the kingdom
The Flight of the “Concordski”
The espionage and secret history behind the Soviets’ attempt to build their own Concorde
Perfecting Their Backhand
As the U.S. Open approaches, WOTs—the wives of tennis stars—are giving soccer’s WAGs a run for their money
The Great Leveler
Every year, tens of thousands of ordinary South Africans compete in the ultra-marathon called “the Comrades.” Millions of their countryfolk tune in
The Slowdown
A growing number of parents with autistic children are turning to an unconventional—and, in some places, unlawful—remedy
In Ukraine, the War Gets Very Personal
A new service promises to drop hand-inscribed missiles on Russian invaders
A Great Escape
It was difficult enough to smuggle girls who had been abandoned by the U.S. out of Afghanistan. Harder still to do it twice
Spinning Mushrooms into Gold
As psychedelics start to be taken seriously as a treatment for mental-health conditions, the worlds of loony mushroom-lovers and money-hungry investors collide
The Future Is Funny
Forget agents and grueling late-night-tour schedules, a new generation of comedians are reaching millions on TikTok
Spring Breakers, Italian–Style
The young European upper class’s version of spring break in Florida? Panarea in August
It’s Time to BeReal
Everyone under 22 is on it. Most people over 22 have never heard of it. Is the app billing itself as the “anti-Instagram” really any different from the rest of social media?
House and Gargoyle
With busts of Greek gods and gold-inlaid light switches, interior design for the modern autocrat is all about excess and intimidation
All the Write Moves
In the 19th century, a man living in present-day Liberia dreamed up the first script for his native language, changing how we think about the written word
Don’t Sweat It
Naomi Watts, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Mariella Frostrup are among the entrepreneurs who are making menopause look rather … sexy
Ticktock, the Clock Is Dead
She’s a former Abercrombie & Fitch model with a Ph.D. from Harvard on a mission to stop women from aging
Netflix and Bai Lan
In China, Instagram influencers and office over-achievers are out, and slackers are in
Are We There Yet?
After two years of limbo, the gap year is back. One hardened traveler offers up all the overly detailed, tried-and-tested advice your teen should know but will inevitably ignore
Gen X-Cash
Who carries actual money these days? Almost nobody young
Spite the Power
When Larry David invented “the spite store,” he meant it as a joke. But today the concept seems to animate most of American politics
Tricky Dicks
Influencers on the receiving end of explicit photographs are fighting back
