The Unknowable Miley Cyrus
The singer has been raunchy, folksy, psychedelic, Disney-clean. On her new album, “Bass Persuades,” she disappears onto the dance floor.
Lena Dunham’s “Famesick” Is a Cautionary Tale of Filmmakers Doing TV
In chronicling the making of “Girls,” Dunham’s memoir reveals the cost of moving from the freedom of independent filmmaking to the corporate demands of television.
Why the Houthis Are Saudi Arabia’s Problem
The U.S. opted not to intervene as Yemen’s Houthi rebels seized a major choke point for Saudi oil shipments on the Red Sea.
Should the Classroom Be More Like the Gym?
As A.I. presses harder on the academic enterprise, we might look to a place where process is its own reward.
Israel’s Qatargate Scandal
Did Benjamin Netanyahu’s aides peddle influence to a foreign power?
The Moon has a New Once-in-a-Century Crater
The lunar surface is more dynamic than you might think The post The Moon has a New Once-in-a-Century Crater appeared first on Nautilus.
The “Most Complete” Mastodon Tooth Ever Found
Peering 10,000 years into the past The post The “Most Complete” Mastodon Tooth Ever Found appeared first on Nautilus.
What the Kennedy Center’s Tax Return Reveals
A previously unseen filing captures the state of the institution seven months after Donald Trump’s takeover.
The Rise of Parasite Authors
First, AI stole their books. Now it’s stealing their readers.
Grandmaster Flash on “Birth of a Culture”
The d.j. explains how he worked out some of the turntable innovations that led to hip-hop as we know it, and why the Furious Five’s biggest hit was the beginning of the end.
This Stray Cat Turned Out to Be the First New Cat Species Discovered in Over a Century
It was living on a diet of rice, noodles, and eggs The post This Stray Cat Turned Out to Be the First New Cat Species Discovered in Over a Century appeared first on Nautilus.
Malcolm Gladwell on “The American Way of Killing”
The New Yorker staff writer examines America’s unique problem with gun violence, and why he thinks under-policing is at the root of our problem.
The New Lucy Letby Report Misses the Point
The Thirlwall Inquiry looked at why the nurse wasn’t prevented from murdering babies. But it didn’t address the question of whether she had actually done so.
Muscle Loss is a Big Warning Sign of Dementia
But obesity has a more complicated relationship with the disease The post Muscle Loss is a Big Warning Sign of Dementia appeared first on Nautilus.
City Rats Are Going on Birth Control
Contraceptives are kinder than poison.
Why a Sea-Lion Epidemic Is a Bad Sign for Humans
Animals that bridge the human world and the wild can be uniquely perilous to human health.
Africa’s AI Opportunity
The global AI revolution is often portrayed as a Sino-American race to develop the most advanced frontier models. But the greatest economic prize most likely will be found in deploying practical intelligence, particularly in Africa’s young, dynamic, and fast-growing economies.
Is This Massive New Study on the Benefits of Whole Grains Part of the “War on Protein” RFK Jr. is Ending?
When it comes to whole grains and health, a new analysis suggests the more the better The post Is This Massive New Study on the Benefits of Whole Grains Part of the “War on Protein” RFK Jr. is Ending? appeared first on Nautilus.
The Political Earthquake From Germany’s China Shock
For decades, Germany’s stability rested on an implicit bargain: high-value manufacturing would provide good jobs, strong export revenues, and broad-based prosperity, which political institutions would translate into social cohesion. Competition from China shakes that bargain to its foundations.
When George W. Bush Defended Muslim Americans
The former president spoke highly of Islam after 9/11—a posture that MAGA has abandoned.
Stopping the Far Right’s Rise
Leftists insist that what is behind the far right’s recent gains, from Europe to Central and South America, is economic precarity. Far-right leaders know better, winning elections or gaining support despite embracing very different economic policies.
You Have Two Brains, Not One
Being of two minds may be more than just an idiom The post You Have Two Brains, Not One appeared first on Nautilus.
Neil Young’s Epic Reckoning With Mortality
The rock legend has stayed prolific into old age, and his new album, Second Song, is a minor landmark.
Does Claude Have Rights?
Given the many differences between brains and LLMs, claiming that an AI is or might be conscious requires a high bar of evidence. But Anthropic’s constitution for Claude brushes that caveat aside, suggesting that we attribute sentience to non-biological beings.
A Congress for Europe’s Future
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's recently proposed Congress of Europe is a step in the right direction, given the scale of Europe's geopolitical challenges. But to succeed, it must address the shortcomings that have hampered similar efforts in the past.
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The Sheep That Stop Wildfires
Herds of livestock are munching through overgrown, hard-to-reach vegetation that could otherwise become fuel for firestorms.
Why China Isn’t Getting Existential About A.I.
China’s fears about the technology are increasingly distinct from those of the U.S. What does that mean for international coöperation?
A Never Trumper and a Democrat on Beating MAGA for Good
Sarah Longwell’s “How to Eat an Elephant” and Adam Jentleson’s “Supermajority” grapple with how to defeat Trumpism.
Cosmic amnesia
A black hole rings like a struck bell, then settles into silence, forgetting almost everything about its history. Why? - by Richard Dyer Read on Aeon
New York Film Festival’s World of Cinema
Also: the punk-rock ruckus of Bikini Kill, New York City Ballet’s fall season, the Australian solo comedy “Garry Starr: Classic Penguins,” and more.
Can Adaptation Accelerate Climate Action?
After a summer of apocalyptic headlines, a new survey finds that people across the political spectrum are deeply concerned about preparing for the effects of global warming. The adaptation imperative may end up being the kind of crisis that forces us to stop neglecting the green agenda and act at the necessary scale.
Jon Ossoff Is Doing Something Different
What does that mean for 2028?
Trump’s Iran Sanctions Have a China Problem
US President Donald Trump is trying to pressure the Iranian regime by isolating it from the dollar-based financial system. But because Iran’s oil trade largely moves through Chinese banks and renminbi-based networks, those sanctions increasingly depend on financial institutions beyond American control.
RFK Jr.’s Brazen Reassurance to Anti-Vaxxers
“You have friends in the White House,” he said at a conference hosted by the anti-vaccine organization he founded.
Buttigieg: Democrats Need to Get Serious About Amending the Constitution
The former transportation secretary spoke with The Atlantic’s editor in chief about what comes next for Democrats should they win big in November.
Humpback Whales Grieve for Lost Offspring, Video Evidence Shows
Behavior we’ve never seen before The post Humpback Whales Grieve for Lost Offspring, Video Evidence Shows appeared first on Nautilus.
There’s a Neurological Basis for “Pregnancy Brain”
And it’s temporary The post There’s a Neurological Basis for “Pregnancy Brain” appeared first on Nautilus.
Dinosaur Eggs Have Never Been Discovered This Far South Before
Researchers are hypothesizing how a clutch was kept warm The post Dinosaur Eggs Have Never Been Discovered This Far South Before appeared first on Nautilus.
What We Lost When Big Tech Took Over the Classroom
Natasha Singer’s book “Coding Kids” tracks how public schools were bewitched by private corporations, setting the stage for the ed-tech backlash of today.
Is Beef the Next Internal-Combustion Engine?
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., eats it every day, but more Americans, faced with rising prices and another climate warning, might want something else for dinner.
‘The Best Thing That Happened to Him Was Losing in 2020’
Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan explain how the four years between Donald Trump’s first and second terms changed the presidency.
How Do You Read Ancient Charred Scrolls? Make Your Own
A new technique could unlock the secrets of the Herculaneum scrolls The post How Do You Read Ancient Charred Scrolls? Make Your Own appeared first on Nautilus.
Getting Good
On a dark, gray day in October 2025, the first dozen attendees of the Effective Altruism Global conference make their way to the Sheraton Hotel just north of Times Square in New York City. The post Getting Good appeared first on The Point Magazine.
The New Yorker’s Coverage of the 2026 National Book Award Fiction Nominees
Marlon James, Louise Erdrich, Edwidge Danticat, and more.
When AI Stops Asking Permission
The most useful lesson from this summer’s breach of Hugging Face by a swarm of OpenAI agents is about architecture, not intentions. AI agents need protective layers—limited access, separate authorization for sensitive actions, records nobody can quietly edit, and outside testing before deployment—not a lecture about good behavior.
Seeking a Trippy Placebo
Blinding clinical trials for psychedelic medicines has been notoriously difficult The post Seeking a Trippy Placebo appeared first on Nautilus.
Are Mexicans Really Better Off Under Claudia Sheinbaum?
For two consecutive years, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has pointed to reductions in extreme poverty to argue that Mexicans are better off today than they were in 2018. But a more holistic look at the available socioeconomic data casts doubt on that rosy picture.
The Story of Walking Upright is Written in the Bones of Our Ancestors
How we learned to stand on our own two feet The post The Story of Walking Upright is Written in the Bones of Our Ancestors appeared first on Nautilus.
The 2026 National Book Awards Longlists
The New Yorker presents the longlists for Young People’s Literature, Translated Literature, Poetry, Nonfiction, and Fiction.
The UN’s Credibility Test
Effective multilateralism depends on institutions that are transparent, accountable, and able to enforce their own rules. The United Nations should lead by example, from how it selects its next secretary-general to how it plans to ensure that governments follow through on their climate commitments.