Category Culture

Save this storySave this storySave this storySave this story Ryosuke Yoshii (Masaki Suda), the thirty-year-old central character of the mesmerizing Japanese thriller Cloud, is happiest when he’s sitting in front of a computer. Some people would understand that, but Yoshii—slim,…

Save this storySave this storySave this storySave this story For nearly two decades, Justin Bieber’s music has taken a backseat to his popularity. For many, he’s become a Kardashian-like figure whose songs can be heard in places of bad taste:…

Save this storySave this storySave this storyYou’re reading Infinite Scroll , a weekly column by Kyle Chayka about how technology shapes culture. The other day, on a weekday, I sent an Instagram message to a friend of mine, a New…

The demise of Washington, D.C.’s oldest tree invites contemplation on the lifespan of America itself. Credit: Tayfun Coskun/Getty Images Loading the Elevenlabs Text to Speech AudioNative Player… Nearly a year ago, the most ancient tree in Washington, D.C., toppled unexpectedly.…

Save this storySave this storySave this storySave this story In August of this year, Tasha Marks was organizing her own unique version of time travel in a windowless room at the British Library in London. Marks is a perfumer who…

Save this storySave this storySave this storyYou’re reading the Goings On newsletter, a guide to what we’re watching, listening to and doing this week. Sign up to get it sent to your inbox. In anticipation of summer travel, we asked…

Save this storySave this storySave this storySave this story Lorde is modern pop’s greatest debunker and its greatest mystic. It’s a contradiction that’s permeated her work from the start. “We’re not dependent on your love,” she declared on 2013’s Royals,…

Save this storySave this storySave this storySave this story We all have our own unique cinematic triggers, certain images that evoke a sense of disgust. I instinctively close my eyes when confronted with a character rushing to chop food, which…

Save this storySave this storySave this storySave this storyYou are reading Open Questions , a weekly column by Joshua Rothman where he explores the essence of human existence. What do you read, and why? A few decades ago, these questions…

Save this storySave this storySave this storySave this story A Möbius strip, a surface with one continuous side, is usually created by cutting a long, narrow sheet of paper and joining the ends with a half-turn. The strip has no…