Why Does the Pandemic Seem to Be Hitting Some Countries Harder Than Others?
by Siddhartha Mukherjee
While the virus has ravaged rich nations, reported death rates in poorer ones remain relatively low. What probing this epidemiological mystery can tell us about global health.
Living in New York’s Unloved Neighborhood
by Rivka Galchen
A nameless section of Manhattan resembles the nineteen-seventies city that’s been romanticized in the movies. But do we really want to live in “Taxi Driver”?
The Race to Dismantle Trump’s Immigration Policies
by Sarah Stillman
Trump transformed immigration through hundreds of quiet measures. Before they can be reversed, they have to be uncovered.
A Kenyan Ecologist’s Crusade to Save Her Country’s Wildlife
by Jon Lee Anderson
To get her fellow-citizens to care about threatened animals, Paula Kahumbu became a TV star.
Among the Insurrectionists
by Luke Mogelson
The Capitol was breached by Trump supporters who had been declaring, at rally after rally, that they would go to violent lengths to keep the President in power. A chronicle of an attack foretold.
How El Anatsui Broke the Seal on Contemporary Art
by Julian Lucas
His runaway success began with castaway junk: a bag of bottle caps along the road. Now the Ghanaian sculptor is redefining Africa’s place in the global art scene.
The Holiday Crossword: Century 21
by Caitlin Reid and Robyn Weintraub
A crossword toast to auld lang syne.
What Did You Accomplish in Line for a COVID Test?
by Jeremy Nguyen
The Fiftieth Anniversary of “Feliz Navidad,” the Simplest Song Ever Written
by Michael Schulman
José Feliciano looks back on the nineteen-word Christmas song, which he wrote in ten minutes and recorded in a single take.
Why Do We Still Love “The Office”?
by Sarah Larson
The show’s enduring popularity, even during lockdown, says a lot about the place where we used to spend most of our time.