The Incredible Story of the Cartel Olympics
A Mexican athlete said he was kidnapped and forced to compete for his life in a tournament of gangs. But was he actually playing a different game?
What’s Going on With the IRS?
The Trump administration’s budget cuts are looming over Tax Day.
There’s Only One Reason to Cold Plunge
The practice has its benefits. Just not the ones wellness influencers are loudest about.
Atlantic Trivia for March 19, 2026: Gruesome Fairy Tales
Test your knowledge—and read our stories for a little extra help.
What Paul Ehrlich’s Fear of Scarcity Did to American Politics
Ehrlich’s lurid predictions of imminent planetary doom captivated the public, but they did not come true.
The Celebrity Clock Is Getting Rewired
Stars can stay relevant for longer than ever now.
There’s No Way the American West Will Have a Normal Summer
This week’s record-breaking heat dome augurs badly for the months to come.
The New Infidelity
Micro-cheating includes all sorts of internet behavior that, to many people, might just seem innocent.
Are They Still Your Friends if You Never See Them?
The friendship crisis of American men
The Seinfeld Theory of Fiction
Annoying characters let us admit that we might be annoying too.
Trump Is Kicking the Economy While It’s Down
How the war with Iran could lead to a recession
Israel Is Missing Its Big Chance in Lebanon
The Lebanese are furious with Hezbollah, but Israel keeps giving it more reasons to fight.
Trump Is Betraying Iran’s Pro-Democracy Protesters
He toyed with their hopes, raising expectations he never meant to fulfill.
The Lesson of Tulsi Gabbard’s Flip-Flop
The existence of war skeptics in a president’s Cabinet is not a valuable indicator of how that president will act.
Maybe Turning War Into a Casino Was a Bad Idea?
A disturbing new low in the Polymarket era
Atlantic Trivia for March 18, 2026: Remember Lycos? Me Neither.
Test your knowledge—and read our latest stories for a little extra help.
Photos: Birds in Early Springtime
Recent images of some of our fine feathered friends at work and at play in the warming Northern Hemisphere
Why Britain Is Saying No to Trump’s Iran War
Alastair Campbell on the end of the U.S.-U.K. “special relationship.” Plus: Why Democrats in Congress cannot ignore their duty, and The Director, by Daniel Kehlmann.
The Iran War’s Next Threat Is to Food and Water
A prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz could unleash a humanitarian crisis.
A New Level of Vaccine Purgatory
A judge suspended the CDC’s vaccine advisory committee but also said that the agency should be consulting it before making recommendations.