“For three decades, a little-known group of ‘mitigation specialists’ has helped save death-penalty defendants by documenting their childhood traumas. A rare look inside one case.”
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Posted inEditor's Pick
A Flooded Quarry, a Mysterious Millionaire and the Dream of a New Atlantis
“An innovative mission on the Welsh border, funded by an anonymous private investor, has begun work to create a ‘permanent human settlement’ under the sea.”
Posted inNewsletter
Help Us Publish Stories That Outlast the Noise
We’re a home for stories that linger. In 2017, I reached out to Candace Rardon, a writer and artist whose watercolor sketches I’d admired for years. Up until that point, I’d only edited traditional essays for Longreads, but I wanted to experiment with illustrated personal narratives. We brainstormed a visual direction, and the final piece […]
Posted inEditor's Pick
Dark Matter
“Frank realized that people needed a way to talk about the messy topics often off limits in everyday conversation.”
Posted inEditor's Pick
Killer Train
“Brightline death toll surpasses 180, but safeguards are still lacking.”
Posted inEditor's Pick
I’ve Seen How the Neo-Nazi Movement Is Escalating. You Should Worry.
“After he committed to unmasking extremist groups in North Carolina and beyond, reporter Jordan Green got a first-hand look at how a movement known as ‘militant accelerationism’ operates.”
Posted inEditor's Pick
Are Memories Transferable — or Edible?
“In the 1960s, worm-training experiments and their strange implications captivated the nation.”
Posted inEditor's Pick
How Pronghorns Outran the Ice Age
“Can they outrun an uncertain climate future?”
Posted inEditor's Pick
Prediction Markets Let You Bet on Anything. I Bet Against My Own Husband.
“You can wager on war, elections, awards shows, reality TV, scientific progress, and—in the case of writer Carrie Sun—your own spouse. If you want to play, you have to wonder: Are you smarter than an inside trader?”
