“I learned about the data center as soon as the scrappy sign was erected. I was thrilled to see something new; my drive hasn’t changed much in three years. I was less thrilled for Pine Island, which has, like many rural Midwestern towns, become an unlikely microcosm of the AI debate.”
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Posted inTop 5
The Top 5 Longreads of the Week
In this edition: gambling’s grip, a story of plumes and poachers, bemoaning American tourists in Rome, a magical history tour, and a fake poultry flinger.
Posted inEditor's Pick
The Outlaw Tradition of Noodling for Catfish
“The secretive, centuries-old outlaw tradition of noodling reaches its peak every summer at a Lake Tawakoni tournament with the kings of catfish.”
Posted inEditor's Pick
The Mars Delusion
“Establishing a human colony on Mars is fraught with risk. Why are so many people obsessed with achieving it?”
Posted inReading List
Dimes, Dunks, and Devotion: A Basketball Reading List
Seven essays that go beyond the box score.
Posted inEditor's Pick
A Strange Continent
“An English expat returns home and unfolds his Brompton bike.”
Posted inEditor's Pick
Homeward Bound: On Pigeon Racing
“They flap their wings as fast as they can until they disappear over the horizon—all heading toward Chicago, all heading home.”
Posted inEditor's Pick
Inside the Enhanced Games, Where Athletes Compete on Steroids. And Growth Hormones. And Adderall.
“Most drugs are banned in the world of elite sports, but not here. In this competition—backed by Peter Thiel, Donald Trump Jr., and Saudi royalty—the athletes are guinea pigs. And if those backers have their way, you’re next.”
Posted inEditor's Pick
The Bone Rush
“Dinosaurs have become an asset class for billionaires. And the market is about as orderly and genteel as a starving T. rex.”
Posted inNewsletter
Finding Strength in What’s Routine (and Our Top 5)
It’s a small miracle, I think, to experience a shift in perspective toward empathy. Being intentional about it is a small risk, a small assignment if you will, with the potential for a modest but meaningful personal reward.
