“From murder scenes to whale blubber, Ben Giles has seen it – and cleaned it – all. In their stickiest hours, people rely on him to restore order”
longreads
Posted inEditor's Pick
‘I Love You Too!’ My Family’s Creepy, Unsettling Week with an AI Toy
“The cuddly chatbot Grem is designed to ‘learn’ your child’s personality, while every conversation they have is recorded, then transcribed by a third party. It wasn’t long before I wanted this experiment to be over …”
Posted inEditor's Pick
The New Hotness
The sport of aufguss, or competitive sauna, is full of surprises.
Posted inEditor's Pick
Madness on a Mountain: For 15 Years, My Mom was Trapped in a Mutual Psychosis
“She fell mysteriously ill while living in a remote cabin with my stepdad, and I suspected it was a cry for help. Then came the unexpected diagnosis: folie à deux.”
Posted inEditor's Pick
What’s so Great about Britain? 14 Very Modern Icons on the State of the Nation
“Emma Thompson, Andrew Garfield, Ian Wright, FKA Twigs, Anthony Joshua, Munroe Bergdorf, Brian Cox, Jade Thirlwall, Jason Isaacs, Ambika Mod, Will Poulter, Chloe Kelly, Amelia Dimoldenberg and yes – Mr Blobby – weigh in on what it truly means to be British in 2025.”
Posted inEditor's Pick
Stew Kids on the Block
“The rise of the stewfluencer is more than a TikTok trend. It’s a way of life.”
Posted inTop 5
The Top 5 Longreads of the Week
Recommending stories from Viola Zhou, Mina Tavakoli, Stephanie Krzywonos, Maggie Millner, and Joe Hagan.
Posted inEditor's Pick
Ocean of Influence: Inside the Celebrity Boat Trip That Was All Over Your Feeds
“The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection threw the mother of all influencer trips, featuring Tom Brady, Leo DiCaprio, Martha Stewart, and a hundred or so other A-listers. Vanity Fair climbed aboard…”
Posted inEditor's Pick
The Salacious Middle Ages
“Medieval people feared death by celibacy as much as venereal disease, and practiced complex sexual health regimens.”
Posted inEditor's Pick
Inside the World of “The Great British Bake Off”
“The show captures disastrous custard-making, quintessentially British faux-modesty, and the blistering hubris of bakers—including me.”