How Tucker Carlson Lost It
By Alex Shephard
He once craved responsibility and tried to give a right-wing audience real news. They didn’t want it. And he adjusted with a vengeance.
The Chilling Popularity of Anti-Vax Deathbed Videos
By Eleanor Cummins
Why are so many people drawn to stories and videos of the unvaccinated dying of Covid-19—and, at the final moment, wishing for the vaccine?
The Incoherence of American History
By Osita Nwanevu
We ascribe too much meaning to the early years of the republic.
The Myth of Regenerative Ranching
By Jan Dutkiewicz and Gabriel N. Rosenberg
The purveyors of “grass-fed” beef want you to believe that it solves meat’s environmental problem. But this is merely a branding exercise, not a climate solution.
How Bill Gates Impeded Global Access to Covid Vaccines
By Alexander Zaitchik
Through his hallowed foundation, the world’s de facto public health czar has been a stalwart defender of monopoly medicine.
The Radical Young Intellectuals Who Want to Take Over the American Right
By Sam Adler-Bell
They hate the establishment. They want to destroy the system. Meet the illiberal upstarts trying to remake conservatism.
The Troubled Insurance Sales Firm Behind Those Joe Namath Ads for Medicare Advantage
By Joanna Robin
Benefytt Technologies has been shaking off lawsuits and regulators for years. It’s now peddling Medicare Advantage plans to seniors—where if someone picks a subpar plan, the results can be disastrous.
The End of Friedmanomics
By Zachary D. Carter
The famed economist’s theories were embraced by Beltway power brokers in both parties. Finally, a Democratic president is turning the page on a legacy of ruin.
The Rise and Fall of an Herbal Viagra Scammer
By Matthew Hongoltz-Hetling
An internet huckster got rich selling a sex enhancement supplement named Stiff Nights. Then the FDA sampled his wares.
The Madness of Naomi Wolf
By Liza Featherstone
The Beauty Myth author has gone from being a feminist icon to an anti-vaxxer banned by Twitter. But she’s always struggled with the truth.
Our Best Podcast Episode of the Year
Rats on the Brain
By The Politics of Everything
In the pandemic, reports of rat sightings have risen dramatically. But is it all in our heads?
