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The Mastermind

An apparently routine murder investigation in the Philippines fans out into an investigation of a global criminal overlord, The Mastermind.

Erik Prince In The Hotseat

Fans of the recent arms dealing escapades of Hugh Laurie in The Night Manager may enjoy this profile covering the latest shenanigans of Eric Prince, a man who is described in his Wikipedia as a philanthropist, but elsewhere has been called a neo-colonialist mercenary.

Big Man Walking

“Not many people change the world. Fewer still are thanked for it.” – Neal Ascherson reviews a biography of Mikhail Gorbachev, the last leader of the Soviet Union, who joined that small group when he helped to bring about its end.

The Sense of an Endling

A piece examining endlings, the final members of species, and human attempts to progress with something that was previously only referred to in science fiction novels – “De-extinction”.

Ruffled Feathers

The story of the conservation efforts dedicated to preserving the majestic whooping crane, and the unlawful killing of two of their flock.

ELLE on Earth

A journalist secures an interview for ELLE with the legendary and secretive head designer at fashion house Comme des Garons. Things go very wrong.

What Happens If China Makes First Contact?

Just as the US seems to be turning away from trying to make contact with extra-terrestrial life, China has built a huge custom radio dish for the very purpose. The author visits the dish, examines China’s long history of astronomy and reviews its current attempts to drive scientific innovation.

A New Theory for why Voters are so Angry – That Actually Makes Sense

An interview with a professor who researched a recent book through numerous interviews with people living in rural communities in Wisconsin. These conversations convinced her that while fact-driven policy did come into their electoral choices, it had far less impact than fundamental questions of identity, tied up in numerous issues, but boiling down to – “Who am I for, and who am I against?”.