The Long, Knotty, World-Spanning Story of String
The discovery of a spectacular 4,000 year old archaeological site in Egypt is the starting point for the history of the humble rope – “indispensable…for any civilization”.
A Shot To The Heart
The shocking story of Bryce Masters, who was tased for 23 seconds by a police officer in Kansas.
Where Slang Comes From
An absorbing data visualisation and analysis of how popular slang words of the last few years spark into life, come into fashion, and fade away.
Flat Earthers and the Psychology Behind Conspiracy Theories
The piece asks why conspiracy theories gain so much traction, and finds that good stories, and the clarity they offer, are at least part of the answer. The author asserts that conspiracy theories share the same attraction to us as science fiction narratives that find “pattern and meaning in this senseless racket of life”.
Selling Airborne Opulence to the Upper Upper Upper Class
A story about a man who sells private jets, and about society, and the global economy.
Eat, pray, live: the Lagos megachurches building their very own cities
They started as accommodation to support huge events, but have expanded to become highly desirable living quarters for the Lagos faithful.
Being Gay in Putin’s Russia
A 2014 piece examining repression and persecution taking place in Russia.
My Double Life as a KGB Agent
The story of Albrecht Dittrich, an East German chemist who spent years as a spy under the identity of Jack Barsky, a computer analyst working in Manhattan.
Breakfast In The Ruins
Destruction and regeneration at the ancient archaeological site of Palmyra over the last four thousand years of its history, from well before the Emperor Hadrian, to the present day barbarity of the Islamic State.