Going Viral
A piece studying the profound impact of social media on healthcare emergencies.
The Last London
The author Iain Sinclair traverses the city, records what he sees and considers what has been before.
An education in terror
A piece relating the experiences of former IS recruits living in Europe and the military and ideological education they received when living in the caliphate.
A tale of decay: the Houses of Parliament are falling down
The iconic building of the British state is in a state of serious disrepair. It caught fire forty times in a four year period, and the list of required repairs is mind-boggling. Yet the way to deal with this increasingly pressing concern is not at all clear.
Oscar-Zero: Notes from a Nuclear Tourist
A detailed tour of a Minuteman III Launch Control Center and the missileers tasked with ‘turning the key’ in the event of nuclear war.
Trapped: The Grenfell Tower Story
A powerful and moving piece describing the horror of the Grenfell Tower fire through the experiences of a firefighter and a resident who survived the night.
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”.
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.