Going underground: inside the world of the mole-catchers
A look at the surprisingly bitter infighting that exists in the mole-catching community. The profession has been in existence in the UK since the 16th century.
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.
Chasing the Phantom
A piece on the United States government’s investigation into Evgeniy Bogachev, a bank robbing hacker, and his possible involvement in the hacking activity during the 2016 US Election.
The Faithful
The story of two men who set out to convert their Catholic megachurch in Medellin, Colombia to Orthodox Judaism.
Ministry of Fun
A look at the ministry of Rich Wilkerson Jr, the pastor favoured by Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, along with other celebrity friends.
Sitting Up
A piece describing itself aptly as ‘A brief history of chairs’, looking at how different societies approach the act of sitting.
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?”.
The Refugee Detectives
A look at the work of Germany’s Bamf, the agency with the thorny task of deciding which refugees receive permission to remain in their country. They have many techniques at their disposal, some that can establish identity with little doubt, many more that can only offer “Hinweis” – a clue as to the truth of the story they’re being told.
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.