The Clam That Sank a Thousand Ships

The remarkable story of the shipworm, a wood eating mollusk that has plagued mariners for hundreds of years, and has had a resurgence due to a variety of factors including the large quantities of debris washed out to sea by the 2011 Japanese tsunami.

Arron Banks: The Man Who Bought Brexit

A profile of the unique character who ploughed £7.5m into the campaign to leave the EU. He has now set his sights on a broad populist democratic movement to take on what he sees as the flawed and corrupt democratic institutions governing the UK.

Did Jesus Have a Wife?

A hotly contested papyrus that refers to Jesus’ wife sent shockwaves through academic circles when it was discovered. Questions rapidly arose as to its authenticity, and investigations ended up in some very unexpected places. http://www.bit.ly/atlantic-jesus

Inside the Binge Factory

A behind the scenes look at how Netflix went from “a digital warehouse for other conglomerates’ intellectual property”, to producing “more television than any network in history”. A de-centralised commissioning structure, data, and a relentless focus on growth are three of the key ingredients.

Looking For Tom Lehrer, ComedyÕs Mysterious Genius

This piece goes in search of a genius who went to Harvard aged 15, wrote comic songs that were a huge hit and with which he toured the world, then almost entirely vanished from the stage. Talking to People magazine in 1982, as ever he had the best words to describe some of what had changed “Things I once thought were funny are scary – now I often feel like a resident of Pompeii who has been asked for some humorous comments on lava.”

In Conversation: Quincy Jones

Quincy Jones is fantastically indiscreet in this interview, covering everything from his relationship with the Trumps, to Michael Jackson’s alleged theft of songs and The Beatles’ lack of musical talent.

What Putin Really Wants

A piece looking at Russia’s global influence that seeks to counter the common perception that Vladimir Putin is an all-seeing strategic genius, instead characterising him as a “gambler who won big” with his highly successful electoral meddling.