Culture The Guardian

How to spot a perfect fake: the world’s top art forgery detective

As the prices commanded by landmark works and artists rise ever higher, so too does the sophistication of forgeries being produced to dupe collectors and institutions. A tip: it’s apparently far easier to copy a Modigliani than a Leonardo – at a recent exhibition of his work, 20 out of the 21 works on display were found to be counterfeits. This piece profiles the man said to be the very best in the field of science-led authentication.

Bloomberg Businessweek Society

What Happens When the Government Uses Facebook as a Weapon?

This piece profiles Maria Ressa, a Filipina journalist taking on President Rodrigo Duterte’s regime by examining its sophisticated use of social media to crack down on dissent. This work has apparently caused the regime’s bots and supporters to turn their attention to her. Her own detailed primer outlining the techniques she asserts are used by the regime is well worth a read too.

Politics The Verge

The Detonation Detectives

The James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies is an NGO that researches weapons of mass destruction. This is the story of how they traced, identified and analysed the recent North Korean missile launch that caused concern around the world.

Society The New Yorker

Doomsday Prep for the Super-Rich

If civilisation falls then many of Silicon Valley’s elite will be well prepared – this article meets some of those getting ready with ammunition, motorcycles, food supplies and other wheezes to survive the ensuing chaos.