A Guide To Heartbreak
Net Neutrality, Explained
Matt and Maht, experts from the Federal Communications Commission, break down the issue ahead of the agency’s vote.
A Critic at Large
What if the Attention Crisis Is All a Distraction?
From the pianoforte to the smartphone, each wave of tech has sparked fears of brain rot. But the problem isn’t our ability to focus—it’s what we’re focussing on.
By Daniel Immerwahr
Mini Crossword
The Mini Crossword: Friday, January 24, 2025
Action that starts a football play: four letters.
By Mollie Cowger
Infinite Scroll
What Happened When an Extremely Offline Person Tried TikTok
In 2016, I went viral for telling people to quit social media. In 2024, I ignored my own advice.
By Cal Newport
Crossword
The Crossword: Tuesday, January 21, 2025
Comrade of Porthos and Aramis: five letters.
By Aimee Lucido
The Political Scene
Why Is the Mastermind of Trump’s Tariff Plan Still Sitting at Home in Florida?
Robert Lighthizer, the former U.S. Trade Representative, lost his bid to rejoin the White House, but he still believes the President’s protectionist instincts can jump-start American manufacturing.
By Benjamin Wallace-Wells
Annals of Inquiry
What an Insomniac Knows
What’s really going on when you can’t power down?
By Adam Gopnik
Profiles
Lorne Michaels Is the Real Star of “Saturday Night Live”
He’s ruled with absolute power for five decades, forever adding to his list of oracular pronouncements—about producing TV, making comedy, and living the good life.
By Susan Morrison
The Sporting Scene
The End of “END RACISM” in the End Zone
In the same week it was revealed that the slogan would be missing from the field at the Super Bowl, the N.F.L. commissioner defended the league’s diversity efforts.
By Louisa Thomas
The Food Scene
Lundy’s and the Risks of Restaurant Revivals
An iconic Brooklyn seafood spot is back, after a fashion.
By Helen Rosner