The Atlantic Out Loud

The Super Bowl headliner doesn’t care if you understand his lyrics. By Spencer Kornhaber From the ⁠⁠⁠⁠February 2026 issue⁠⁠⁠⁠. Get more from your favorite Atlantic voices when you subscribe. You’ll enjoy unlimited access to Pulitzer-winning journalism, from clear-eyed analysis and insight on breaking news. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Curious about the impact of government cuts, Alexandra embarks on a quirky self-monitoring adventure. She buys a Geiger counter and attempts grassroots weather forecasting from a hot-air balloon. Visiting a Maryland farm, she inspects raw milk safety, while also using field-economist tactics to track egg prices in D.C. Her journey reveals the pressing gaps left by federal services, leading her to question the balance between government and individual responsibility in ensuring public safety and innovation.

America went to extraordinary lengths to throw off the rituals and titles of monarchy. Why would we fall for royal trappings today? By Jake Lundberg From the ⁠⁠⁠⁠February 2026 issue⁠⁠⁠⁠. Get more from your favorite Atlantic voices when you subscribe. You’ll enjoy unlimited access to Pulitzer-winning journalism, from clear-eyed analysis and insight on breaking news. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What we learn by tracing rebellions from Africa to the Americas By Laurent Dubois From the ⁠⁠⁠⁠February 2026 issue⁠⁠⁠⁠. Get more from your favorite Atlantic voices when you subscribe. You’ll enjoy unlimited access to Pulitzer-winning journalism, from clear-eyed analysis and insight on breaking news. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How Donald Trump tried to ground NASA’s science missions By Ross Andersen From the ⁠⁠⁠⁠February 2026 issue⁠⁠⁠⁠. Get more from your favorite Atlantic voices when you subscribe. You’ll enjoy unlimited access to Pulitzer-winning journalism, from clear-eyed analysis and insight on breaking news. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

January 6, five years later By Jamie Thompson From the ⁠⁠⁠⁠February 2026 issue⁠⁠⁠⁠. Get more from your favorite Atlantic voices when you subscribe. You’ll enjoy unlimited access to Pulitzer-winning journalism, from clear-eyed analysis and insight on breaking news. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A colloquial translation of Paradiso might make people actually read it. By Eric Bulson From the ⁠⁠⁠⁠February 2026 issue⁠⁠⁠⁠. Get more from your favorite Atlantic voices when you subscribe. You’ll enjoy unlimited access to Pulitzer-winning journalism, from clear-eyed analysis and insight on breaking news. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The movement claims to stand with the police. Trump’s decision to pardon the cop-beaters of January 6 exposed his movement for what it is. By Jeffrey Goldberg From the ⁠⁠⁠⁠February 2026 issue⁠⁠⁠⁠. Get more from your favorite Atlantic voices when you subscribe. You’ll enjoy unlimited access to Pulitzer-winning journalism, from clear-eyed analysis and insight on breaking news. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dive into the intriguing nuances of Nabokov's 'Lolita' and Jeffrey Epstein's misguided interpretation. Explore how Epstein's penchant for superficial readings leads to a misapprehension of the novel's true literary depth. Discover the irony of Humbert Humbert as a comedic self-parody, showcasing the disconnect between the character's self-image and reality. Lastly, witness the stark contrast between the novel's moral undertone and Epstein's own life choices, revealing layers of irony that resonate with the text.

A fast-growing Filipino chain is serving burgers and chicken that seem like typical American fare—until you taste them. By Yasmin Tayag From the ⁠⁠⁠January 2026 issue⁠⁠⁠. Get more from your favorite Atlantic voices when you subscribe. You’ll enjoy unlimited access to Pulitzer-winning journalism, from clear-eyed analysis and insight on breaking news. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices