Putin Can No Longer Hide His Catastrophe
The Russian dictator has lost control of the narrative.
/media/img/mt/2026/05/CollegeBoos2/original.gif)
Illustration by The Atlantic* 
Illustration by Jonelle Afurong / The Atlantic. Source: Getty.
/media/img/mt/2026/05/2026_5_22_MillerLite/original.gif)
Illustration by Paul Spella / The Atlantic. Source: Getty. The Meanest Tradition in Entertainment
Celebrity roasts have become crueler in their style of comedy, and almost unwatchable.
Maureen Keating / CQ Archive / AP Barney Frank Was Like No One Else
He was the smartest man in the room, a rare attribute for a member of modern-day Congress
Mark Peterson / Redux Tulsi Gabbard Takes the Exit Ramp
Excluded from Trump’s inner circle, she sought the president’s approval by spreading baseless claims.
Illustration by The Atlantic AI-Writing Scandals Are Getting Very Confusing
What counts as an acceptable use of AI has never been fuzzier.
akinbostanci / Getty Don’t Put Too Much Pressure on Your Summer Vacation
There is no single right way to enjoy a family trip—but there can be a lot of expectations.
Illustration by Jared Nangle College Should Be Way More Fun
I’m not talking about keg stands. I’m talking about the joyous mysteries of intellectual life.
Eric Lafforgue / Hans Lucas / Redux The Ahmadinejad Option
The idea that Israel and the United States might back Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in a coup has drawn guffaws from several different groups.
Illustration by The Atlantic. Sources: Jason Davis / Getty; Anna Moneymaker / Getty. What Is Hunter Biden Doing?
The former president’s son tearfully met with Candace Owens, who once called him a “degenerate.”
Fox Photos / Getty 
William Keo / Magnum These Teens Got Therapy. Then They Got Worse.
The kids are not all right, and frustratingly, we don’t really know how to help them. (From 2023)
Mark Peterson / Corbis / Getty Pizza
“In a world of ready-made food, packaged to be tossed together by amateurs, pizza stands apart—one dish, at least, which calls for time and skill.” (From 1949)
Luke MacGregor / Reuters
Magazine
past issuesEnjoy unlimited access to all of The Atlantic’s journalism, in the print edition and online.
Podcasts
see all
Illustration by The Atlantic. Source: Dan Kitwood / Getty. radio atlantic•Episode 184Colleges Are at a Breaking Point
The AI job market has made tuition look like a dubious investment. But it only exposes the deeper identity crisis in American higher education.
John Hendry the david frum show•Episode 60Trump’s Iran War: America’s Loss Is China’s Win
Phillips O’Brien on the global fallout of Putin’s war in Russia, Trump’s war in Iran, and MAGA’s indifference toward Taiwan. Plus: Trump’s new slush fund and What Science Says About Astrology.
Illustration by Renee Klahr / The Atlantic galaxy brain•Episode 29How Dropout Cracked Internet Comedy
Sam Reich on building “better internet” and not “worse Netflix”
LIMITED SERIESAutocracy in America
There are authoritarian tactics already at work in the United States. To root them out, you have to know where to look.
Illustration by The Atlantic. Source: Getty. how to age up•Episode 6How to Age Up on a Warming Planet
Younger generations are having a hard time imagining their future.
/media/img/mt/2025/05/HTAU_episode_Template_climate/original.gif)
Latest
see all
/media/img/mt/2026/05/2026_5_22_MillerLite/original.gif)
/media/img/mt/2026/05/CollegeBoos2/original.gif)
Popular
see all
/media/img/mt/2026/05/2026_5_22_MillerLite/original.gif)
Scroll →
AI Watchdog
,,
Works Taken
Track the creative works that tech companies are using to train their large language models.
Search Now
Listen to award-winning podcasts and audio versions of our stories.
Explore Audio