Business, Science & Tech
Why Corrupt Bankers Avoid Jail
Prosecution of white-collar crime is at a twenty-year low.
The Latest
Vote for Ugly
Scientists and philosophers have long recognized the existence of a so-called beauty premium. But can homeliness pay, too?
Maryam Mirzakhani’s Pioneering Mathematical Legacy
The publicity-averse Mirzakhani, who died Friday, is the only woman ever to win the Fields Medal, math’s highest honor.
Are New York Taxis Such a Bad Investment?
The city’s cabs are under threat from Uber and other ride-hailing apps, but they could have a future.
The Strange Defense of Martin Shkreli
Whatever lines Shkreli crossed, his defense team seems to suggest, he should be excused if his investors ultimately ended up making money in the process.
The Wall (of Reeds) that the Border Patrol Would Like to Tear Down
How tiny wasps are part of the effort to eradicate an invasive grass that lines the Rio Grande—and serves as a hiding place for border crossers.
Spotlight
How to Travel Like a Millionaire
The credit-card-rewards guru the Points Guy insists that we’re in a “golden age” of travel—if you know how to game the system.
Are New York Taxis Such a Bad Investment?
The city’s cabs are under threat from Uber and other ride-hailing apps, but they could have a future.
What the Enron E-mails Say About Us
Scholars have spent years analyzing the corporation’s vast digital archive. What have they discovered?
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Video
Wet Paint
Why are there are so many “Wet Paint” signs in the subway? Henry, a Belgian expat, investigates.
On the Job
The Hardworking Immigrant Who Made Good
After a few interviews in which I saw my interlocutor flick his eyes over my résumé and register that I had no relevant experience, I decided to start lying.
The Work You Do, the Person You Are
The pleasure of being necessary to my parents was profound. I was not like the children in folktales: burdensome mouths to feed.
Brush Clearing with Teen-Age Boys in Arkansas
I was management—tasked and poorly paid to get down among ’em and impart the skills of swing-blade, of scythe, of axe and hatchet.