ALEX PASTERNACK
A Brief History of Jeff Goldblum as Our Quirky Tech Pitchman
Somehow, the guy who played "The Fly" became the most reliable (and most drunken) tech pitchman.
How New York City Is Fighting Ebola Before It Even Arrives
At hospitals around the country, doctors are scrambling to prepare for Ebola, but nurses say they are still unprepared.
The Surreal Early Morning TV of 9/11, Just Before the Attacks
In the footage, it's hard not to see eerie foreshadows of the events about to unfold.
How a Tiny Tech-Powered Campaign Scared America's Most Powerful Governor
Zephyr Teachout and Tim Wu are a long shot, but they've already changed the game.
The James Foley Videos Worth Watching
It's worth remembering the late reporter for his motivation and dedication, not what ultimately happened to him.
Sometimes a Typo Means You Need to Blow Up Your Own Spacecraft
Mariner I, a bit of missing mathematical notation, and why more doom by tiny mistakes is in our future.
The Beautiful Record Made from Tree Rings
A tree's rings are like the grooves of a record, in that they contain information. Bartholomäus Traubeck took this simile to its conclusion.
How Challenger Exploded, and Other Mistakes Were Made
Torrents of big data can't stop mistakes—sometimes they make them more likely. The tragedy of Challenger, as with G.M. and others, was that some people had tried to stop it.
The US Argues It Must Destroy Key NSA Evidence to Protect National Security
The government's peculiar argument for deleting evidence of domestic surveillance: not deleting it could be a technological disaster.
The Astrophysicist of Tiananmen
In a China that was slowly, gradually opening up, Fang Lizhi's teaching had strayed from quantum cosmology and dark matter into more exotic territories like democracy and human rights.
The Giant Chinese Odor Dome, and Other Sad Ideas for Surviving Our Future Cities
To contain a terrible stench, a real estate company in the Chinese city of Hangzhou covered toxic land with a giant tent.
Bitcoin Is Boring, Which Means It Might Finally Be Useful
The exciting thing is what's underneath it: a giant spreadsheet.