The Cheery Oracle of the American Abyss Laura Miller
No one ever was, or ever will be, like David Lynch.
TikTok Was Better Than Any Other App at One Thing in Particular Scaachi Koul
TikTok was the ultimate vehicle for transmuted grief, joy, and beauty.
A Former Morning Show TV Host Will Be Secretary of Defense David Plotz, Emily Bazelon, and John Dickerson
Pete Hegseth fails at the Capitol but Republicans will graduate him to the Pentagon
In L.A., We’re Breathing the Ashes of Other People’s Homes. It’s Tragic—and Toxic. Isabelle Kohn
The flames may be dying out, but for many people in L.A. the burn is only just beginning.
My Kid Suddenly Refuses to Fly Zak Rosen, Lucy Lopez, and Elizabeth Newcamp
Plus: join the internal rage club.
TikTok Users Are Flocking to a Chinese Social Media App. Here’s Why They Might Stick Around. Steffi Cao
Banning TikTok might not curb China’s tech influence—it might just make it trendier.
Uh, Should I Be Worried About That Study That Links Fluoride to Lower IQs? Gideon Meyerowitz-Katz
Let’s take a close look at the science.
Severance Deserves Better Than Apple TV+ Alex Kirshner
The best sci-fi show on TV returns, but it’s trapped on a platform no one’s watching. <img src="https://compote.slate.com/images/788e03d9-f13d-4973-9a79-dc13b4b5f276.jpeg?crop=1560%2C1040%2Cx0%2Cy0&width=1920" title="Severance Deserves Better Than Apple TV+” />
Restaurants Are Charging Top-Shelf Prices for Nonalcoholic Drinks. That’s Not a Bad Thing. Morgan Hines
Because “Let’s grab a drink” is about more than the alcohol.