geopolitics
Elon Musk’s successful bid to take over Twitter has fragmented the internet along predictably partisan lines. But only time will tell whether this is a good or bad thing.
AI-generated photos, also known as synthetic media, are being used to create fake experts and journalists to spread disinformation.
U.S. nuclear power plants are built to survive external attacks. Even missiles or a commercial aircraft strike would not cause a meltdown or radiation leak.
To Vladimir Putin, a young KGB colonel at the time, the decision was a colossal mistake.
The results of a 2021 study suggest that the world’s most powerful psychedelic may be an underutilized peace-building tool.
While there is more to North Korean cinema than meets the eye, the country’s film industry ultimately amounts to little more than a mouthpiece for the ruling Kim dynasty.
“How can we live without our lives? How will we know it’s us without our past?” Steinbeck writes.
Javelin missiles have been an effective force multiplier, the latter-day equivalent of the sling that David used against Goliath.
Urinating in the direction of NATO’s staunchest opponent could cost you $350 or more. For world peace, aim wisely.
Russia has spent years exploring the viability of building a self-contained internet. It could soon become reality.
Spotty connectivity isn’t going to jeopardize Ukraine’s drone attacks.
Understanding the factors behind recent growth could help us better approach inequality.
Germany finds itself once again allowing a murderous dictator to run rampant in Europe, though this time it is due to incompetence and technophobia rather than malice.
The ranking is encouragingly diverse, with the top 10 featuring representation from five regions.
We pretend as if economic sanctions are a peaceful way to coerce others into behaving. In reality, they are a potent tool of modern warfare.
Memes communicate complex ideas quickly and efficiently, but that’s precisely what makes them so dangerous.
Any dataset that can be quantified over time can be turned into a contest that is both exciting and (a little bit) enlightening.
Recent geopolitical turning points, like Brexit and the 2016 U.S. presidential election, were chapters in a story that extends decades back in world history.
Some economists predict China’s economy will overtake the U.S. economy by 2028.
Russia’s cyberattacks against Ukraine have been prolific and ongoing for several years. The future of war may begin in cyberspace.
The rhetorical fallout is greater than the radioactive fallout.
Vladimir Putin adores Fyodor Dostoevsky. A close reading of the legendary author’s texts reveals the feeling might have been mutual.
The paradox of tribalism is that humans need a sense of belonging to be healthy and happy, but too much tribalism is deadly. We are one tribe.
In theory, history is the sum of everything that ever happened; in practice, it’s a story we tell ourselves to make sense of and justify our actions in the present.
Russia has long sought to erase the mere idea of Ukraine. But people like my grandmother, born in Druzhkivka, will not let Russia win.
The Bolsheviks may have created Ukraine’s current borders, but that doesn’t mean dismantling them is good for today’s Russia.
George Washington’s biggest battle? With his dentures, made from hippo ivory and maybe slaves’ teeth
Washington first took the oath of office of the president of the United States with just one natural tooth remaining.
America’s war in Southeast Asia is fading fast from memory. These maps offer a horrific reminder.
The U.S. has the world’s largest debt in absolute terms, but Japan’s is the largest when measured in terms of its debt-to-GDP ratio.