Unfathomable: How Much We Don't Know About the Ocean
A brief reflection on our surprising ignorance, past and present, about the underwater world.
The Divided States of America, in 25 Charts
Six in 10 Americans believe the nation is more fragmented that it was during Vietnam, Watergate, and the Great Depression. Happy Fourth of July.
American Values Survey, 2013
The Atlantic and the Aspen Institute polled 2,000 people on the degree to which the nation is united or divided.
One Nation, Divisible
Our annual American Values Survey finds that the country is badly polarized -- and the blame falls squarely on our political leaders.
His Big Idea: Yo-Yo Ma
A world-famous cellist lobbies to change the way we think about STEM.
Lawrence O'Donnell on How to Be Successful on Cable News in Prime Time
The MSNBC host says that his business is the broadcast analogue to the New York Times op-ed page.
A Sneak Peek at the American TV News Network Al Jazeera Is Building
An idealistic plan for the future of tv journalism -- and a skeptic who swears it will never work.
That One Time Karl Rove Imitated Bill Clinton
Everyone wants to take a turn as the former president. Even Bush's former brain.
Stay Away From 'Digital Pixie Dust'
And other lessons from entrepreneur gurus Steve and Jean Case
India and Pakistan's Relationship, According to Space
The divide between the two countries, as seen from low-Earth orbit
This Octopus's Camouflage Is Almost Unbelievable
Witness nature's closest thing to an invisibility cloak
Her Big Idea: Malala Yousafzai
According to this young activist, educating one girl can change everything.
The Most Dangerous Threat to the World Is ... Collective Psychosis in Pakistan?
Yikes. Islamabad's former ambassador to the United States has a provocative frame for a nuanced analysis of his home country.
How We Name the Things We Find on Mars
Hint: it can involve ... theme weeks.
Karl Rove: Here Are the 2 Tactical Fails That Cost Romney the Election
The GOP strategist says he tried to signal to the Romney campaign that it should change course, but they didn't follow his lead.
Former Bush Speechwriter: The GOP Needs Shock Therapy on Immigration
Michael Gerson argues that "an element of the party has set out to positively alienate the Hispanic community."
Rand Paul Is a Savvier Politician Than Karl Rove Would Prefer
The Kentucky Senator was the surprising focus of an Aspen Ideas Festival panel on the future of the Republican Party.
A Quick Catalog of Thought-Leader Hand Gestures
You know you want to be caught in Katie Couric's gaze.
The Curious Relevance of the Gilded Age
Let's capture the best of Ida B. Wells, W.E.B. Du Bois, Alexander Graham Bell and more.
When We're Looking for Life on Other Planets, What Exactly Are We Looking For?
Answering some of the biggest questions about our universe requires us to be a little bit self-centered.
Unsexy Ways to Cut Defense Spending
Now is not the time to retrench, says Michèle Flournoy.
Arianna Huffington Implores You: Stop Taking Bright Devices Into the Bedroom
She's talking about tablets, smart phones, iPods -- anything that is backlit. The light can significantly diminish your ability to sleep.
What Careerist Americans Can Learn From Ike, Dorothy Day and Jimmy Buffett
For some, intense work should eventually give way to introspection. Other people should just chill out immediately.
Things You Might Not Know About Aspen
The source of a famous chunk of precious metal, the temporary home of a notorious criminal, and the object of a great Jim Carrey reference
The Case Against Universal National Service
Everyone has an obligation to give back, but a one-size-fits-all program could never be implemented justly.
Flying Cars, Divided America, and the Future of TV: Aspen Ideas Festival 2013
Hunting for big ideas in the Roaring Fork Valley
Dumb Questions Good: Science Journalists, Ask About the Basics
Cassandra Willyard's smart advice for technical writers (or anyone, for that matter)
Speed Chess Changed My Brain
Mastering the three-minute game saw improved skills in unexpected places, from poker to planking.
So Technology Changes the World? What World?
The pleasures and challenges of capturing -- accurately -- technology's impact on our lives
Actually, the Humanities Aren't in Crisis
Has there ever been a moment in American life when the humanities were less cherished? Yes. That would be 1985.
Is Obesity Really a Disease?
The relationship between health and body weight is not as straightforward as the American Medical Association might have us believe.
The Distributed Future of Manufacturing: Think Ikea, Minus the Furniture
A start-up called AtFAB sends customers the files for its designs, which can then be built at a local maker shop.
The Wait We Carry: Using Data Visualization to Capture America's Failure to Take Care of Its Veterans
Some 600,000 veterans have seen their disability-benefit claims founder unanswered for more than 125 days.
Caffeine: For the More Creative Mind
Does caffeine "cramp creativity"? It shouldn't. More likely the opposite, if you do it right.
Must Every New Coming-of-Age Novel Be 'the Next Catcher in the Rye?'
For decades, reviewers and readers have eagerly compared works of fiction about young people to J.D. Salinger's 1951 classic—which is more apt in some cases than in others.
The Revolt of the Global Middle Class
Here's what protests in Turkey and Brazil have in common.
Can Democrats Win Back the Deep South?
It may be less far-fetched than you think, at least according to a new crop of activists who are trying to turn back the Republican tide in America's reddest region.
Why Is It So Hard to Hire Great People?
Inside the messy art (and questionable science) of predicting stars at Google, the NFL, and the NBA
Women Are More Likely Than Men to Be Engaged in Their Jobs
It's not clear why, but it may be because women tend to have more flexible work arrangements.
3D Printing: Not Every Hobby Turns Into the PC Industry
Despite the massive increase in hype, 3D printing's growth rate has hardly changed in recent years.
The Discovery of What It Means to Be a Man
What I learned about the so-called "masculinity crisis" as I transitioned from female to male
How Reading Makes Us More Human
A debate has erupted over whether reading fiction makes human beings more moral. But what if its real value consists in something even more fundamental?
What the Digital Brains of the Future Might Be Like
An entrepreneur and long-time neuroscience hobbyist attempts to merge his two loves.
The Electronic Future of Cigarettes
Aiming for a tobacco-free society is myopic. Embrace the safer alternative.
Innovation: The History of a Buzzword
In the 17th century, "innovators" didn't get accolades. They got their ears cut off.
The Incarceration Epidemic
About one-fourth of all incarcerated people on Earth is in the U.S. That constitutes a public health problem.
Sleep Deprivation in Hospitals Is a Real Problem
Simple changes can make recovery more restful, and better overall.
Has the U.S. Passed Peak Car?
A new analysis suggests we may have. Here's why you should still be skeptical.
PRISM Is Bad for American Soft Power
We need a real debate on how much privacy we're ready to sacrifice in exchange for security.
What Does 'American' Actually Mean?
In Latin America, "American" means anyone from the American continent. U.S. citizens claiming the word are considered gauche or imperialist. So what's the solution?