As we consider the year gone by, a curated list of exceptional long-form articles emerges. Such accounts explore complex subjects ranging from geopolitical machinations and scientific revelations to profoundly human stories.
The Mysterious Writer and the Conscience of a Country
A certain Russian novelist gained prominence in the post-Soviet era with scathing satires on power. While many of his writer contemporaries have faced suppression or fled the country, he still sell millions of copies. This prompts a pressing query: Has he become an defender for the establishment?
Survival and Complicity in Syria's Brutal Conflict
The tale of Mustafa, who at eighteen was informed that his sole route to escape incarceration was to enlist in the regime military. After fourteen long years, his former role as one of Assad's soldiers could still cost him his life.
A Bitter Dispute Over Our Ancient Beginnings
The discovery of fossilised bones in the Chadian sands in the early 2000s was heralded as fundamentally re-writing the narrative of our species. But, a faction was in agreement. The resulting heated argument has taken over the lives of researchers ever since.
A British Cult That Operated in the Open
Philippa Barnes was just a child when her family joined the Jesus Fellowship. As an grown woman, she helped expose the appalling scale of exploitation it had perpetrated.
A Prime Minister's Puzzling Stance on Human Rights
A great many supporters hoped that the prime minister would renew the the nation's dedication to human rights. Yet, the performance over the past year has been curiously mixed.
Challenging a Country's Identity
A documentary following a repentant master criminal as she records unscrupulous clients with hidden cameras poses difficult questions: Is this person really a new person, and what are the director's own intentions?
A Man Who Decontaminates Britain's Most Traumatic Stains
From crime scenes to whale blubber, Ben Giles has seen – and dealt with – everything. In their stickiest hours, people depend on him to bring back peace.
Can an Iconic Museum Endure an "Multifaceted Crisis"?
Beset by colonial controversy, precarious finances and the exposure of an insider theft, the UK's number one museum is in deep trouble. The question remains: Is it possible to salvage its legacy?
More Than "Pregnancy Nausea": The Agony of Severe Pregnancy
Referred to as hyperemesis gravidarum and once labeled 'dangerous sickness' by the 19th century, this condition has for centuries been without an reliable treatment remedy – up until possibly now.
A Legacy of Radicalism in Modern Politics
A militant extremist and early advocate of bigotry, a rabbi died a marginalized pariah thirty-five years ago. In the present day, his teachings influence the highest echelons of the state.
An English Gentleman With a Fraudulent Secret
With his sharp mind and impeccable credentials, it's no surprise that affluent clients trusted him with their fortunes. Until they started to get suspicious.
A Tiny State That Emerged as the Global Mediation Center
An astonishingly rich Gulf state has transformed into a significant force on the world stage, striving to solve some of the most complex disputes. What are driving this ambitious endeavor?
A Inside Look at a President Gearing Up for Global Battle
Extremely unpopular at domestically, President Macron relishes the international stage, where he projects himself as the statesman most equipped to manage a certain sitting US president. Seven years after their last meeting, a writer joined him as he readied himself for battle.
Inside the Court Case of a Heartbreaking Story
How did the daughter of an aristocrat find herself at the a major court with her companion, charged with killing their two-week-old baby?
An End of a Major Development Organization: Not Universal Regret
When efforts were made to wind down a major US development organization, many around the globe were surprised. But on the ground in a West African nation, this most recent letdown was far from unexpected.
A Shocking 1960s Experiment on South Asian Women
When details about a scientific study in the sixties became public, there was immense outrage. But the exact truth of the procedures remains partially shrouded.
A "Genius" of the Attention Economy
He's spent a full day in slime, two days buried alive – and distributed vast sums of cash to selected participants. But are these videos simply very savvy clickbait – or works of avant garde brilliance?
Life in a Nation Endangered by the Rising Seas
With sea levels rising, much of Tuvalu's residents is confronting the possibility that their islands may soon be submerged. The urgent question is: To where are they going to relocate?
A Sorrowful Case of Youth Homelessness
When I encountered Craig he was thirteen and without a home. Even then believed his life might turn around. That hope was devastatingly misplaced.
A Global Artificial Intelligence Race and a Key Defection
In 2020, after living half his life in the United States, a leading AI scientist took a permanent move to China. Now, he might possess the key to which nation wins the global AI race.
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