Independent journalism, reader supported
ClimateFeature
After three summers of flash floods, Eastvale is tearing up asphalt and planting rain gardens. The early numbers suggest the ground can do what the pipes can't.
By Priya Raman2 min read
What readers spent the most time with this week.
The Big Story
TechnologyFeature
Independent repair counters are busier than they've been in a decade. Their owners say the hardest part isn't the soldering. It's getting the parts.
By Maya Okafor2 min read
Stories worth your time this week, chosen by the desk editors.
ScienceFeature
Ten years of recordings from deep-sea microphones show shipping noise rising and whale songs shifting to fit around it.
By Daniel Reyes
The newest story from every desk.
TechnologyExplainer
Silent laptops used to mean slow laptops. That's no longer true. Here's how fanless designs work and who should still want a fan.
By Maya Okafor
A student-built satellite spotted a gas giant crossing a nearby star. Astronomers say the real story is how cheap planet hunting is becoming.
By Daniel Reyes
ClimateAnalysis
Batteries made from salt-like materials are now rolling off factory lines. They're cheaper and safer, but they won't replace lithium everywhere.
By Priya Raman and Owen Castellano
BusinessAnalysis
Companies that cut a day say productivity held steady. Payroll records from 300 firms show where that's true, and where the extra day quietly came back.
CultureFeature
A wave of small rental shops is opening in cities with plenty of streaming. Their customers say they're paying for something algorithms can't sell them.
By Hana Sato
PolicyExplainer
Repair laws are spreading, but they don't all say the same thing. Here's what they usually cover, what they leave out, and what to ask before you buy.
Arguments, explainers, and reviews.
ClimateAnalysis
Batteries made from salt-like materials are now rolling off factory lines. They're cheaper and safer, but they won't replace lithium everywhere.
By Priya Raman and Owen Castellano
PolicyExplainer
Repair laws are spreading, but they don't all say the same thing. Here's what they usually cover, what they leave out, and what to ask before you buy.
BusinessOpinion
Carmakers want monthly fees for features already built into the car. Drivers should refuse, and regulators should pay attention.
By Maya Okafor
CultureReview
There are no enemies and no timer. You carry a lantern across a flooded valley. It's the most absorbing thing I've played this year.
By Hana Sato