BRAND OF BROTHERS
How An Unlikely Hollywood Juggernaut Came To Rule Netflix
Meet Mark and Jay. They're brothers. That movie you like? They made it. Or were in it. Or financed it. Meet Hollywood's unlikely new juggernaut.
THE LONG-READER'S DIGEST
The Best Articles Of The Week, Summarized
In this week's edition of the Long-Reader's Digest: The man who has been flying the world non-stop for over a year, the USSR's incredible quest to map the world, and a failed West African coup group by a group of American citizens.
SATING YOUR HUNGER FOR AN ENDING
The New Hunger Games Trailer Is Here
If the trailer for "Mockingjay Part 2" is to be believed, the finale to the wildly successful series will be epic. Or maybe that's just the sweeping music. Either way, you'll probably go see it.
FOOD WE DIGG ǀ SPONSORED
The Best Way To Eat Your Vegetables
It’s prime vegetable season. And Blue Apron is here to help you make something wonderful with them. (And they’re giving you $20 off your first order)
'SAY NO TO PILLS'
Bill Cosby Once Made A Children's Record On A Subject He Knew A Lot About
Back in '71, Cosby put out an album called 'Bill Cosby Talks To Kids About Drugs,' and it went on to win a Grammy. The opening track warns children about the dangers of taking uppers and downers, which would be a valuable public service if it weren't a topic he's recently been revealed to be very familiar with.
IT'S A SNOOZE-FEST
A Cultural History Of Snoozing Through Incredible Events
Sleeping through momentous (and not so momentous) events isn’t unusual; in fact, it’s well-documented. Stories of improbably sound sleepers are a perennial favorite for news outlets and the act of snoozing through something is often deemed notable enough to score headline real estate.
DC IS DARK AND FULL OF TRAILERS
The Trailer For 'Zipper' Is Basically 'House Of Cards'
A ruthless man with secrets running for office with a strong woman (who you might recognize as Lena Headey, AKA Cersei Lannister) by his side probably pulling the strings... where have we seen that before?
CURSIVE ALGORITHM
This Post Was Handwritten By A Neural Network
Neural networks are computer programs that can be trained to follow a set of rules — like how to write by "hand." The future of forged signatures is here.
KTHXBAI
How To Escape A Bad Conversation
You're at a party. For the last 10 minutes, you've been making small talk with someone who, while not objectionable, is not the person with whom you'd like to spend the rest of the evening. So, how do you extricate yourself in a graceful manner?
MORE DETAILS EMERGING
Jail Where Sandra Bland Died Not In Compliance
There were two areas where the facility was in violation of state standards, according to a review by the Texas Commission on Jail Standards.
DON'T MOVE A MUSCLE
What It’s Like To Have Severe Sleep Paralysis
It didn’t happen every night, but every now and then, Blake Smith, a 45-year-old writer and programmer from Kennesaw, Georgia, would jolt awake, believing he was under attack.
'IS THERE ANYBODY ON MY SIDE?'
How The Horace Mann Sex Abuse Survivors Picked A Fight They Couldn't Win
After surviving one the most high-profile and long-running school sex abuse scandals in history, a group of 32 men and women banded together to seek solace and justice — only to find that public outrage, a star attorney, and overwhelming evidence are no match for a legal process stacked against even the most privileged or traumatized.
HE'S EVEN JACKIN' BEATS!
'The Nightly Show' Explains Why Trump Already Has The Black Vote
In terms of decorum, sure, Trump and Biggie have a lot in common.
DRAW YOUR SOUNDSABER
From Vrrrramp To Snikt: Exploring Sci-Fi's Most Iconic Movie Sound Effects
Sound effects have a history that resonates past the theater, becoming pop cultural tremors in and of themselves.
BREAKING
Japanese Newspaper Nikkei Buys Financial Times From Pearson For $1.29 Billion
Pearson earlier Thursday had confirmed it was in advanced talks on the possible sale of the London-based FT Group, which includes the Financial Times newspaper, but the potential buyer was not disclosed. Nikkei announced the agreement in an email to subscribers Thursday afternoon UK time.
SEAN PAUL ALREADY FIGURED THAT OUT
These Companies Claim They Can End Office Air-Conditioning Wars
What if your eight hours working inside were perfectly temperate, neither an over-air-conditioned tundra nor a sweaty reminder of the hellscape that awaits outside?
OH, JOY
Trump Threatens Third-Party Run
Donald Trump says the chances that he will launch a third-party White House run will “absolutely” increase if the Republican National Committee is unfair to him during the 2016 primary season.
A SCHOLAR OF VIROLOGY
I Went To Tyler Oakley's Slumber Party, And Found Out Why He Went Viral
Tyler Oakley is one of YouTubes biggest stars, maintaining a massive fan-base across generations and continents. Rae Votta tracked him down at one of his tour stops, or slumber parties as he's calling them, to figure out what's in his special internet sauce.
TO INFINITY
Our Digg Pic Of The Day
The Soyuz-FG booster rocket with the space capsule Soyuz TMA-14M is launched to the International Space Station from the Russian leased Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, in Kazakhstan, early Thursday, July 23, 2015.
THE HOT SEAT
The Movie Theater Vs The Couch: The War For Film
Every frontier eventually sees a conqueror and there can only be one.
GET HYPE
Evo 2015's Comebacks, Or The Growing Significance Of The Crowd In eSports
Crowds have always been a major element of traditional, physical sports, but the concept of an audience has only recently become as significant to digital games in the way we know it today.
A WHOLE NEW WORLD (OF BUSINESS)
How Outer Space Is Becoming The Next Internet
The future, thankfully, is in space. And tech companies are pouring billions to ensure that it is.
LEAVE ALL YE FAITHFUL
Is This The End Of Christianity In The Middle East?
ISIS and other extremist movements across the region are enslaving, killing and uprooting Christians, with no aid in sight.
CIRQUE DU SO LONG
Today's Best Animation: 'Duo'
Two aerialists are about to perform their last show, because their relationship is falling apart.
THE RED PLANETS
An Ancient Mine With Links To The Search For Life On Mars
Reportedly one of the oldest mines in the world, with evidence of the first mining taking place in 3000 BC, Rio Tinto mine has also been a useful site for astrobiology researchers.
THE WITNESS
How Filming Eric Garner Changed Ramsey Orta's Life Forever
One year after filming Eric Garner's fatal confrontation with police, Ramsey Orta's life has been upended.
THE GRAY LADY'S BOOK CLUB
What Does It Mean To Be A New York Times Bestseller?
For publishers, it means big exposure. For authors, it validates their popularity. For readers, it means that they’re in the know. But what is The New York Times Bestseller list? How does it work? How can something be an NYT Bestseller, but not necessarily a bestseller elsewhere?
HARVEST SEASON NEVER ENDS
The Quest For Climate-Proof Farms
Climate change is a major threat to food production, so researchers are working with farmers to make agriculture more resilient.
STEP 1: EXPOSE YOURSELF TO RADIATION
How To Get A Superhero Body
Superheroes come in all kinds of packages these days: comedians like Chris Pratt and Seth Rogen, ex-little guys like Robert Downey Jr. The latest bro-next-door to transform into a man of steel? Ant-Man's Paul Rudd. To which we say: If a goofball like Paul Rudd can do it, then why can't we?
A LATE EQUALIZER
'FIFA 16' Is Slowly Discovering The Existence Of Women's Soccer
The inclusion of women on FIFA covers represents more than a superficial change in how the game is marketed.
BOTS ORDERING BOTS TO KILL OTHER BOTS
In The War Of 2050, The Robots Call The Shots
An Army-sponsored workshop on the future of war produces a mashed-up vision of swarmbots, cyborgs, and technology run wild.
PHONING IT IN
The Unstoppable, Unbeatable iPhone
Even in an "off" quarter, it's undeniable: iPhone owns the premium phone market.
WHEEL-Y GORGEOUS
Probably The Most Beautiful Mountain Biking Video You'll Ever See
Watching a biker careen down the side of a mountain shouldn't be relaxing, but this sumptuously shot single-take of rider Brandon Semenuk from the film "unReal" is practically meditative.
WE'VE HEARD THIS SONG BEFORE
These Superhumans Are Real And Their DNA Could Be Worth Billions
Drug companies are exploiting rare mutations that make one person nearly immune to pain, another to broken bones.
COPS ARE A DRAG
Drag Racing — Against Cops
The lasers are already fixed on the side of Madison’s car. She revs her engine, sending plumes of white smoke swirling around her tires. A couple dozen faces look up at her from behind a row of overturned tires. To Madison’s left, Deputy John Littrell of the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Department raises his eyebrows at Madison from inside his Crown Victoria.
SHOOT FIRST, ASK QUESTIONS LATER
Is It OK To Shoot Down Your Neighbor's Drone?
First of all, damaging any flying robot is a federal crime. It doesn’t matter if it’s crashing your pool party or watching you in your skivvies through the skylight in your master bath.
COOL CUTE TO EAT
This Incredibly Complicated Sushi Roll Probably Doesn't Even Taste That Good
When the first step to making a sushi roll involves juicing a mango, something has gone terribly wrong.
NO, THEY DON'T 3D-PRINT THE PRINTERS
A Trip Inside MakerBot's New 3D Printing Factory
An inside look into how a tool of a maker gets made.
POULTRY RESOURCES
The Ancient City Where People Decided To Eat Chickens
An ancient, abandoned city in Israel has revealed part of the story of how the chicken turned into one of the pillars of the modern Western diet.
IT STARTED, OF COURSE, WITH MUSICAL THEATER
The Origin Story Of The AIDS Awareness Ribbon
Despite the gravity of the AIDS crisis, in the late 1980s there was little public acknowledgement of AIDS. A group of artists in Manhattan decided to change that.
A CASE FOR THE WORLD'S GREATEST DETECTIVE
Comic Conman: A True Crime Tale Of Comic Books, Corruption, And A $9 Million Vanishing Act
You don't see an "All Star Comics" #3 every day.
WHAT COULD GO WRONG?
How Brain Implants (And Other Technology) Could Make The Death Penalty Obsolete
Instead of killing someone who has committed a terrible crime, should we instead alter their brain and the way it functions to make them a better person?
GOOD JOB!
Your Penis Looks Great
It’s already been established that most women aren’t size queens. So what exactly do they look for in a dick? According to a recent Swiss study, not a whole lot.
HORSES OF A FEATHER PLAY TOGETHER
How Champion-Pony Clones Have Transformed The Game Of Polo
Perhaps the greatest polo player ever, Adolfo Cambiaso is planning to compete on a pony that died nearly a decade ago — a clone of his beloved stallion Aiken Cura. With more than 25 replicas of champion horses now in existence, Haley Cohen explores how the science came to polo.
YOU BUTTER BELIEVE IT
The History Of The Butter Burger
The butter burger is Wisconsin’s deliciously messy contribution to the burger canon. But what makes a butter burger?
DRIVING IN PLATFORMS
The Iconic Style Behind 'Clueless'
Perhaps more than the lines and the actors that delivered them, the clothes featured in Clueless made a lasting impact as well, making it not only a quintessential ‘90s movie, but a timeless cultural juggernaut as well — one that continues to speak to generation after generation.
OPEN UP THIS PIT... OF DISCUSSION
Why Do People Mosh?
While the history of this not-quite-dancing not-quite-fighting has been well documented, the reasons as to why people do it in the first place are a little elusive.
DOG DAYS OF SUMMER
Kid At A Baseball Game Struggles With The Concept Of A Hot Dog
This kids was out to see the Anaheim Angels, and absolutely no one, least of all his older brother, was willing to explain food to him.
ALL MEN
How To Tell The Difference Between All The Dudes Running For President
Now that 7,000 American men and several drunk farm animals have officially declared their candidacies for President, keeping track of them has never been more confusing or difficult.
THE KIDS OF 'KIDS'
Young Hipsters Review Old Hipsters
"I was curious what cool teens today would think about it all, so I found some at Pitchfork Music Festival to travel back in time with me and judge hip teens of the past."
'THIS IS FOR ALL THE VETERANS'
Lindsey Graham's Phone-Smashing Response To Trump
What should you do when some clown publicly gives out your phone number? Take the opportunity to score some political points right before buying a new phone, of course.
IDEAS HAVE TO START SOMEWHERE
Remember 'ReBoot'? This Was The First Promo The Creators Made To Pitch The Series
For its time, "ReBoot" — the first all-CGI tv series — was absolutely groundbreaking. This initial pitch, however, shows just how far the show came before it even premiered.
MEME EXPLAINED
How That 'Iridocyclitis' Vine Meme Started
Like several great memes before it, this one began at the Scripps National Spelling Bee, which has since its inception been ripe for rabid online ingestion via themes of humiliation, fear, and triumph of the adolescent spirit.
GUNS FOR HIRE
The Handgun Permit Wranglers Of New York
It's hard to get the go-ahead to legally own a gun in the Big Apple. These consultants tell their clients they’ll make it easier, for a fee.
A SPUDDING CUISINE
The French Fry Toppings Of The World
Fries are creating national identities and writing their own histories across the world. These are their stories.
SALAD DAYS ARE GONE
Enjoy Your Romaine — While It Lasts
The Salad Bowl of America has, so far, been immune to the California drought, but it's still operating on borrowed time.
BAD BLOOD
Taylor Swift Is Not Your Friend
What do we do with someone like Taylor Swift? White, rich, powerful, thin, and outwardly clueless to the ways in which she manipulates? I often have conversations with my female friends about the two sides of feminism: the complimentary, bestie feminism — the kind that Swift is currently selling — and the cutthroat, realistic, we-exist-in-this-male-world-too feminism, the kind that expects women to act to standards that have already been set for us, and to do so by acting better and stronger and in alignment with each other.
IM-PEART-ENT VIDEOS
Former Whitesnake Drummer Plays A Tribute To Rush On A Speedbag, For Reasons
Brian Tichy is a drummer, and he's played with Whitesnake, Foreigner, Billy Idol and Ozzy Osbourne. Apparently he also loves physical fitness and Rush.
THE THREAT OF CRISPR GENES
The Genesis Engine
We now have the power to quickly and easily alter DNA. It could eliminate disease. It could solve world hunger. It could provide unlimited clean energy. It could really get out of hand.
GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT
How Walking In Nature Changes The Brain
A walk in the park may soothe the mind and, in the process, change the workings of our brains in ways that improve our mental health, according to an interesting new study of the physical effects on the brain of visiting nature.
WHY IS EVERYONE SCREAMING?
The Social History Of Ice Cream
How a familiar frozen treat once got respectable folk all hot under the collar
