The White House has confirmed that Russia has been using ballistic missiles provided by North Korea in Ukraine. / The Hill
House Democrats claim during Trump's presidency his businesses took in at least $7.8 million from foreign entities—similar to what Republicans allege against Biden. / CBS News
A set of theories for how the US brought down inflation without, as many economists predicted would happen, triggering unemployment. / Noahopinion
Whether AI will meaningfully change photography comes down to—among other quandaries—whether photography is intended as a depiction of truth. / The New York Times [+]
Paul Ford: “If the current narrative holds—if AI is victorious—well, liberal arts types will be ascendant.” / WIRED
On the likelihood of the “Zoo Hypothesis,” which posits that extraterrestrial civilizations exist, they just don't want us to know that. / Universe Today
Probably related: Twenty-one species were removed from the US endangered species list in 2023 because they are now presumed extinct. / The Guardian
New books about slime, a misunderstood substance that is everywhere, and that never fails to produce a visceral response in humans. / Los Angeles Review of Books
“I paused longer and longer each time. Disabled? I was … less able. To do things. Than I'd been. For now? I clicked 'no, uncertainly.” Tom Scocca's medical unraveling. / Intelligencer
Crosswords are a uniquely American innovation, and at more than a century old, the puzzles' stalwart US-centricity is in serious need of reconsideration. / The New Yorker
“The rise of McCartney's reputation at the expense of Lennon's over the last few decades has something to do with the way popular music has become a less crucial part of youth culture.” / The New Left Review
“Oh, this is unlocking something I didn't know about the gay experience.” Why 2023 was a landmark year for onscreen gay male sex. / GQ