Michael Shermer: Conspiracy Thinking, Wokeness, and the Future of Free Thought
The founder of Skeptic magazine discusses whether conspiracy thinking is on the rise and whether it's coded right or left.
Science & Technology
President Donald Trump Pardons Silk Road Founder Ross Ulbricht
Fulfilling a campaign promise to libertarians and the bitcoin community, the Silk Road founder's life sentence without parole is now over.
The Tech Bros Love Trump Because the Democrats Pushed Them Away
What Elizabeth Warren has achieved.
TikTok Is Back Online as Trump Proposes Nationalizing It
While pledging to postpone the ban by executive order, the incoming president said the government should have a 50-percent ownership stake in the app.
Hours After Going Dark, TikTok Is Back
The popular video app restored service in the U.S. after President-elect Donald Trump promised to postpone a federal ban.
These Lawmakers Actively Use TikTok Even After Voting To Ban It
With just hours to go before it is set to shut down, many senators and representatives are still posting on the app they claim is too dangerous for the rest of us to use.
SCOTUS Rules in Favor of TikTok Ban as Some Supporters Realize It's a Bad Idea
"I cannot profess the kind of certainty I would like to have about the arguments and record before us," writes Justice Gorsuch.
Why Donald Trump Made a Deal To Free Ross Ulbricht
A second chance for the creator of the dark web drug site the Silk Road might be coming…from an unlikely savior.
Biden's Farewell F-You to Elon Musk
The president opposes the tech "oligarchy" because it has stopped listening to him.
Does the SEC Have the Authority To Regulate Digital Art?
In a federal lawsuit, artists say their nonfungible tokens should be treated like physical art.
So…Is TikTok Really Getting Banned?
The Supreme Court appears poised to uphold a ban on the app, but many creators aren't so sure.
A Scary Government Report Implies That Moderate Drinking Is Manifestly Reckless
The focus on the health risks of alcohol consumption gives short shrift to the reasons people like to drink.
The Best of Reason: 'The Constitution Is Not a Suicide Pact'
How a 1949 Supreme Court dissent gave birth to a meme that subverts free speech and civil liberties.
Yes, Mark Zuckerberg, You Can Shout 'Fire' in a Crowded Theater
Anyone discussing free speech should at least try to get this right.
"Regulation of Algorithms" Panel at Federalist Society Faculty Conference,
featuring Prof. Saurabh Vishnubhakat (Yeshiva), Profs. Gregory Dickinson (Nebraska), Prof. Christina Mulligan (Brooklyn), Dhruva Krishna (Kirkland & Ellis), and me.
TikTok Took a Beating at the Supreme Court
Justice Neil Gorsuch criticized "the government's attempt to lodge secret evidence in this case." Still, things look grim for the app.
Trump's Latest Defeat Is One of Many Decisions That Suggest SCOTUS Won't Rubber-Stamp His Agenda
Despite some notable wins, the president-elect's overall track record shows he cannot count on a conservative Supreme Court to side with him.
Facebook's New Free Speech Policy Shows Business Getting Back to Business
It’s the latest company to step back from dangerous alliances with political factions.
An Urgent Meeting of the Fact-Check Legion of Doom
Mark Zuckerberg has had it with these people.
Regulations Are Driving Up Ride-Sharing Prices in Washington, D.C.
City code protects incumbent transportation services by outlawing independent drivers.
Biden's Infrastructure Bills Leave a Legacy of Big Spending and Little Payoff
The outgoing president's signature legislative achievements spent tens of billions of dollars with little to show.
Zuck Finds His Spine
Plus: The new manifest destiny, California wildfires, Canada's immigration troubles, and more...
Why We Are Still Arguing About the Health Effects of Moderate Drinking
The evidence is vast but open to interpretation because observational studies are inherently ambiguous.
The Best of Reason: The Improbable Rise of MAGA-Musk
Is Elon Musk a reactionary with a defective bullshit meter or the best part of the second Trump administration?
Mark Zuckerberg Was Right To Fire Facebook's Rogue Fact-Checkers
"The fact-checkers have just been too politically biased," says the Meta CEO.
Stop Overprotecting the Children, Say Courts in Tennessee and California
Courts block laws regulating algorithms and online porn.
A Rancher Cloned a Giant Sheep. The Feds Jailed Him for Allegedly Risking Ecological Disaster.
Federal prosecutors said creating hybrid animals is "unnatural," yet the practice is common in the game industry.
"There Is, Technically, No Snail Darter," But the Snail Darter Still Delayed the Tellico Dam
A case study in how the Endangered Species Act encourages the politicization and distortion of science.
Bernie Sanders Is Still Wrong About Immigration
The Vermont senator criticized the H-1B guest worker program, drawing praise from the most toxic elements of the MAGA movement.
Sixth Circuit Rejects FCC's Open Internet Order as Inconsistent with Statutory Text
The unanimous panel has little difficulty concluding the FCC sought to exercise authority it did not have.
The European Commission Wants You To Use USB-C Forever
Product differentiation is instrumental to technological innovation.
Photo: The Disappearing Satoshi Nakamoto Statue
An Italian bitcoin enthusiast pays homage to the person or people who started the cryptocurrency revolution.
The Best of Reason: Bidenomics Goes Out With a Whimper
There's a good reason Biden eventually stopped saying Bidenomics. Americans didn't like the results of his economic policies.
Moderate Drinking Linked to Lower Overall Mortality Rate, Says National Academy of Sciences
So let's all enjoy a moderate toast to a Happy New Year!
2024's Most Undercovered Stories
Surely 2025 will be a freewheeling romp, right?…Right? Happy New Year!
The 2024 Campaign Was an Embarrassment for Elite Media
Journalists increasingly see their job as protecting their preferred candidates, not asking tough questions.
Can Nativists and Dynamists Coexist Within Trump's MAGA Coalition?
An ongoing online debate over visas for highly skilled foreign workers is revealing a fissure that might define Trump's second term.
Byrne Hobart: What happened to progress?
Finance and tech writer Byrne Hobart discusses how bubbles are a good thing, overcoming stagnation, and the religiosity of space exploration.
A San Francisco Coder Built a Musical Surveillance System
With a name inspired by a controversial police surveillance technology, Bop Spotter scans the streets for ambient tunes.
Glucose Monitors Are Finally Available Over the Counter
Over-the-counter continuous glucose monitors empower consumers with valuable health insights without the need for a doctor’s prescription.
Disrupting IVF? Baby Born From Egg Matured Outside of Mother's Body.
The process "reduces the duration of treatment cycles to just three days" and "replaces 80% of hormone injections required with traditional IVF," Gameto says.
Influencers Are Here To Stay—Now It's Time To Modernize Labor Laws
A TikTok ban could devastate thousands of independent workers, but the real challenge lies in modernizing labor laws to support the new economy.
