Culture
Known unknowns
How to analyse chance, ignorance and risk
An invaluable guide to thinking about uncertainty, from a master of the craft
Wall of worry
What don’t you know about your partner?
A German novelist, Bernhard Schlink, imagines a marriage’s, and his country’s, secrets
The aquatic underworld
Is the deep ocean more magnificent than outer space?
Some writers who have ventured into the unknown claim so
World in a dish
Food lovers the world over are tickled by pickles
On social media, preserved cucumbers are freshly trendy
Sexual politics
In the second world war, some diplomacy was done between the sheets
Pamela Churchill, daughter-in-law of the prime minister, ran an effective charm offensive
Who are you calling cute?
Why the world is so animated about anime
Japan’s cartoons have conquered its screens, and more
The invasion of Ukraine
How a second nuclear disaster was avoided at Chernobyl in 2022
The Russian occupation underscored the risks posed by nuclear sites in wartime
The record books
Han Kang wins the Nobel prize in literature for 2024
The South Korean author offers another example of the country’s cultural clout
Song of myself
Why you should read Mohamed Mbougar Sarr
The Senegalese novelist is one of the boldest writers working today
Missives from a neurosurgeon
How complicated is brain surgery actually?
A doctor reveals the myths and realities of his profession
Back Story
Is TV’s next sure-fire hit, “Disclaimer”, a must-watch or a dud?
The glitzy new thriller is both
Johnson on language
Americans are chuffed as chips at British English
Why doesn’t the affection run both ways?