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The Global Fertility Crisis Is Worse Than You Probably Think
Everybody knows about the decline in birthrates. Fewer people understand why—or just how significantly it could transform society in the next few…
May 18
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Derek Thompson
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The Six Megatrends That Define 2026
Every week, I save dozens of screenshots of charts, essay passages, science and economics papers, and tweets.
May 14
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Derek Thompson
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How AI Could Help Cure Pancreatic Cancer
The most lethal cancer is invisible to the human eye until it's too late to treat. In today's Q&A, a Mayo Clinic doctor says AI can see what the best…
May 7
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Derek Thompson
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The Big Question Lurking Beneath the AI Debate
Is artificial intelligence normal?
May 6
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Derek Thompson
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Why Your Best Ideas Aren’t Original
What the mysterious history of "multiple discovery" in science tells us about the nature of creativity
May 5
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David Epstein
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Derek Thompson
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April 2026
How American Dads Became the Parents Their Fathers Never Were
Compared to their parents, Millennial fathers have roughly tripled the amount of time they spend with kids. The new American dad is more present and…
Apr 30
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Derek Thompson
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Aziz Sunderji
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If America's So Rich, How'd It Get So Sad?
Or: How the 2020s broke our brains
Apr 23
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Derek Thompson
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The AI Vibe Shift Has Officially Arrived
We seem to be moving from a period of demand scarcity (not enough customers) to supply scarcity (not enough compute)
Apr 16
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Derek Thompson
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How ‘Zombie Flow’ Took Over Culture
Or: If you're so smart, why aren't you happier?
Apr 9
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Derek Thompson
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The Substack-ification of American Religion
Why young men aren't really going back to church, why liberals are sadder than conservatives, and how "Substack-ification" is transforming the future of…
Apr 8
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Derek Thompson
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Why 'Cost Disease' Is the Secret Force Behind America's Toxic Solitude
The screens got cheap. The shared experiences got expensive.
Apr 7
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Derek Thompson
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March 2026
Is the Smartphone Theory of Everything Wrong? A Comprehensive Investigation
Many people believe that the nexus of smartphones, Internet, and social media is to blame for every modern catastrophe. Here's 5,000 words on who's…
Mar 30
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Derek Thompson
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