Charles Willeford 1971's "The New Centurions" is a novel about "police brutality, racism, public unrest, systemic rot, and poverty" Mark Frauenfelder

mistakes New Chinese nuclear sub sinks before leaving dock Rob Beschizza

occult The Enduring Legacy of Parapsychologist J.B. Rhine Mitch Horowitz

star trek Harlan Ellison auction includes the world's most (in)famous "Star Trek" photo Mark Frauenfelder

rpgs What's new in tabletop gaming Gareth Branwyn

worst-of lists Famous Brits pick their most-hated books Mark Frauenfelder

folklore Murder ballads were the original true-crime media Clive Thompson

Comic Books Alan Moore on Covid, super heroes, Trump and Brexit Thom Dunn

literature Cornell English Department votes to change name to "Department of Literatures In English" Thom Dunn

politics Passport and Nobels Jasmina Tesanovic

Audio Welcome to Hollow Falls – and Lethal Lit, a New Scripted Crime Podcast Alex Segura

novels Late bloomers: 10 classic books with terrible initial reviews Alyssa Favreau

religion Interview: Dr. Karl E H Seigfried talks Ásatrú, Heathenry and beards Séamus Bellamy

language Reviving the Independence of Cyberspace Sean O'Brien

poetry How would Emily Dickinson fare with online dating? Rusty Blazenhoff

Science Watson for Oncology isn't an AI that fights cancer, it's an unproven mechanical turk that represents the guesses of a small group of doctors Cory Doctorow

books The best young adult literature from 1967 Joshua Glenn

Wonder materials Formica Forever celebrates the sleek century-old material and its indestructible beauty Bob Knetzger

happy mutants Hugo Gernsback's introduction to the first issue of Amazing Stories, 1926 Cory Doctorow

books China's "ultra-unreal" literary movement takes inspiration from breathtaking corruption Cory Doctorow