Fighting to Be More Than A Cog in the Machine

A German auto parts maker seeks to engineer itself a future for the post-Merkel era

Get in Bed With LVMH

With its new Cheval Blanc hotel—16 years in the making—the luxury behemoth reinvents a cultural landmark.

The SEC Is On the Prowl For Crypto

Digital upstarts and securities regulators are playing a cat-and-mouse game

This Is a House Made of Bread

At the much-anticipated return of Art Basel, Urs Fischer’s tactile wonder will attract plenty of attention. But if it were a simple painting, would it attract more dollars?

When The State Is Absent

A year after Beirut’s devastating port blast, the government is AWOL— so the people have stepped in to rebuild

Caracas – A City Unravels

The cultural spaces and infrastructure of Venezuela’s capital were once the envy of Latin America. Decades of decline have taken their toll

When Ghost Cities Come Alive

Built on a grand scale with thousands of apartments, new roads and subway lines, and Instagrammable architecture, China’s overnight cities have something else now: People

The Political Perils of the Carless City

In Milan, authorities used the pandemic to push through changes aimed at reining in driving, while Helsinki has taken a more deliberate approach. In weaning people from cars, speed can be risky

END OF THE LINE

A photographer sets out to capture a city’s last pay phones before they disappear

Greetings From Telosa (Population 0, for Now)

Tech entrepreneur Marc Lore is planning to build a utopian megalopolis somewhere in the U.S. “Let the land be owned by the people!” he says. “But in a capitalistic sort of way”

Department Stores' New Lease on Life

Faded 20th-century shopping hubs are being reborn as colleges, libraries, and more

What Happened to That Police Reform Success Story?

In a city once heralded as a model for community policing, questions arise about the possibility of long-term change

There Is No Free Parking

The pandemic has reshaped cities’ ideas about the best uses for public space. A longtime parking-reform advocate and a growing number of city halls say it’s about time

Tuning In to a Happier City

Noise is an irritant of urban life. But there are ways to make it easier on the ears—and the psyche

Buy Now, Pay Later Bursts Through

Fintech companies have brought back the installment plan, and even Apple’s getting in

Cracking the Science of Smell

A new generation of companies is homing in on one of the hardest problems in tech: Replicating human scent

White-Hot American Summers

The epic family drama behind an iconic American weight loss camp for kids

When Nurses Won't Vax

Some are walking off the job instead of scheduling a shot, compounding the sector’s staffing woes

The Ticking Time Bomb Still on the Road

Millions of Takata air bags have been recalled around the world. Many remain unrepaired

The Unlikely Asset Class

Spencer Patton helped buy or sell about a quarter of the FedEx Ground delivery routes, a new road to riches for entrepreneurs

When Conservation Looks Like Evasion

The IRS is examining conservation easement deductions, putting promoters in its crosshairs

Target, The Police, And the Damage Done

For decades, America’s most upbeat retailer counted on local law enforcement to sweep people and problems from its doorstep. Now it’s being forced to acknowledge the cost

The Next War

Shield AI, a startup born of the conflict in Afghanistan, is looking for a broader mission

September Is Here. Normal Isn't

Delta threatens to keep more U.S. workers at home, jeopardizing the long-promised fall comeback

Florida's High-Stakes Mask War

The governor’s stance against school mandates has sparked a backlash

Fire Forecasting Could Reshape California

AI that predicts wildfires could keep many homeowners from losing their insurance. How else could it help?

Can a New Owner Pump Up Reebok?

Adidas is ditching the aging fitness brand, which never regained its 1980s glam

A Lost Chance to Track Covid?

A study of the trade in live wild animals at Wuhan wet markets stayed unpublished for more than a year

This Vacation Is a Real Trip

Psychedelic experiences are beginning to play an integral role at luxury resorts

METHANE HUNTERS

SCIENTISTS AND ACTIVISTS ARE RACING TO FIND GLOBE-WARMING LEAKS IN AMERICA’S LARGEST OIL FIELD—AND GET THEM PLUGGED BEFORE THEY COOK THE PLANET FURTHER