Robert M. Parker Jr., who dominated wine criticism in the United States for roughly 30 years after his enthusiastic embrace of the 1982 Bordeaux vintage, formally announced his retirement last month after quietly withdrawing from writing a few years ago. The post-Parker era actually began a decade ago, as more critical voices and points of…
Farmers and plant breeders are in a race against time. The world population is growing rapidly, requiring ever more food, but the amount of cultivable land is limited. Warmer temperatures have extended growth seasons in some areas — and brought drought and pests to others. “We face a grand challenge in terms of feeding the…
The idea that legal cannabis can help address the opioid crisis has generated much hope and enthusiasm. Opioid misuse has declined in recent years at the same time that cannabis use has been increasing, with many states liberalizing marijuana laws. Based on recent research, some advocates have been promoting this connection, arguing that easier access…
A recent Times article on chest binding prompted a discussion among readers about the practice, which some transgender and gender-nonconforming people use to compress their breasts and treat body dysphoria, as well as how we covered it. We wanted to hear more from people who have used chest binders, so we asked readers to tell…
I think more people should be cooking fish at home, and that is a hill I am willing to die on. It cooks quickly, it takes kindly to most flavor profiles, and under the right circumstances (and with the right recipes) it can be prepared without an avalanche of anxiety. Surely you must be looking…
Some people travel with a particular objective in mind: to find the past in the present. It’s an impossibility, of course — you never truly succeed, because the present is so very present. But in a wayward, fast-moving world, a focus on history can root you, and offer perspective. This was my idea on a…
Shakespeare wisely recognized that sleep “knits up the ravell’d sleave of care” and relieves life’s physical and emotional pains. Alas, this “chief nourisher in life’s feast,” as he called it, often eludes millions of people who suffer from insomnia. Desperate to fall asleep or fall back to sleep, many resort to Ambien or another of…
Spending time in nature can boost overall well-being, but how much exposure do we need? A new study concludes that 2 hours each week is enough to reap the benefits, though significant questions remain. Being in the countryside boosts well-being, but how much nature do we need? In Western society, as overall interaction with nature…
When you arrive home with your hands full, having a dedicated place to drop your keys, mail and phone can be a big help. But if they’re just dumped on top of a console or a bench, they can look messy. That’s where a catchall — a small tray, bowl or basket — comes in…
Ciara is in, what she likes to call, a “very free space.” We hear it on her latest project, Beauty Marks. We feel it as she steps into the role of CEO at her entertainment company of the same name. And we see it across her Instagram page, where she shares intimate snippets of her…