For a long time, medical researchers were unsure whether Alcoholics Anonymous worked better than other approaches to treating people with alcohol use disorder. In 2006, a review of the evidence concluded we didn’t have enough evidence to judge. That has changed. An updated systematic review published by the Cochrane Collaboration found that A.A. leads to…
This article is part of our latest Design special section, which is about getting personal with customization. In architecture, the tension between freedom and restrictions animates the best work. We wonder how a building by, say, Frank Gehry can stand up, given the striking twists and turns of its form. No matter how visually striking,…
This article is part of our latest Design special section, which is about getting personal with customization. How many French factory workers does it take to screw in 220 light bulbs? Just one, according to Jérôme de Lavergnolle, chief executive of the crystal company Saint-Louis, describing the final step in making a bespoke chandelier for…
The man had recently traveled, including a brief stop in Tokyo. He had a fever and cough about a week ago, but was now feeling fine. He called the virtual medical line set up by Rush University Medical Center in Chicago recently to help screen patients for coronavirus. “He said all the right buzzwords: cough,…
This article is part of our latest Design special section, which is about getting personal with customization. Customization has always been part of home furnishings. Urged on by their clients, interior designers seek out luxurious fabrics and collaborate with workshops to design special pieces. And even mass-market items like Crate & Barrel sofas come with…
BOLINAS, Calif. — Self-sufficiency is like perfection, said Lloyd Kahn, the guru of guerrilla architecture and dean of all things D.I.Y. “You never quite get there, but you’re moving toward it all the time.” On this late February morning, the chickens had been fed, the sourdough loaves baked and left cooling on a rack. The…
By all accounts, Marco Abbey is the sort of guy you’d welcome on any trip. He holds doors and hauls suitcases. He has a great sense of direction. He’s game to try different cultural activities. It’s no wonder Marilyn Abbey, his grandmother, has crowned him “the perfect travel companion.” If Grandma knows best, it’s because…
This article is part of our latest Design special section, which is about getting personal with customization. All happy kitchen renovations are alike — and they live mostly in our dreams. “The existing space is tight and usually comes with restrictions,” said Sami Haxhija, a contractor in New York City, ticking off the difficulties. “You…
If you are sitting down to read this article, you may be doing your resting wrong, according to a fascinating new study of hunter-gatherer tribespeople and how they idle. The study finds that hunter-gatherers tend to lounge about during the day almost as much as those of us in the developed world. But their approach…
People of all ages are concerned about the spread of the coronavirus, and teenagers, as a group, tend to experience emotions especially intensely. If you are raising, teaching or otherwise caring for an adolescent who is feeling very nervous about it, here are five things you can do. 1. Normalize Anxiety Anxiety can be healthy.…