The Economist explains
Subjects topical and timeless, profound and peculiar, explained with The Economist's trademark clarity and brevity
The Economist explains
What are the obligations of Israel and Hamas to protect civilians?
International Humanitarian Law creates obligations—but contains numerous caveats
The Economist explains
Why is so much of the internet’s infrastructure run by volunteers?
Malware smuggled into XZ Utils software highlights a bigger problem
The Economist explains
The growing role of fighting robots on the ground in Ukraine
Drones already fill the skies. Now uncrewed vehicles are heading to the front lines
The Economist explains
Why do cicadas have such a strange life cycle?
Two broods will soon emerge simultaneously for the first time in 221 years
The Economist explains
How a home-improvement subsidy is wrecking Italy’s public finances
Government largesse is costing taxpayers
The Economist explains
Why are embassies supposed to be inviolable?
Ecuador’s raid on a Mexican embassy challenges a central principle of diplomacy
The Economist explains
Why the Moon needs its own time
The seconds really do pass more quickly up there
The Economist explains
Why it is so rare to see a total solar eclipse
The Great North American eclipse should be cherished, because total eclipses will not happen for ever
The Economist explains
How to define artificial general intelligence
Academics and tech entrepreneurs disagree. A court may soon decide
The Economist explains
Gaza could face a famine by May. What does that mean?
Some parts of the strip are already experiencing “catastrophic hunger”