Unlocking Medical Mysteries Through AncestryDNA

In 2019, Sarah Zhang reported on a remarkable case where an AncestryDNA test unveiled a notable medical secret. A cancer patient, having received cord-blood cells from an anonymous donor, was able to trace the DNA from those cells back to the donor himself, revealing a connection that had profound implications.

As a cancer patient, she had received cord-blood cells from an anonymous donor. The DNA from those cells led her to him. (From 2019)

The Plight of Public Pools in America

Eve Andrews examines the decline of public pools across the United States, highlighting the critical role these facilities play in helping peopel stay cool during increasingly hot summers. Andrews questions why these vital community resources are often neglected and underfunded.

As summers get hotter, public pools help people stay cool.

As summers get hotter, public pools help people stay cool. Why are they so neglected?

24 Must-Read Books for Summer 2025

Looking for your next great read? The Culture Desk offers a curated list of “24 Books to Get Lost in This Summer,” featuring a diverse selection of fiction and nonfiction titles to suit every mood and interest.

The Atlantic‘s writers and editors have chosen fiction and nonfiction to match all sorts of moods.

Surviving a Shipwreck: A Fisherman’s Tale

Alec Frydman recounts his harrowing experience in “My Shipwreck Story,” detailing his first time out as a commercial fisherman when his boat sank. Frydman shares the tragic loss of his captain and his own struggle for survival adrift in the Pacific Ocean.

On my first time out as a commercial fisherman, my boat sank, my captain died, and I was left adrift and alone in the Pacific.

The Reality of High income, High Expenses

Annie Lowrey’s 2019 article, “$350,000 a Year, and Just Getting By,” explores the phenomenon of financial confessionals and how income inequality, coupled with geographic disparities, has normalized extravagant spending habits, even among those with seemingly high incomes.

Financial confessionals reveal that income inequality and geographic inequality have normalized absurd spending patterns. (From 2019)

Rethinking How to Motivate Children

Russell Shaw challenges conventional parenting wisdom in “The Wrong Way to Motivate Your Kid.” Shaw argues that taking away things children love as punishment is often counterproductive and suggests alternative approaches to fostering motivation and obligation.

When children fall short, many parents’ instinct is to take away something they love. That’s the wrong impulse.