The fertility doctor’s secret

Plus: What comes after traditional retirement, a vision of American power, and more.

Sunday, February 1, 2026   Rafaela Jinich Assistant editor Spend time with stories about the bots that women use in a world of unsatisfying men, the media's fixation on prediction markets, and more. Your Reading List (The Voorhes; portraits by Alyssa Schukar; Associated Press)   The Fertility Doctor's Secret By Sarah Zhang Donald Cline must have thought no one would ever know. Then DNA testing came along. (From 2019) Read the article. (Illustration by Alicia Tatone)   The Bots That Women Use in a World of Unsatisfying Men By Faith Hill AI is offering people a way to figure out what they really want in romance. Read the article. (Illustration by Alanah Sarginson)   The New Old Age By David Brooks What a new life stage can teach the rest of us about how to find meaning and purpose—before it's too late (From 2023) Read the article. (Illustration by Akshita Chandra / The Atlantic. Source: Getty.)   The Logic of the '9 to 5' Is Creeping Into the Rest of the Day By Julie Beck How free time gets conscripted into the service of work (From 2025) Read the article. (Illustration by The Atlantic)   America Is Slow-Walking Into a Polymarket Disaster By Saahil Desai Why is the media obsessed with prediction markets? Read the article. (Illustration by Ben Hickey)   America vs. the World By Robert Kagan President Trump wants to return to the 19th century's international order. He will leave America less prosperous—and the whole world less secure. Read the article. The Week Ahead The Super Bowl LX, with the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots playing in Santa Clara, California (Sunday at 6:30 p.m. EST, streaming on NBC) Solo Mio, a romantic comedy about a man left at the altar who decides to go on his honeymoon alone (in theaters Friday) Long Take, essays about the acclaimed director Akira Kurosawa written by artists, family members, and himself, translated by Anne McKnight (out Tuesday) Essay (Illustration by The Atlantic. Source: Rich Storry / Getty.)   The Return of Athlete Outrage By Jemele Hill Over the weekend, the basketball star Breanna Stewart didn't have her normal bounce during player introductions. As soon as the announcer shouted her name, Stewart walked out holding a white sign with a message: "Abolish ICE" … Stewart's declaration was daring because it was also personal. Her wife, Marta Xargay Casademont, was born in Spain and is in the United States on a green card. The couple is working on getting Casademont American citizenship, and Stewart criticizing ICE so publicly could jeopardize her chances. During times of political and social turmoil, the public often looks to athletes to speak out against harmful policies and actions that are directed at marginalized communities. Doing so can be risky. Read the full article. More in Culture George Saunders brings morality back to fiction. Half His Age isn't at all what it seems. Josh Shapiro takes a gamble on his faith. The worst thing about the Black Dahlia case How to have a "don't-know mind" The marathon Moby-Dick reading is a radical act. Catch Up on The Atlantic Welcome to the American winter. Battles are raging inside the Department of Homeland Security. Omid Memarian: What Trump fails to grasp about Iran Photo Album The Jarl Squad gathers around a Viking galley ship in the Shetland Islands before it is set on fire. (Jeff J Mitchell / Getty)   On Scotland's Shetland Islands, a fire festival called Up Helly Aa celebrates the region's Norse heritage every January. Did someone forward you this email? Sign up here. Play our daily crossword. Explore all of our newsletters. When you buy a book using a link in this newsletter, we receive a commission. Thank you for supporting The Atlantic. Most Popular on The Atlantic Battles Are Raging Inside the Department of Homeland Security MAGA's War on Empathy The Accidental Winners of the War on Higher Ed Rage in the U.S.A. Minnesota Proved MAGA Wrong Introducing Premium Plus Unlimited access for you and three others. The Atlantic scrapbook, an essential addition to any subscriber's library. And a special tote. All for less than $4 a week. Subscribe

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