


Times editors have handpicked 11 stories for you to enjoy. Welcome to The Weekender.
_____
A Reporter’s Journey Into How the U.S. Funded the Bomb
Watching “Oppenheimer,” a journalist wondered: How did the president get the $2 billion secret project past Congress?
_____
Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor and Ava DuVernay on ‘Origin’
For their unconventional adaptation of Isabel Wilkerson’s “Caste,” DuVernay and Ellis-Taylor tapped into the best-seller’s poignant back story.
_____
The New Space Race Is Causing New Pollution Problems
Earth’s stratosphere has never seen the amounts of emissions and waste from rockets and satellites that a booming space economy will leave behind.
_____
Why Is Paying for College So Complicated?
FAFSA, S.A.I., N.P.C., CSS — the acronyms never end. And that’s just the beginning of the mayhem.
_____
In the Ozempic Age, Has ‘Craveable’ Lost Its Selling Power?
The food industry has long touted its products as impossible to resist. But with a spotlight on the perils of compulsive eating, that tactic is getting another look.
_____
The Whale Who Went AWOL
Hvaldimir, a beluga whale, escaped captivity and became a global celebrity. Now, no one can agree about what to do with him.
_____
Indigenous Tourism Goes Deeper Than ‘Dinner and a Show’
Around the globe, travelers are looking to go beyond superficial interactions with Native cultures for more in-depth experiences.
_____
How Group Chats Rule the World
They quietly became the de facto spaces to share dumb jokes, grief or even plans for an insurrection.
_____
Where Anteaters and Anacondas Roam, and Ranchers Are Now Rangers
Colombia created its latest, and perhaps last, national park by befriending the traditional ranching culture that surrounds it.
_____
What Travelers Can Expect in 2024
At the start of what promises to be a very busy year, we look ahead at what you’re likely to encounter.
_____
How to Follow the Mediterranean Diet
Make 2024 your most nourishing year yet with a week of guidance and recipes.
_____
Thanks for reading. I’ll see you next weekend.
This edition of The Weekender was edited by Jonathan Wolfe.