The Outline

Owen Phillips

Owen Phillips
Culture Jan 30

The numbers don’t lie: Dogs are the internet’s favorite animal

As the internet has changed, so have its animal habits.

Power Nov 10

Arming the flock

In the South, some worshippers were training to use deadly force against church shooters. Then Sutherland Springs happened.

The Future Jul 03

Help us solve an internet mystery involving porn and Wikipedia

The XHamster Wikipedia page is suddenly immensely popular, and no one knows why.

Power Jun 30

The USPS is an extremely dangerous place to work

The U.S. Postal Service reports more severe injuries than any other employer, according to OSHA.

Power Jun 30

The hazards of delivering the mail

OSHA’s severe injury database reveals the risks postal workers take to deliver the mail.

 
The Future Jun 12

The anonymous MVP of the NBA Finals

Velocityraps has the best illegal stream of every game, and the NBA couldn’t stop him if it tried.

Culture May 05

In Stevens Point, Wisconsin, the questions are trivial

But the pursuit is not.

Culture Jan 04

Meet the DC resident who filed thousands of the city’s noise complaints

After countless objections, one man is still searching for peace and quiet.

Culture Dec 29

You’re not psychic and no one is looking at you

But you’re probably paranoid.

The Future Dec 27

A different kind of traffic light

Other countries use a timer, so why doesn’t the US?

Culture Dec 27

This $1,499 tea infuser is not for everyone

It's for whoever can afford it.

Culture Dec 25

How popular is a Netflix show? Maybe Wikipedia knows

Wikipedia search volume could help crack Netflix’s viewership black box.

Power Dec 20

Facebook’s censorship factories are a real bummer

In Germany, at least.

The Future Dec 18

Finland’s radical and experimental approach to unemployment

The Finnish government is about to find out what happens when you give unemployed citizens a basic income.

Culture Dec 18

Trump voted “sign of the year” by the Swiss

For the first time ever, the Swiss Deaf Association awarded a “sign of the year.”

Culture Dec 16

Why is this octopus wearing a top hat?

Because it's always been that way.

Culture Dec 15

Tinder tears

Deleted your Facebook account? Good luck getting a date.

Culture Dec 14

The longest Uber ride comes with no glory

Kevin Jones drove a passenger 550 miles.

Power Dec 13

The “alt-right” isn't a thing to many Americans

A recent survey found that a majority of Americans were unaware of the movement.

Culture Dec 13

Mozart beat every artist this year in CD sales

By one measure, Mozart was the top-selling artist of 2016.

Culture Dec 12

America's first penis transplant recipient confirms it hurt

Thomas Manning doesn't mince words.

Culture Dec 12

The most common reasons Americans visit the emergency room over Christmas

An analysis of emergency room visits during the Christmas holidays from 2011 to 2015 found that 164 were related to ingesting a foreign object.

Culture Dec 09

Calgary Zoo's penguins are drowning and no one knows why

The Calgary Zoo has launched a “full investigation” after seven of their Humboldt penguins unexpectedly drowned.

 
Culture Dec 09

The global giraffe population is plummeting

New numbers show the population of giraffes is declining at a rate that could put them at risk for extinction.

 
Culture Dec 09

Heroin is now a bigger killer than gun homicides

The latest data from the CDC shows that deaths from opioid overdoses increased by more than 15 percent in 2015.

Culture Dec 08

A Swedish tobacco company wants you to stop smoking

And start snusing.

Culture Dec 08

Having sex in an Uber can get you kicked off the app

Uber issued community guidelines that detail specific actions that can get you removed from the service.

Culture Dec 07

The golden age of karaoke music videos

Inside the weird cottage industry that helped make karaoke a massive hit.

Culture Dec 07

Let it linger

The Cranberries “Linger.”

 
Power Dec 05

Biden keeps an eye on 2020

The Vice President reminds a small group of reporters that anything is possible

 
The Future Dec 05

Google removed “are women evil” from autocomplete

A spokesperson says some autocomplete suggestions are “unexpected or unpleasant.”

The Future Dec 04

The US reimagined as 50 “megaregions”

Researchers use census commuter data to map new boundaries.

Power Dec 04

The millionaires in the ivory tower

New data shows that average total compensation among private college presidents is on the rise.

Culture Dec 04

At least 36 dead after Oakland warehouse party fire

Authorities fear the death toll could increase.

 
The Future Dec 02

Inventor of the scrolling mouse wheel says we're all using it wrong

Jack McCauley says he originally designed the scrolling mouse wheel as a way to pass through a web page in a three-dimensional way.

Culture Dec 02

All of New York City's street trees in one interactive map

New York City's Department of Parks and Recreation spent a year cataloging every street tree in the city to create the world's most accurate map of street trees.

The Future Dec 01

Nestlé claims it can make the same tasty candy bars with 40 percent less sugar

Scientists at the company say they have discovered a groundbreaking way to assemble sugar differently, allowing them to use less of the ingredient while maintaining the same level sweetness.

 
The Future Nov 22

I know what you did last click

The interactive website Clickclickclick tracks everything you do online and tells you about it.

Power Nov 21

Pope Francis says Catholic priests can forgive abortions

The right to forgive abortions in the Catholic Church was previously only available to bishops.

 
Power Nov 21

Police used water cannons on Standing Rock protesters in freezing weather

Tensions flared between police and protesters Sunday night after demonstrators tried to push their way past a blocked bridge.

 
Culture Nov 17

Homelessness in the US declined in 2016

Veterans' homelessness fell by more than 5 times the rate of overall homelessness since last year.

 
Power Nov 17

Fake-news writer believes his viral stories helped get Trump elected

Paul Horner writes fake news that goes viral.

 
Culture Nov 16

Post-truth is the 2016 word of the year

"Post-truth" edged out "woke" and "alt-right."

The Future Nov 16

Snap Inc. valued up to $25 billion in lead up to IPO

Snapchat is going public.

Culture Nov 16

Denver passes social marijuana ballot measure

Proposition 300 makes it the first city to allow marijuana use in bars, restaurants, and art studios.

 
Power Nov 16

The Rock thinks he might run for president

Can you smell what Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has cooking? It’s politics.

Culture Nov 15

Tinder introduces 37 new gender options

The dating app has gone from just two (male and female) to 39 gender options, plus the option to write in your own.

 
The Future Nov 15

Mazda recalls 70,000 US vehicles over leaky pump

The company will recall 70,000 of their RX-8 sports cars over their fuel pump sealing rings, which could leak and catch fire.

 
Culture Nov 15

Many people want an adult friend

Over 400 million Adult Friend Finder, Penthouse, and Cams.com account details were breached.

 
The Future Nov 03

Our review of the Vigilante iPhone app: No

One app's reckless idea to eliminate “crime as we know it”