Julie Beck

Julie Beck

Julie Beck is a senior editor at The Atlantic, where she covers family and education.

Nothing Says Midwest Like a Well-Dressed Porch Goose

How a concrete waterfowl in a funny outfit conquered the heartland.  

kids on halloween night

Some Neighborhoods Are Becoming ‘Candy Deserts’ on Halloween


How Does a Violent-Crime Spree Affect a Community?


The Life and Times of Whittaker, the Turkey That Stood in Traffic

How a bird in the left turn lane captivated, united, and divided a town.

Nature Therapy Is a Privilege

Science is learning more about the health benefits of going outside—at a time when access to wild spaces is ever-more unequal.

Ignoring People for Phones Is the New Normal

A study looks at how phone snubbing—“phubbing”—became socially acceptable.

Roman Plumbing: Overrated

Ancient Rome’s toilets, sewers, and bathhouses may have been innovative, but they didn’t do much to improve public health.

Want a Quick Email Response?

You should probably email a teenager on a weekday morning, a new study suggests.

I Like the Bus

There’s something to be said for taking the long way home.

A Farewell to Mallrats

Malls around the country are closing, leaving teens with one fewer place to just be.

Why People Write on Bathroom Walls


The Town That's Building Life Around Sleep
