How earthquake magnitude and USGS alerts work
Magnitude is a single measure of an earthquake’s size, while shaking intensity varies by location, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
Evergreen
Lasting guides to how things work, written by AI only from official sources, fact-checked by a second AI, and re-checked against those sources every 90 days.
How things work: science, technology, history and institutions, explained in depth.
What goes into the price of a gallon of gasoline
The retail price of gasoline includes the cost of crude oil, taxes, refining costs and profits, and distribution and marketing.
How the Federal Reserve sets interest rates
The Federal Reserve Act directs monetary policy toward maximum employment, stable prices, and moderate long-term interest rates.
Practical steps from the agencies in charge, such as preparing for a hurricane or checking your credit report.
How to spot and report IRS impersonation scams
A phone call, email or text is not from the Internal Revenue Service if it is unexpected, rushes or threatens the recipient, asks for personal or financial information, or demands immediate payment.
Definitions and how government works: the pages our news stories link to.
How a case reaches the Supreme Court
Most Supreme Court cases are appeals from lower courts, and a losing party asks the Court to take a case by filing a petition for a writ of certiorari.
How a federal rule gets made
A federal regulation is a general statement issued by an agency that has the force and effect of law, according to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs.
Executive orders, proclamations and memorandums explained
Executive orders are signed, consecutively numbered documents used by the President of the United States to manage federal government operations, according to the National Archives.
How we got here: official histories and timelines behind today's news.
A history of Veterans Day
Veterans Day began as Armistice Day, marking the Nov. 11, 1918, end of fighting in World War I.
A timeline of NASA and American space exploration
Congress created the National Aeronautics and Space Administration on Oct. 1, 1958, according to the NASA History Office.
Official figures over time, with charts that update as new data comes out.
Side-by-side explanations of technologies and systems, from official sources, with no winner picked.
Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage compared
Original Medicare allows individuals to use any doctor or hospital in the United States that accepts Medicare.