Will anyone ever make sense of Elon Musk?

Understanding Elon Musk is both difficult and essential. As the Atlantic technology editor Damon Beres writes , Musk heads companies “that influence how we live and communicate in this world,” including X and Starlink, an internet service that has played a central role in the war in Ukraine. Although Musk’s headline-generating actions may at times appear to be part of a video-game simulation, his involvement in fields such as social media and space travel will shape the lives of many—and understanding him allows us to decipher a future he is already bringing about.

Today’s newsletter brings you stories about Elon Musk’s impact.

• “Demon Mode Activated ,” by Damon Beres. A conversation with Walter Isaacson about his new biography of Elon Musk, the world builder and world destroyer.
• “Why Elon Killed the Bird ,” by Charlie Warzel. Three theories about Twitter’s seemingly nonsensical rebrand to X.
• “What Russia Got by Scaring Elon Musk ,” by Anne Applebaum. The billionaire isn’t the only one who’s been frightened into holding back help for Ukraine.
• “Elon Musk’s Latest Target Hits Back ,” by Yair Rosenberg. A conversation with the Anti-Defamation League’s Jonathan Greenblatt on a feud that is as bizarre as it is predictable.
• “The Nerds Are Bullies Now ,” by Ian Bogost. Musk versus Zuck makes losers of us all.

—?Katherine Hu, assistant editor