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2,520 episodes - English - Latest episode: 4 days ago - ★★★★ - 51 ratingsThe latest in-depth coverage covering the intersection of technology and culture will help you make sense of a world in constant transformation. Join us as we explore the ways technology is changing our lives.
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Episodes
What Will Plants Be Like on Alien Worlds?
October 03, 2023 11:00 - 10 minutesScientists know enough about exoplanets to speculate about how simple plants might arise on them. But don't count on them being green. Thanks for listening to WIRED. Talk to you next time for more stories from WIRED.com and read this story here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
X Fires Its Election Team Before a Huge Election Year
October 02, 2023 14:07 - 7 minutesThe “last man standing” in X’s threat intelligence team has been fired, as the company guts its election integrity response ahead of a year in which more than 50 countries go to the polls. Thanks for listening to WIRED. Talk to you next time for more stories from WIRED.com and read this story here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
An Epic Fight Over What Really Killed the Dinosaurs
September 29, 2023 11:00 - 11 minutesA deep learning model has joined a vigorous debate over whether volcanoes began dinosaur doomsday well before the asteroid hit. Thanks for listening to WIRED. Talk to you next time for more stories from WIRED.com and read this story here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Amazon’s All-Powerful ‘Buy Box’ Is at the Heart of Its New Antitrust Troubles
September 28, 2023 11:00 - 6 minutesThe US Federal Trade Commission filed a long-anticipated antitrust complaint alleging that Amazon uses its power over sellers to keep ecommerce prices artificially high. Thanks for listening to WIRED. Talk to you next time for more stories from WIRED.com and read this story here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Why Rain Is Getting Fiercer on a Warming Planet
September 27, 2023 11:00 - 8 minutesExtreme rain is getting more extreme as temperatures rise. That may seem counterintuitive, but the underlying physics is crystal clear. Thanks for listening to WIRED. Talk to you next time for more stories from WIRED.com and read this story here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
California's Governor Vetoes State Ban on Driverless Trucks
September 26, 2023 11:00 - 7 minutesCalifornia lawmakers, egged on by unions, voted to require a human onboard autonomous trucks over fears about safety and job losses. Governor Gavin Newsom was having none of it. Thanks for listening to WIRED. Talk to you next time for more stories from WIRED.com and read this story here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Revolut Needs to Get Its House in Order
September 25, 2023 11:00 - 7 minutesThe fintech unicorn Revolut needs a UK banking license to sustain its growth, but it keeps tripping up. Thanks for listening to WIRED. Talk to you next time for more stories from WIRED.com and read this story here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
How Elon Musk and Tesla Helped Spark the Auto Strikes
September 22, 2023 11:00 - 7 minutesTesla isn't involved in the strike at Detroit’s Big Three automakers. But the EV maker and its irrepressible CEO had plenty to do with why the walkouts happened. Thanks for listening to WIRED. Talk to you next time for more stories from WIRED.com and read this story here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The Mysterious 'Warming Hole' in the Middle of the US
September 21, 2023 11:00 - 6 minutesThe world is rapidly heating. So why has the central US been weirdly cool compared to the rest of the country? Thanks for listening to WIRED. Talk to you next time for more stories from WIRED.com and read this story here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
High Blood Pressure Is the World’s Biggest Killer. Now There’s a Plan to Tackle It
September 20, 2023 11:00 - 8 minutesOnce considered a disease of the affluent, hypertension now affects a third of all adults. The WHO wants nations to get organized to combat it. Thanks for listening to WIRED. Talk to you next time for more stories from WIRED.com and read this story here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The Auto Strike Threatens a Supply Chain Already Weakened by Covid
September 19, 2023 11:00 - 7 minutesA prolonged autoworker strike would be especially painful for smaller players inside the complex auto supply chain. It could also impact thousands more workers and push up car prices. Thanks for listening to WIRED. Talk to you next time for more stories from WIRED.com and read this story here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Autoworkers Prepare to Strike for a Place in the EV Future
September 15, 2023 11:00 - 11 minutesSome 150,000 US autoworkers are poised to strike this week for better pay and pledges that green jobs won’t be worse jobs. Thanks for listening to WIRED. Talk to you next time for more stories from WIRED.com and read this story here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Is Google’s Search Engine Smart or Sneaky? A Court Will Decide
September 13, 2023 11:00 - 11 minutesGoogle’s search dominance is going on trial in the biggest US antitrust case since a crackdown on Big Tech that started in 2019. Thanks for listening to WIRED. Talk to you next time for more stories from WIRED.com and read this story here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Facebook Is Giving Up on News—Again
September 12, 2023 11:00 - 10 minutesMeta says it will retire Facebook's "news" tag in the UK, France, and Germany, ahead of rules that might force it to pay for content. Users may not care, but it has left the media scrambling. Thanks for listening to WIRED. Talk to you next time for more stories from WIRED.com and read this story here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Big Batteries Are Booming. So Are Fears They'll Catch Fire
September 11, 2023 11:00 - 10 minutesThe world needs thousands of new grid battery installations to fight climate change. They rarely catch fire—but many people are skeptical of having one next door. Thanks for listening to WIRED. Talk to you next time for more stories from WIRED.com and read this story here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Facebook Trains Its AI on Your Data. Opting Out May Be Futile
September 08, 2023 11:00 - 5 minutesHere's how to request that your personal information not be used to train Meta's AI model. "Request" is the operative word here. Thanks for listening to WIRED. Talk to you next time for more stories from WIRED.com and read this story here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The UK Is Poised to Force a Bad Law on the Internet
September 07, 2023 11:00 - 10 minutesWhatsApp and Signal have threatened to shut down services in Britain if the Online Safety Bill includes restrictions that undermine encryption. The government is pushing it through anyway. Thanks for listening to WIRED. Talk to you next time for more stories from WIRED.com and read this story here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
A Billion-Dollar Plan to Fix Farm Emissions Might Make Things Worse
September 06, 2023 11:00 - 11 minutesAgriculture is a huge source of greenhouse gas emissions, so the US is getting serious about reform. But some scientists say current efforts are misguided. Thanks for listening to WIRED. Talk to you next time for more stories from WIRED.com and read this story here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Climate Change Has Finally Come For Burning Man
September 05, 2023 11:00 - 9 minutesUnpredictable weather and delays following Hurricane Hilary turned the festival for ultra-wealthy techno-utopians and Hedonists into a literal quagmire. Welcome to the new normal. Thanks for listening to WIRED. Talk to you next time for more stories from WIRED.com and read this story here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Meta Isn't Enforcing Its Own Political Ads Policy, While the 2024 US Election Looms
September 04, 2023 11:00 - 10 minutesA nonprofit watchdog group has found that the right-wing group PragerU has pushed out more than 100 political ads on Facebook and Instagram, flouting Meta’s policies. Thanks for listening to WIRED. Talk to you next time for more stories from WIRED.com and read this story here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The Inventor Behind a Rush of AI Copyright Suits Is Trying to Show His Bot Is Sentient
September 01, 2023 11:00 - 11 minutesStephen Thaler’s series of high-profile copyright cases has made headlines worldwide. He’s done it to demonstrate his AI is capable of independent thought. Thanks for listening to WIRED. Talk to you next time for more stories from WIRED.com and read this story here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Turtles Carry Signs of Humanity’s Nuclear History in Their Shells
August 31, 2023 11:00 - 11 minutesTurtles’ shells contain a chemical record of the environment—including highly enriched uranium, an indicator of nuclear weapons development. What can we learn from these accidental archivists? Thanks for listening to WIRED. Talk to you next time for more stories from WIRED.com and read this story here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The Killer App for Threads Is the Web
August 30, 2023 11:00 - 7 minutesThreads coming to the web doesn’t mean the new social app is the ultimate Twitter killer, but it makes it infinitely more usable. Thanks for listening to WIRED. Talk to you next time for more stories from WIRED.com and read this story here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Trump's Prosecution Is America's Last Hope
August 29, 2023 11:00 - 12 minutesSocial norms—not laws—are the underlying fabric of democracy. The Georgia indictment against Donald Trump is the last remaining tool left to repair that which he’s torn apart. Thanks for listening to WIRED. Talk to you next time for more stories from WIRED.com and read this story here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Brain Implants That Help Paralyzed People Speak Just Broke New Records
August 28, 2023 11:00 - 10 minutesTwo new studies show that AI-powered devices can help paralyzed people communicate faster and more accurately. Thanks for listening to WIRED. Talk to you next time for more stories from WIRED.com and read this story here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The Myth of ‘Open Source’ AI
August 25, 2023 11:00 - 7 minutesA new analysis shows that “open source” AI tools like Llama 2 are still controlled by big tech companies in a number of ways. Thanks for listening to WIRED. Talk to you next time for more stories from WIRED.com and read this story here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
How to Talk to Your Kids About Social Media and Mental Health
August 24, 2023 11:00 - 10 minutesHere’s what the science really says about teens and screens—and how to start the conversation with young people of any age. Thanks for listening to WIRED. Talk to you next time for more stories from WIRED.com and read this story here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
A Brain Implant Helped Stroke Survivors Regain Movement
August 23, 2023 11:00 - 8 minutesStimulating the brain with electricity has been used for 30 years to treat Parkinson’s disease. Now, researchers are testing whether it could help restore hand and arm motion. Thanks for listening to WIRED. Talk to you next time for more stories from WIRED.com and read this story here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
How the World’s Workers Are Donning Cooling Vests to Battle Record Heat Waves
August 22, 2023 11:00 - 11 minutesGarments that can be packed with ice or equipped with fans are becoming increasingly popular among workers exposed to high heat. Thanks for listening to WIRED. Talk to you next time for more stories from WIRED.com and read this story here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
In the Dreams Favela, Wi-Fi and Ecommerce Promise a Better Future
August 21, 2023 11:00 - 11 minutesA tech-led initiative to bring economic development to Brazil’s shantytowns starts with a radical idea: Listen to the people who live there. Thanks for listening to WIRED. Talk to you next time for more stories from WIRED.com and read this story here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Fake Meat Is Bleeding, but It’s Not Dead Yet
August 18, 2023 11:00 - 12 minutesBeyond Meat’s weak sales led to headlines about “peak veganism” and the end of plant-based meats. But demand in Europe shows there’s still life in alternative proteins. Thanks for listening to WIRED. Talk to you next time for more stories from WIRED.com and read this story here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
How a Firefly Course Is Saving Japan’s Favorite Glowing Insect
August 17, 2023 11:00 - 9 minutesThe fireflies of Moriyama City have long been prized (and hunted) for their yellow-green glow. To bring populations back up, amateur conservationists are hitting the books. Thanks for listening to WIRED. Talk to you next time for more stories from WIRED.com and read this story here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
This Bold Plan to Kick the World’s Coal Habit Might Actually Work
August 16, 2023 11:00 - 10 minutesNovel climate-financing deals are promising to shut off dirty energy plants in developing countries and retrain their staff to work in the green economy. Thanks for listening to WIRED. Talk to you next time for more stories from WIRED.com and read this story here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The Space Force Is Launching Its Own Swarm of Tiny Satellites
August 15, 2023 11:00 - 9 minutesDefense satellites used to be big, costly, and “juicy” targets for attack. Now the Pentagon is aiming for a more resilient network of nearly 1,000 mini orbiters. Thanks for listening to WIRED. Talk to you next time for more stories from WIRED.com and read this story here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Robotaxis Can Now Work the Streets of San Francisco 24/7
August 14, 2023 11:00 - 10 minutesRobotaxis can offer paid rides in San Francisco around the clock after Alphabet’s Waymo and GM’s Cruise got approval from California’s Public Utilities Commission. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
By Seizing @Music, Elon Musk Shows He Doesn’t Know What Made Twitter Good
August 11, 2023 11:00 - 9 minutesSince taking over Twitter, Musk has made mistake after mistake. His latest decision proves that he has never understood the average Twitter user—or doesn’t care to build a platform for them. Thanks for listening to WIRED. Talk to you next time for more stories from WIRED.com and read this story here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
AI Is Building Highly Effective Antibodies That Humans Can’t Even Imagine
August 10, 2023 11:00 - 9 minutesRobots, computers, and algorithms are hunting for potential new therapies in ways humans can’t, by processing huge volumes of data and building previously unimagined molecules. Thanks for listening to WIRED. Talk to you next time for more stories from WIRED.com and read this story here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
What Doctors Wish You Knew About HIPAA and Data Security
August 09, 2023 11:00 - 10 minutesThink US health data is automatically kept private? Think again. Thanks for listening to WIRED. Talk to you next time for more stories from WIRED.com and read this story here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
AI Can Give You an NPC That Remembers. It Could Also Get Your Favorite Artist Fired
August 08, 2023 11:00 - 9 minutesAs game developers wrestle with the challenges and opportunities of incorporating AI tools across the industry, those same tools continue to increase in complexity. Thanks for listening to WIRED. Talk to you next time for more stories from WIRED.com and read this story here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
This Disinformation Is Just for You
August 07, 2023 11:00 - 8 minutesGenerative AI won't just flood the internet with more lies—it may also create convincing disinformation that’s targeted at groups or even individuals. Read the story here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
For the Love of God, Stop Microwaving Plastic
August 04, 2023 11:00 - 11 minutesA study of baby-food containers shows that microwaving plastic releases millions upon millions of polymer bits. Thanks for listening to WIRED. Talk to you next time for more stories from WIRED.com and read this story here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Extreme Heat Threatens the Health of Unborn Babies
August 03, 2023 11:00 - 11 minutesExposure to excessive heat during pregnancy has been linked to everything from preterm labor to low birth weight, and those risks are rising as the world warms. Thanks for listening to WIRED. Talk to you next time for more stories from WIRED.com and read this story here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Big AI Won’t Stop Election Deepfakes With Watermarks
August 02, 2023 11:00 - 8 minutesResearchers found a simple way to make ChatGPT, Bard, and other chatbots misbehave, proving that AI is hard to tame. Thanks for listening to WIRED. Talk to you next time for more stories from WIRED.com and read this story here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Someone Has to Deliver Your Packages in This Scorching Heat
August 01, 2023 11:00 - 9 minutesAs white-collar workers surf the web in air-conditioned comfort, delivery drivers are moving ecommerce packages through record temperatures. Thanks for listening to WIRED. Talk to you next time for more stories from WIRED.com and read this story here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
More Battlefield AI Will Make the Fog of War More Deadly
July 31, 2023 11:00 - 7 minutesThe Pentagon’s embrace of military AI raises questions about what limits should be placed on the technology—and how to keep humans in control. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
A Patient May Be Free of HIV, Thanks to This Drug
July 28, 2023 11:00 - 10 minutesFive people went into viral remission after stem cell transplants from donors with HIV resistance. A sixth patient received normal cells. Is an anti-inflammatory drug behind his recovery, instead? Thanks for listening to WIRED. Talk to you next time for more stories from WIRED.com and read this story here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Israel’s Tech Companies Are Fighting Netanyahu—or Leaving the Startup Nation
July 27, 2023 11:00 - 10 minutesAs protests rage over Israel’s controversial reforms to the supreme court, many tech companies have been moving their money and headquarters offshore. Thanks for listening to WIRED. Talk to you next time for more stories from WIRED.com and read this story here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Beware Your ChatGPT Plugins
July 26, 2023 11:00 - 10 minutesThird-party plugins boost ChatGPT’s capabilities. But security researchers say they add an extra layer of risk. Thanks for listening to WIRED. Talk to you next time for more stories from WIRED.com and read this story here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Why These Surfers Want to Restore a Rainforest
July 25, 2023 11:00 - 8 minutesIn the rainy mountains along Ireland’s west coast, the nonprofit Hometree wants to bring back a temperate rainforest ecosystem that has been gone for centuries. Thanks for listening to WIRED. Talk to you next time for more stories from WIRED.com and read this story here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The New Minstrels Are Here
July 24, 2023 11:00 - 10 minutesAI-generated video and images are ushering in an ungovernable reality—where the remixing of stereotypes is not only accepted, but big business. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices