WSJ’s The Future of Everything
128 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 2 years ago - ★★★★ - 1.2K ratingsWhat will the future look like? The Future of Everything offers a kaleidoscope view of the nascent trends that will shape our world. In every episode, join our award-winning team on a new journey of discovery. We’ll take you beyond what’s already out there, and make you smarter about the scientific and technological breakthroughs on the horizon that could transform our lives for the better. Hosted by Janet Babin.
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Episodes
Why Finding the Origins of Covid-19 Matters for the Next Pandemic
December 31, 2021 14:00 - 33 minutesIt's been more than two years since the global pandemic started, and the search for the origin of the virus continues. Scientists, government agencies and the World Health Organization-as well as our own Wall Street Journal reporters-have tried to nail down whether the pandemic began when an animal transferred the virus to humans, or if it came out of a laboratory accident. But the hunt has been marred by secrecy and confusion. In this episode: why it's so important to find answers, and what ...
How Psychedelic Drugs Are Making A Comeback To Treat Depression
December 17, 2021 14:00 - 37 minutesThe hallucinogenic compound psilocybin is undergoing a renaissance-not as a recreational drug but as a potential treatment for mental health conditions. We follow the journey of one participant of a scientific study into the psychedelic drug's effect on depression. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Superconductivity: One Step Closer
November 26, 2021 17:00 - 32 minutesSuperconductivity means zero wasted electricity; perfectly conducted energy. Typically it's been made using either super high pressure or extremely low temperatures. This makes it inefficient and expensive for practical use. But in an incremental first, researchers have managed to create a superconducting material that works at room temperature and with less pressure. If we could create this technology large-scale, it would completely revolutionize our energy grid and the way we travel. Learn...
Zero Carbon Future 4: Adaptation and the Future of Climate Modeling
November 12, 2021 15:59 - 36 minutesWhile world leaders and businesses are making pledges to mitigate climate change by reducing their greenhouse gas emissions, many parts of the world are already struggling to adapt to a warming planet. The Far North - places like Siberia and Alaska, parts of which are warming three times faster than the global average - are ground zero. In this episode, we look at how they are dealing with thawing permafrost; the struggle to pay for adaptation in other U.S. cities; and why scientists say futu...
Zero Carbon Future 3: Suck it Up - Capturing Carbon from the Air
October 29, 2021 16:00 - 24 minutesExperts agree that removing carbon from the atmosphere will be necessary, regardless of increases in clean energy production and storage. The process can be done both naturally and mechanically. Climate scientists say all types of carbon capture will be needed to bring down the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. We explain what methods are being used now, explore the challenges of the technology, and how carbon pricing might impact innovation and the business of carbon capture...
Introducing Bad Bets
October 23, 2021 13:00 - 30 minutesBad Bets is a new podcast series from The Wall Street Journal that unravels big-business dramas that have had a big impact on our world. This season, we're delving into Enron. In 2001, energy company Enron was at the height of its power. Then, out of the blue, CEO Jeffrey Skilling resigned-just six months after he took the reins of a company he had helped turn into an innovation machine. Why? In this episode, we dive into the first cracks in the Enron facade. John Emshwiller is the host of t...
Zero Carbon Future 2: How to Store Renewable Energy For a Rainy Day
October 15, 2021 13:01 - 26 minutesOne of the challenges of clean energy like wind or solar is that they fluctuate. And they're unreliable. So finding a better way to store this energy for dark seasons and doldrum days is the next hurdle to reaching goals for decarbonization. In this episode, we explore options that are already being used, and some new methods still in beta. WSJ Senior Energy Correspondent Sarah McFarlane joins host Janet Babin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
An Archipelago Leads the Way on Clean Energy
October 01, 2021 16:01 - 33 minutesA small Scottish community is perfecting new technologies that could help to power the green energy industry. Advances in wind and tidal power have turned the Orkney Islands into an exporter of renewable energy, instead of a fossil fuel importer. Rochelle Toplensky reports, Janet Babin hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Paying for College and Curbing Student Debt
August 28, 2021 19:30 - 34 minutesStudent loan debt is now around $1.6 trillion. Some economists fear that debt is irreparably harming the U.S. economy. But over the past 50 years, the availability of federal student loans has changed higher education. It's led to higher attendance rates, but also higher tuitions and higher expectations from the college experience. In this episode of The Future of Everything: what structural changes could improve the lending program going forward - and how that could change what college looks...
Outhacking the Hackers: The Future of Cybersecurity
July 30, 2021 13:01 - 24 minutesA recent surge in high-profile cyber attacks has companies playing defense. Some are turning to ethical hackers to find software bugs before the bad guys do. But as Ava Sasani reports, researchers are also developing new hardware - to try and stop hackers in their tracks. Janet Babin hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
No More Noise 2: Metamaterials Can Make the World a Quieter Place
July 02, 2021 13:00 - 23 minutesMaterials scientists are getting creative in the quest to quiet our increasingly noisy world. Using metamaterials - man made materials with special properties not found in nature - researchers could soon reduce or eliminate unwanted industrial sounds. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
No More Noise: Turning Down The Volume on Cities - Part 1
June 11, 2021 13:00 - 29 minutesThe battle against noise has been waged, rather quietly, for decades. And yet, urban noise pollution is getting worse. A growing body of evidence indicates that it is more than a nuisance- persistent exposure to noise can cause chronic health issues. Anyone can be impacted, but marginalized communities most often live closer to sources of unwanted noise. In this episode, we look at the impacts of urban noise, new efforts to understand and track it and consider design solutions that can help m...
Grammy Award Winner Jacob Collier on Evolving in Place
May 14, 2021 21:00 - 18 minutesSinger-songwriter and producer Jacob Collier grew up producing music in his bedroom. After years of touring the world, the pandemic allowed him to return to that space - to continue developing his genre-bending music. In this episode, the five-time Grammy Award winner shares with host Janet Babin how the pandemic impacted his creative process, and how participatory music along with social media kept him connected to his audience. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Grammy-Award Nominated Music Producer Oak Felder Shares His Vision
May 07, 2021 13:00 - 22 minutesThe pandemic forced artists and musicians to learn how to collaborate remotely. Some of these newfound methods were so successful, they'll likely influence the future of music creation and performance in the post-pandemic world. In this episode we talk with record producer Oak Felder about what the pandemic year taught him and how it will continue to influence his creative process. He'll be leading a workshop at the up-coming Future of Everything Festival. Learn more about your ad choices. Vi...
How NFTs Could Disrupt the Art Market
April 16, 2021 13:30 - 32 minutesAfter years of being a museum novelty, digital art is starting to sell like hotcakes--and in some cases for millions of dollars--because of a crypto asset called nonfungible tokens, or NFTs. And it isn't just art--sales of digital collectibles of all kinds are benefiting from these blockchain-based certificates of authenticity. NFTs are making the market more accessible for artists, but in the future, they also could disrupt the entire economy of the art market. Learn more about your ad choi...
What We Can Learn From 'Long Covid'
March 26, 2021 13:00 - 26 minutesMillions of people worldwide who survived an initial Covid-19 infection continue to struggle with debilitating symptoms months later. Physicians are unable to explain their illness. But there's now a name for it: Long Covid. The medical community is hoping that the data trove from Long Covid survivors can not only help them understand their conditions, but also how to treat illnesses with similar symptoms. In a previous version of this podcast released on March 26, we said that Body Politic p...
How Psychedelic Drugs Are Making a Comeback to Treat Depression
March 05, 2021 13:00 - 36 minutesThe hallucinogenic compound psilocybin is undergoing a renaissance-not as a recreational drug but as a potential treatment for mental health conditions. We follow the journey of one participant of a scientific study into the psychedelic drug's effect on depression. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Metals That Work Like Magic
February 12, 2021 13:00 - 31 minutesTrains that run from New York to California in a few hours, laptops that never overheat, and rockets that fly to Jupiter: These are some of the possibilities of superconductivity. After decades of failed experiments, a new discovery may have just gotten us a step closer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
How the Pandemic Fueled Scientific Discovery and Collaboration
January 15, 2021 13:00 - 35 minutesWhen Chinese researchers published the draft genome of the virus that causes Covid-19 early last January, it altered the course of the pandemic--and possibly changed science forever. Will this spirit of information-sharing and collaboration persist beyond the current crisis? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
E-Ternal: New Technology and the Quest to 'Live' Forever
December 18, 2020 14:00 - 29 minutesIn this episode, we feature a short documentary by Wall Street Journal senior personal technology columnist Joanna Stern that explores how we can use technology to tell our stories long after we die. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Making a Home on the Moon
December 04, 2020 13:00 - 30 minutesFor the vast majority of humans, earth is our home. But that could soon change. Global efforts are underway to build sustainable habitats on the moon within the next decade or two. But beyond covering the necessities in an otherwise uninhabitable environment, we'll also need to consider the psychological effects of living in space, and what it will take to make the moon feel more like home. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Teacher's New Assistant: Artificial Intelligence
November 06, 2020 18:00 - 30 minutesSchools around the world are slowly adopting artificial intelligence to better tailor teaching to individual kids. One program maps a student's mastery of math; another assesses literacy and screens for dyslexia. Critics are skeptical that this technology is as effective as promised. Could surveilling students in this way do more harm than good? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Mobile Voting's Future
October 03, 2020 02:40 - 27 minutesAs the U.S. gets ready for an election during a pandemic, we report on in-person voting options and review the security threats inherent in mobile or blockchain assisted voting. In a previous version of this podcast released on Oct. 2, we said that Bradley Tusk was funding mobile voting apps, including the Voatz app. Tusk Philanthropies has given funding to voting precincts to launch mobile voting pilot programs - not to the apps themselves. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.f...
The Blood of the Future Could be Made in a Lab
September 04, 2020 12:30 - 28 minutesThe coronavirus pandemic led to blood-donation shortages across the world, outlining the fragility of the pipeline. That has brought fresh urgency to research that has been decades in the making but is only now starting to become a reality: The production of artificial blood. Last year, researchers began a pioneering clinical trial, and more are on the way, bringing us closer to a world where blood factories augment supplies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
How to Talk to Animals (and Know What They're Saying Back)
August 28, 2020 13:00 - 29 minutesWhat if we could alert whales to stay away from oil spills? Or hear from dolphins directly when they want treats? Seamless conversation between animals and humans is still a far-off goal. But scientists think that machine-learning tools could open the door to communication with marine mammals. Listen to the first part of this two-part series, Google AI Tries to Save the Whales. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Google AI Tries to Save the Whales
August 14, 2020 15:53 - 33 minutesIn the Pacific Northwest, an increase in shipping traffic is further threatening the orca population, which has already seen its numbers drop in the face of food shortages and climate change. One of the biggest threats from the boats is noise pollution, which interferes with the whales' ability to communicate. Engineers at a unit of Google may have an answer: An alert system that relies on artificial intelligence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Traveling With Tech Made for the World's Fastest Sailboats
July 17, 2020 13:00 - 25 minutesThe America's Cup, the world's oldest sailing competition, has a reputation for fostering innovation. In 2013, contestants began to use hydrofoils-underwater wings on the hull-to lift their boats out of the water during the race, allowing them to reach highway speeds and revolutionizing the sport. An Olympic sailor and a billionaire oil trader are now reimagining the technology to make passenger ferries faster and more eco-friendly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Technology Helps Train Police Officers
July 03, 2020 13:00 - 26 minutesIn recent weeks, protests have erupted in response to police violence against citizens - specifically communities of color - forcing departments to reconsider how officers do their jobs. Police forces have been using tech - like Tasers and body cameras - to try and reduce the use of lethal force and improve accountability. In this episode, we'll explore how emerging technology - like virtual reality training - could improve police training by boosting empathy and tackling racial bias. Learn m...
The Super Powers of Bats and the Fight to Stop Deadly Viruses
June 05, 2020 13:00 - 24 minutesThe tiny, flying creatures carry all sorts of viruses but don't get sick. How do they do that? We meet the researchers who are mapping bat genomes and studying the animal's ability to fend off inflammation. What they find could help humans better combat the next pandemic. Special thanks to Bradley Klein for allowing us to use his bat call sounds. He's given bat walks in New York's Central Park and surrounding areas for more than a decade. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/a...
How Polio Research is Helping in the Hunt for a Vaccine
May 22, 2020 13:00 - 23 minutesResearch on a vaccine for the new coronavirus is progressing swiftly because of the legacy of scientists working on past diseases. Some of society's most devastating viruses ended up improving the way we study illness and search for cures. We explore the thread that connects research on polio and the new virus, SARS-CoV-2, and consider whether the pandemic will inform future generations of virologists. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Dead or Alive, Viruses are Everywhere, and Here to Stay
May 08, 2020 13:00 - 18 minutesViruses are ubiquitous, found in every crevice on earth. Some, like SARS CoV 2, can end up killing their hosts. But researchers credit ancient viruses with helping us form long term memories. As parts of the world reopen for business, we consider how these little packets of genetic material are not just our enemy, but helped us to evolve. Viruses, it turns out, shaped our genome, and will like be part of our evolutionary future. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Covid-19 and AI: Tracking a Virus, Finding a Treatment
April 17, 2020 13:00 - 23 minutesArtificial Intelligence can speed up research and improve accuracy. Those qualities are also key to suppressing the spread of Covid-19. With the globe clamoring for solutions to the pandemic, institutions, governments, universities and startups are turning to AI to shave precious time off the quest for a Covid-19 cure. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
China is Ready for CBD. But Regulators Might Not Be.
January 29, 2020 14:00 - 16 minutesThe market for hemp-based CBD products is exploding. And China wants in on the potential profits. But CBD is highly regulated in China, and THC is illegal. Will China make room for this lucrative product? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
AI Hiring, Never Retiring: Working in the 21st Century
January 15, 2020 14:46 - 28 minutesThe nature of work is evolving. Technology is already an integral part of most jobs, but new developments are changing the way we navigate the workplace. From hiring managers using artificial intelligence and virtual reality, to apps that help workers find their way through maze-like mega offices, the office of tomorrow is already being tested. And lots of people are wondering if technological advancements will keep them working forever. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/ad...
Family Secrets: DNA Tests and the Future of Family
December 18, 2019 08:00 - 32 minutesThe clues to heredity hidden in our DNA have long been the purview of scientists. But in recent years, commercial DNA tests have made unlocking those secrets cheaper and easily accessible for millions of people. While most just find out about their ancestry, for some, the tests have opened Pandora's box. WSJ's Amy Dockser Marcus introduces us to three different stories of DNA tests with unexpected consequences. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On The Alert: The Next Generation Of Earthquake Early Warning Systems
December 04, 2019 18:10 - 25 minutesFor the past few decades, governments in earthquake-prone regions have built up early warning systems. Now, private tech companies are getting into the earthquake business. (Reporters Daniela Hernandez and Robbie Whelan) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
WSJ Tech Live: The State of Play
November 20, 2019 08:00 - 24 minutesThe global videogame industry is worth an estimated $150 billion-and it's rapidly growing and evolving. As part of the WSJ Tech Live conference, columnist Jason Gay spoke with Andrew Wilson, chief executive of Electronic Arts, the maker of 'Apex Legends,' 'Need for Speed,' 'FIFA' and 'The Sims,' about how esports, mobile gaming on social networks and mixed-reality games are changing the way people play. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
WSJ Tech Live: Where AI Is Headed Next
November 06, 2019 08:00 - 26 minutesArtificial intelligence has been compared to electricity, meaning that it will soon be integral to the world as we know it. There's an arms race for global dominance in AI, especially between the U.S. and China. But what do experts in the field have to say? Where are they optimistic, where do they see challenges-and where are they raising red flags? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
WSJ Tech Live: The Future of AI
November 06, 2019 08:00 - 26 minutesArtificial intelligence has been called the "new electricity" - meaning that it will soon become a standard and integral part of the world as we know it. There's a growing arms race over the global dominance in AI - especially between the US and China. But what do experts in the field have to say? Where are they optimistic, where do they see challenges - and where are they raising red flags?
WSJ Tech Live: The Next Big Thing
October 23, 2019 19:00 - 20 minutesWhat will keep the engine of tech innovation running in an era of skeptical users and wary regulators? From driverless cars to outer-space colonies, two moonshot thinkers talk about their cutting-edge work and how calculated risks may spark the next giant leap for mankind. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Custom Parts: The Future of Transplanted Organs
October 09, 2019 07:30 - 18 minutesDemand for donated organs far outstrips supply. But researchers are working to remedy the crisis using everything from gene-edited pigs to 3D-printed tissue. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Customized Kids: Are Designer Babies on the Way?
September 25, 2019 07:30 - 18 minutesAdvances in gene editing and DNA analysis are allowing parents unprecedented control over the traits their children will inherit. We explore the science-and ethics-behind the movement.
Customized Kids: Are Designer Babies on the Way?
September 25, 2019 07:30 - 18 minutesAdvances in gene editing and DNA analysis are allowing parents unprecedented control over the traits their children will inherit. We explore the science-and ethics-behind the movement. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Get Ready for Gene-Edited Food
September 11, 2019 07:30 - 16 minutesVegetables engineered with the gene-editing technology Crispr are moving closer to supermarket shelves. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has decided these genetically altered foods won't require a special label. But will they curry favor with consumers? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Can Gene-Edited Mice Solve the Lyme Crisis?
August 28, 2019 07:30 - 19 minutesLyme disease is rampant on Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket. MIT scientists believe that releasing genetically altered mice on the islands could curb-and even wipe out-the disease. A close look at an unprecedented environmental intervention. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The De-Extinction Movement Comes to Life
August 14, 2019 07:30 - 15 minutesIn labs around the world, scientists are using gene-editing technology to revive species that disappeared from the face of the Earth long, long ago. In this episode, we talk to the researchers working on a project straight out of science fiction. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
How Robots Will Feed Our On-Demand Culture
July 31, 2019 07:30 - 14 minutesFor decades, we've dreamt of an all-purpose robot that can cater to our every need. Silicon Valley is trying to catch up with that vision. One company is starting with a task already consuming our economy: home delivery. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Moonshot: How Apollo Launched the Digital Revolution
July 17, 2019 07:30 - 17 minutesThe Apollo program to go to the moon marks the only time humans have left our home planet to set foot on another world. The biggest effect of this voyage was transforming the civilization it left behind. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Adapting Medicine for Outer Space
July 03, 2019 07:30 - 20 minutesWhat happens when an injury occurs on a commercial space flight or manned mission to Mars? Meet the scientists and astronauts studying how to keep us safe where routine care is impossible-and the closest hospital is a million miles away. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
How to Build an Island
June 20, 2019 07:30 - 23 minutesSelf-assembly could be a boon for manufacturing in extreme and resource poor environments. Meet the scientist experimenting with the tech to develop adaptive materials and land masses. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices