Ada Palmer and the Weird Hand of Progress

Gregory Barber Backchannel Feb 10, 2022 6:00 AM The sci-fi author writes about the 25th century and teaches college students about the 15th. The past we think…

North Korea Hacked Him. So He Took Down Its Internet

For the past two weeks, observers of North Korea's strange and tightly restricted corner of the internet began to notice that the country seemed to be dealing…

A Grand Unified Theory of Buying Stuff

Years ago, I asked a friend what kind of case she planned to buy for her shiny new flip phone. She paused, a little offended. “I don't like to buy stuff for my…

Covid Will Become Endemic. The World Must Decide What That Means

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The Race to Find ‘Green’ Helium

Students at Berkeley Planned a Protest Against Crispr Rival Feng Zhang, Then Cancelled

Student planned a protest against Feng Zhang's appearance at UC Berkeley, the home of competing Crispr inventor Jennifer Doudna, and then canceled it.

He Thought He Could Outfox the Gig Economy. He Was Wrong | WIRED

Jeffrey Fang was a ride-hailing legend, a top earner with relentless hustle. Then his minivan was carjacked—with his kids in the back seat. Jeffrey Fang,…

The 60-Year-Old Scientific Screwup That Helped Covid Kill

All pandemic long, scientists brawled over how the virus spreads. Droplets! No, aerosols! At the heart of the fight was a teensy error with huge consequences.

Here’s What Learning to Juggle Does to Your Brain

First of all, you have to stop thinking and kind of become a robot.

How to Escape a Sinking Ship (Like, Say, the 'Titanic') | WIRED

First, put on your fanciest clothes. And at 1:15 am, consider heading down to Deck D.

Vaccines Are Here. We Have to Talk About Side Effects

Disinformation could thwart distribution before government messages have a chance to push back. Debunking might turn out to be everyone’s job.

Did QuantumScape Just Solve a 40-Year-Old Battery Problem?

Earlier this year, the startup claimed to have a revolutionary solid-state lithium-ion cell that could change EVs forever. Now it has data to prove it.

Inside Parler, the Right's Favorite 'Free Speech' App | WIRED

The top app on both Google and Apple's app stores this week promises conservatives a safe space—but gives priority treatment to its most high-profile users.

The Xenobot Future Is Coming—Start Planning Now | WIRED

We're on the cusp of being able to program biological systems like we program computers. That raises some thorny questions.

A Nameless Hiker and the Case the Internet Can’t Crack | WIRED

The man on the trail went by “Mostly Harmless." He was friendly and said he worked in tech. After he died in his tent, no one could figure out who he was.

Scientists Found Phosphine on Venus—A Possible Hint of Life | WIRED

A simple molecule floating in Venus's atmosphere is now humans' best bet for finding companionship in the galaxy.

How Work Became an Inescapable Hellhole

Instead of optimizing work, technology has created a nonstop barrage of notifications and interactions. Six months into a pandemic, it's worse than ever.

Linkin Park T-Shirts Are All the Rage in China

The band hasn't been cool for years. But its Minutes to Midnight logo is everywhere in the most populous country in the world.

Covid-19 Is Bad. But It May Not Be the ‘Big One’

Health experts want a 9/11 Commission-style report on the US pandemic response. They say we must forecast and prepare for outbreaks as we do for wars or weather.

Remote Work Has Its Perks, Until You Want a Promotion

Companies like Facebook and Twitter expect many employees to work far from headquarters after the pandemic. That calls for a change in corporate cultures.

Farewell to Beyond the Beyond

Farewell to Beyond the Beyond by Bruce Sterling So, the blog is formally ending this month, May MMXX. My weblog is a collateral victim of Covid19, which has…

There Are No Hours or Days in Coronatime

The days blend together, the months lurch ahead, and we have no idea what time it is. The virus has created its own clock.

Covid-19 Was Here Earlier Than Most Americans Thought. Now What?

Epidemiologists aren't surprised that virus was spreading in the US in early February. But those early days offer lessons for how to catch the next wave.

Welcome to Botnet, Where Everyone’s an Influencer

A social network populated entirely by adoring bots aims to mimic the experience of being a celebrity online—trolls not included.

The Eight-Hour Workday Is a Counterproductive Lie  | WIRED

What was once a socialist dream has become every knowledge worker’s nightmare. It's time to unmake the modern myth of productivity.

The Eight-Hour Workday Is a Counterproductive Lie

What was once a socialist dream has become every knowledge worker’s nightmare. It's time to unmake the modern myth of productivity.

The 8-Hour Workday Is a Counterproductive Lie

What was once a socialist dream has become every knowledge worker’s nightmare. It's time to unmake the modern myth of productivity.

Google's New Gesture Controls Aren't Just for the Pixel

The Pixel 4 smartphone is being built to house a chip called Soli that could eventually power gesture-based user interfaces in everything from VR headsets to cars.

Move Over, San Andreas: There’s an Ominous New Fault in Town

U.S. route 395 is a geologic master class disguised as a road. It runs north from the arid outskirts of Los Angeles , carrying travelers up to Reno along the…