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What's New

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The 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.

Episodes

New Orleans Tried to Control Short-Term Rentals With a Lottery System. It Was a Mess

In trying to limit the impact of short-term rentals like Airbnbs, New Orleans used an elaborate lottery system to pit neighbors against each other. A lawsuit from angry hosts has put it in limbo. Thanks for listening to WIRED. Talk to you next time for more stories from WIRED.com and read this story here . Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices...

Nov 22, 20238 min

The Precarious Rise of Disposable Vapes

Disposable vapes from brands like Elf Bar and Lost Mary have taken over the ecigarette market and become a hit among young people. Governments are trying to figure out what to do. Thanks for listening to WIRED. Talk to you next time for more stories from WIRED.com and read this story here . Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices...

Nov 21, 20239 min

You Need a Heat Pump. Soon You’ll Have More American-Made Options

The Biden administration is announcing $169 million to supercharge domestic production of a device beloved by climate and energy nerds. Thanks for listening to WIRED. Talk to you next time for more stories from WIRED.com and read this story here . Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Nov 20, 20236 min

YouTube Shorts Challenges TikTok With Music-Making AI for Creators

YouTube creators will get to test a new AI tool that generates and remixes music in the style of several famous musicians, including Sia, Demi Lovato, and T-Pain. Thanks for listening to WIRED. Talk to you next time for more stories from WIRED.com and read this story here . Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices...

Nov 17, 20235 min

Think You Have SAD? Think Again

Research has questioned whether seasonal depression actually exists. Maybe that doesn’t matter. Thanks for listening to WIRED. Talk to you next time for more stories from WIRED.com and read this story here . Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Nov 16, 20239 min

Ann McKee Is on a Quest to Save Humanity’s Brains

The medical community's leading authority on traumatic brain injuries wants to make contact sports—which she loves—safer for everyone. Thanks for listening to WIRED. Talk to you next time for more stories from WIRED.com and read this story here . Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Nov 15, 20237 min

Skiing Is Getting Riskier

The threat of avalanches is rising with global warming, but technology can help protect skiers on and off the slopes. Thanks for listening to WIRED. Talk to you next time for more stories from WIRED.com and read this story here . Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Nov 14, 20237 min

Police Use of Face Recognition Is Sweeping the UK

Face recognition technology has been controversial for years. Cops in the UK are drastically increasing the amount they use it. Thanks for listening to WIRED. Talk to you next time for more stories from WIRED.com and read this story here . Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Nov 10, 202311 min

Big Tech Ditched Trust and Safety. Now Startups Are Selling It Back As a Service

The burgeoning trust and safety industry promises to help tech companies navigate scrutiny and regulation. But these services bring problems of their own. Thanks for listening to WIRED. Talk to you next time for more stories from WIRED.com and read this story here . Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Nov 09, 20239 min

A Major Alarm Is Flashing Under Greenland’s Ice

Greenland’s northern ice shelves—long thought to be relatively stable—have lost more than a third of their volume since 1978, new research finds. Thanks for listening to WIRED. Talk to you next time for more stories from WIRED.com and read this story here . Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Nov 08, 20239 min

Why You Can’t Stop Reading About Daylight Saving Time

In the US, Daylight Saving Time ends and the clocks go back one hour on November 5. You know this. Google knows this. But here we all are. Again. Thanks for listening to WIRED. Talk to you next time for more stories from WIRED.com and read this story here . Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Nov 07, 20235 min

YouTube’s Ad Blocker Crackdown Spurs Record Uninstalls

YouTube expanded a “test” that threatens to cut off users who don't turn off their ad blocker. Developers of the tools are scrambling to respond. Thanks for listening to WIRED. Talk to you next time for more stories from WIRED.com and read this story here . Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Nov 06, 202311 min

Facebook Finally Puts a Price on Privacy: It’s $10 a Month

Meta is about to roll out ad-free subscriptions on Instagram and Facebook. But critics say privacy should not be turned into a luxury. Thanks for listening to WIRED. Talk to you next time for more stories from WIRED.com and read this story here . Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Nov 03, 20238 min

The Second Person to Get a Pig Heart Transplant Just Died

Lawrence Faucette died six weeks after undergoing the experimental procedure involving a genetically engineered organ. Thanks for listening to WIRED. Talk to you next time for more stories from WIRED.com and read this story here . Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Nov 02, 20235 min

The Vampire Bat Is Moving Closer to the US. That’s a Problem

As the climate changes, the bloodthirsty creatures are moving north from Latin America, bringing the threat of rabies with them. Thanks for listening to WIRED. Talk to you next time for more stories from WIRED.com and read this story here . Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Nov 01, 20239 min

A Personalized Brain Implant Curbed a Woman’s OCD

A device in her brain delivers jolts of electricity when it detects abnormal neural activity associated with obsessive thoughts. Thanks for listening to WIRED. Talk to you next time for more stories from WIRED.com and read this story here . Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Oct 31, 20239 min

Apple Store Workers Fear the Tech Giant Is Dodging Accountability for Shady Labor Practices

Apple agreed to an independent audit of its US labor practices. Workers at the only unionized Apple Stores say they haven’t yet been contacted, and fear the report will be skewed. Thanks for listening to WIRED. Talk to you next time for more stories from WIRED.com and read this story here . Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices...

Oct 27, 20237 min

The AI-Generated Child Abuse Nightmare Is Here

Thousands of child abuse images are being created with AI. New images of old victims are appearing, as criminals trade datasets. Thanks for listening to WIRED. Talk to you next time for more stories from WIRED.com and read this story here . Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Oct 26, 202311 min

How to Spot Abortion-Related Misinformation

Between pregnancy “crisis centers” and “abortion pill testing,” there's a lot of questionable info out there. Here's how to tell what's evidence-based and what's not. Thanks for listening to WIRED. Talk to you next time for more stories from WIRED.com and read this story here . Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Oct 25, 20239 min

History Says the 1918 Flu Killed the Young and Healthy. These Bones Say Otherwise

A study of bones held in a Cleveland museum reveals a new side to the pandemic’s story—and a new way to think about pandemics to come. Thanks for listening to WIRED. Talk to you next time for more stories from WIRED.com and read this story here . Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices...

Oct 24, 202310 min

This Vaccine Protects Against Cancer—but Not Enough Boys Are Getting It

The HPV vaccine can effectively prevent a range of cancers if administered at the right age. But boys still can't access it in most countries. Thanks for listening to WIRED. Talk to you next time for more stories from WIRED.com and read this story here . Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Oct 23, 20239 min

Amazon Let Its Drivers’ Urine Be Sold as an Energy Drink

Amazon sold bottles of urine marketed as an energy drink, a new documentary reveals. The company also makes it alarmingly easy to sell dangerous items to children. Thanks for listening to WIRED. Talk to you next time for more stories from WIRED.com and read this story here . Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices...

Oct 20, 20237 min

AI Chatbots Can Guess Your Personal Information From What You Type

The AI models behind chatbots like ChatGPT can accurately guess a user’s personal information from innocuous chats. Researchers say the troubling ability could be used by scammers or to target ads. Thanks for listening to WIRED. Talk to you next time for more stories from WIRED.com and read this story here . Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices...

Oct 19, 20239 min

Why Scientists Are Bugging the Rainforest

Scientists use microphones and AI to automatically detect species by their chirps and croaks. This bioacoustics research could be critical for protecting ecosystems on a warming planet. Thanks for listening to WIRED. Talk to you next time for more stories from WIRED.com and read this story here . Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices...

Oct 18, 20238 min

How Hop Nerds Are Saving Your Favorite Beer From Climate Change

Extreme heat and droughts are cutting into hop plants’ yields and making them less bitter. But scientists and farmers are brewing up clever solutions. Thanks for listening to WIRED. Talk to you next time for more stories from WIRED.com and read this story here . Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices...

Oct 17, 20239 min

X’s Sneaky New Ads Might Be Illegal

Experts say a new advertising format on the platform formerly known as Twitter is misleading for users and could fall foul of FTC rules. Thanks for listening to WIRED. Talk to you next time for more stories from WIRED.com and read this story here . Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Oct 16, 20236 min

Hydro Dams Are Struggling to Handle the World’s Intensifying Weather

Climate change is robbing some hydro dams of water while oversupplying others—forcing managers to employ new forecasting technology and clever strategies to capitalize on what they have. Thanks for listening to WIRED. Talk to you next time for more stories from WIRED.com and read this story here . Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices...

Oct 13, 202311 min

What Do We Owe the Octopus?

Mounting research suggests that cephalopods experience pain. Now, the National Institutes of Health is considering new animal welfare rules that would put them in the same category as monkeys. Thanks for listening to WIRED. Talk to you next time for more stories from WIRED.com and read this story here . Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices...

Oct 12, 20239 min
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