Science, Spoken
WIRED
Get in-depth coverage of current and future trends in technology, and how they are shaping business, entertainment, communications, science, politics, and society.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Apr 27, 2021 • 12min
Will Future Electric Vehicles Be Powered by Deep-Sea Metals?
Mining companies and marine scientists want to know whether harvesting blobs of useful materials from the seafloor harms ocean life.
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Apr 26, 2021 • 8min
Plastic Is Falling From the Sky. But Where’s It Coming From?
At any given time, 1,100 tons of microplastic are floating over the western US. New modeling shows the surprising sources of the nefarious pollutant.
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Apr 23, 2021 • 5min
How Many Homes Could You Power With Free Doughnuts?
Krispy Kreme is offering a year of treats to anyone who gets the Covid-19 vaccine. What if they worked off the energy on pedal-powered bike generators?
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Apr 22, 2021 • 8min
Pandemic Lockdowns Did Cut Air Pollution—but With a Catch
Studies from all over the globe show short-term improvements in urban air quality, but experts are skeptical about how long they’ll last.
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Apr 21, 2021 • 7min
The High-Powered Thrusters Behind NASA's Mission to Psyche
Hall thrusters have been used in satellites for years. Now, they'll play a crucial role in reaching a metallic asteroid called Psyche.
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Apr 20, 2021 • 13min
Covid-19 Vaccine Passports Are Coming. What Will That Mean?
Scores of plans to verify immunity are in the works. But there are even more questions about how they’ll use data, protect privacy—and who gets certified first.
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Apr 19, 2021 • 9min
This Sticker Absorbs Sweat—and Might Diagnose Cystic Fibrosis
The device may make it easier to quickly test newborns and could open the door to at-home monitoring.
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Apr 16, 2021 • 8min
More Lightning in the Arctic Is Bad News for the Planet
Lightning strikes in the far north could double by 2100. That means more wildfires, which could release massive amounts of planet-warming gas.
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Apr 15, 2021 • 6min
The Dinosaur-Killing Asteroid Birthed Today's Rainforests
Plant fossils from Columbia reveal the forests of the Cretaceous period were sparser and less humid than their modern-day counterparts.
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Apr 14, 2021 • 12min
Sneaky New Bacteria on the ISS Could Build a Future on Mars
NASA tracks the microbes that live on the space station, and sometimes it discovers new ones. Those hardy bugs may offer clues about surviving long missions.
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