Microchips are in pretty much all of our electronic devices—if it’s got a plug or a battery, it’s probably got a chip. For the past 60 years, most of these have been made of silicon. But new devices demand faster, better, and more efficient processors, and engineers are hitting silicon’s physical limits. In this episode of the Future of Everything, WSJ’s Alex Ossola digs into the future of chips—how scientists are boosting silicon’s capabilities and looking for other materials that could take its place.



Further reading: 

Graphene and Beyond: The Wonder Materials That Could Replace Silicon in Future Tech 

The Microchip Era Is Giving Way to the Megachip Age 

Chips Act Will Create More Than One Million Jobs, Biden Says Timeline of silicon’s development (Computer History Museum) 

Christopher Mims’ tech column for the Wall Street Journal 

Deji Akinwande's research page at the University of Texas at Austin 

Stephen Forrest's profile page at the University of Michigan 

Deep Jariwala's lab page the the University of Pennsylvania Wolfspeed's website 

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Beyond Silicon? The New Materials Charting the Future of Microchips

What 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.

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3D printing isn’t just for hobbyists – it could be central to the future of manufacturing. Companies are turning to this technology to make everything from car and airplane parts to houses faster and cheaper than with traditional techniques. Now, as 3D printing – also known as additive manufacturing – is getting quicker, researchers are testing its limits. WSJ’s Alex Ossola and Danny Lewis take a look at how this tech is building the factory of the future.



What do you think about the show? Let us know on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or email us: FOEPodcast@wsj.com



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Further reading: 

This 3-D Printed Icelandic Fish-Gutting Machine Contains the Secret of a Future, Less-Globalized Economy 

Venture Investors Are Pumping Capital Into 3-D Printing Startups. Here’s Why. 

Energy Companies Turn to 3-D Printing to Bypass Snarled Supply Chains 

3-D Printed Houses Are Sprouting Near Austin as Demand for Homes Grows 



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How 3D Printing Could Drive the Factory of the Future

When Tesla started developing the Cybertruck, CEO Elon Musk tasked the company's chief designer with creating a car that "feels like the future." But did it break the mold on what a pickup truck is? And how will it change truck design in the future? WSJ auto columnist Dan Neil test drove the Cybertruck. He spoke with WSJ’s Charlotte Gartenberg about his take on Tesla’s polarizing vehicle, and what it means for the future of EV design.



What do you think about the show? Let us know on Apple Podcasts  or Spotify , or email us: FOEPodcast@wsj.com 



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Further reading: 

I Gave Tesla’s Cybertruck a 48-Hour Thrashing. It (Mostly) Survived. 

Tesla Hopes the Cybertruck Design Gives It an Edge 

Tesla Designer: Cybertruck’s Funky Design Gives It an Edge 

How Tesla’s Cybertruck Compares with Other Pickups 

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Did Tesla’s Cybertruck Break the Mold on EV Pickup Truck Design?

This year, several high profile incidents have kept flying in the limelight. Yet air travel is currently safer than ever. The biggest U.S. commercial airlines have now gone 15 years without a fatal crash. So, how did hurtling through the sky in a giant metal tube become this safe? WSJ columnist Ben Cohen speaks with former FAA and International Civil Aviation Organization executive William Voss about the voluntary self-reporting programs that made flying the safest form of travel and asks if the airline industry’s safety measures could provide a blueprint for regulation in other fields.



What do you think about the show? Let us know on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or email us: FOEPodcast@wsj.com 



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Further reading: 

Flying in America Has Actually Never Been Safer 

Boeing Tells Airlines to Check 787 Cockpit Seats After Mishap on Latam Flight 

Behind the Alaska Blowout: a Manufacturing Habit Boeing Can’t Break 

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Science of Success: How Self-Reporting Made Flying Safer

After years of promises that driverless cars were just over the horizon, one of the industry's biggest players is headed for the freeway. Now, for the first time, Alphabet’s Waymo is allowing robotaxis to take its employees on high-speed roads in Phoenix, Arizona without a human driver. The move comes just as the industry is facing a harsh reality after high-profile crashes: GM’s Cruise had its permits to operate driverless robotaxis pulled by the California DMV, and Waymo issued its first-ever recall after two of its cars collided with a pickup truck being towed. WSJ reporter Meghan Bobrowsky discusses what this could mean for the future of self-driving cars and where the industry is heading.



What do you think about the show? Let us know on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or email us: FOEPodcast@wsj.com



Further reading: 

Self-Driving Cars Enter the Next Frontier: Freeways

Self-Driving Car Company Waymo Issues First-Ever Recall After Two Phoenix Crashes 

GM’s Cruise Says U.S. Is Investigating Driverless Car’s Collision With Pedestrian 

​​America’s Most Tech-Forward City Has Doubts About Self-Driving Cars 

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Why Waymo's Robotaxis Are Hitting the Arizona Freeway

Imagine driving down a road that recharges your electric car as it moves. Companies around the world are experimenting with new technology that can wirelessly charge EVs while they drive, thanks to copper coils buried beneath the asphalt. It could mean less time spent plugging in at slow chargers, no need for heavy, expensive lithium-ion batteries and wave goodbye to range anxiety. WSJ’s Danny Lewis reports on what it would take for this tech to hit the road, and how it could change the way we refuel our vehicles.



What do you think about the show? Let us know on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or email us: FOEPodcast@wsj.com 



Further reading: 

These Companies Want to Charge Your Electric Vehicle as You Drive 

No More Charging Stops? We Take a Road Trip in an Ultralong-Range EV 

The Big Year for EVs Gets Off to a Bumpy Start 

Electric Cars and Driving Range: Here’s What to Know About EV Range 



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Beyond Silicon? The New Materials Charting the Future of Microchips

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