Bold Names

Computer algorithms and artificial intelligence increasingly affect more and more of our lives, from the content we’re shown online, to the music we enjoy, to how our household appliances work. But the results these algorithms produce may be changing our world in ways users may not fully understand. WSJ’s Danny Lewis speaks with psychologist Gerd Gigerenzer, director of the Harding Center for Risk Literacy at the University of Potsdam. He’s spent decades studying how people make choices and find patterns when faced with uncertainty, and has some ideas about how to navigate and improve the relationship between AI and our society.

Further reading:

The Backstory of ChatGPT Creator OpenAI 

New York City Delays Enforcement of AI Bias Law 

How AI That Powers Chatbots and Search Queries Could Discover New Drugs 

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Our clothes are in need of a refresh, but not in the way you might think. With each wash, everything from sweaters to socks are releasing tiny, microscopic fibers into our water. Almost 35% of the primary microplastics in oceans right now come from laundry, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature. 

From filters in our washing machines to new materials for our clothes, alternatives are in the works to stop microplastics from coming off our clothes. But will it be enough? WSJ’s Alex Ossola and Ariana Aspuru speak about the steps researchers and companies are taking to solve the problem of microplastics in our wash.

Further reading: 

The Tiny Plastics in Your Clothes Are Becoming a Big Problem - WSJ  

Ocean Garbage Patches Have a Microscopic Problem - WSJ 

Fashion Firms Look to Single-Fiber Clothes as EU Recycling Regulations Loom - WSJ 

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

From paper maps to smartphone apps, the way people navigate the world has changed tremendously due to the rise of the internet. Google Maps is the fourth most popular mobile app in the U.S. by unique visitors, according to Comscore. That makes it more popular than Instagram, Tiktok and Spotify or its closest competitor, Apple Maps. Christopher Phillips, who runs Google’s Geo team and oversees Google Maps, speaks with WSJ’s Danny Lewis about how his company is thinking about the role maps play in bringing more information to our fingertips.

Further reading:

WSJ: The Future of Transportation 

Google Combines Maps and Waze Teams Amid Pressure to Cut Costs 

Google Reaches $391.5 Million Settlement With States Over Location Tracking Practices 

Slow Self-Driving Car Progress Tests Investors’ Patience 

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This past summer, many parts of the world suffered from some of the worst drought conditions in decades. In an effort to create more rain, the government of China turned once again to cloud seeding, a controversial technique that aims to target precipitation in key areas. WSJ’s Alex Ossola talks to Dr. Katja Friedrich, an atmospheric scientist at the University of Colorado Boulder, about the advantages and disadvantages of using cloud seeding to get more water where it is needed. 

Further reading: 

China Extends Power Curbs Amid Heat Wave, Drought 

China, Thirsty and Craving Rain, Lines Clouds With Silver Bullets 

When the U.S. Tried to Control Hurricanes 

Indonesian Snapshot: The Rainmakers of Riau 

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Thanksgiving often centers around a meal: turkey, sides and a lot of desserts. This year, many Thanksgiving staples are more expensive due to inflation; in the future, many of those staples will cost even more due to the effects of climate change. WSJ’s Alex Ossola looks into how environmental conditions, alongside technological advances, will change what makes its way to our Thanksgiving tables, and how our individual choices may spark new traditions. 

Further reading: 

The Trouble With Butter: Tight Dairy Supplies Send Prices Surging Ahead of Baking Season 

Record Turkey Prices Are Coming for Thanksgiving 

Lab-Grown Poultry Clears First Hurdle at FDA 

Sean Sherman’s 2018 op-ed in Time 

The Essential Thanksgiving Playbook 

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

World leaders are still trying to figure out how to handle the hundreds of millions of tons of plastic waste generated every year. Back in the 1990s, it was tough to switch on the TV and not see ads or shows offering viewers a simple solution: to reduce, reuse, and recycle plastics. Nice words, but it turns out that wasn’t enough to solve the problem. New high tech methods have shown promise in breaking down plastics or creating new ones that are easier to recycle. But they’re expensive alternatives. Will the economics work out? WSJ’s Danny Lewis sorts through the future of plastics recycling.

Would you pay more for plastic products designed to be easily recycled? Email us at [email protected] 

Further reading: 

U.S. Recycles 5% of Plastic Waste, Studies Show 

The 100% Recyclable Running Shoe That’s Only Available by Subscription 

‘Widely Recyclable’ Label Introduced to Plastic Packaging 

Soda Brands Are About to Get Possessive of Their Trash 

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Cells are the basic unit of life, but you could be forgiven if you stopped thinking about them after high school biology. In his newest book, “The Song of the Cell,” physician and author Dr. Siddhartha Mukherjee explores the myriad ways the humble cell is key to our world and our biology. He speaks to WSJ’s Alex Ossola about how our understanding of the cell is opening up a new frontier in medicine, how it is helping create new treatments for difficult diseases like cancer, and how it could one day help fix or even enhance our bodies. 

What’s something you’re curious about that could shape the future? Email us at [email protected]   

Further reading: 

Book Review: The Emperor of All Maladies 

Peeking Into Pandora’s Box 

Publisher Tweaks ‘Gene’ Book After New Yorker Article Uproar 

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In the future, you might leave your doctor’s office with a prescription for a pig whose DNA has been modified to match your own. Scientists are already working on genetically engineering pigs to help predict the progression of a disease, or serve as an organ donor for those who need a transplant. But could pigs one day become keys to truly personalized medicine? WSJ’s Danny Lewis explores the promise and potential pitfalls of using animals to help human health.

What’s something you’re curious about that could shape the future? Email us at [email protected] 

Further reading:

Growing a New Type of Organ Donor 

Scientists to Study Pig-Organ Transplants in Brain-Dead People for Longer Periods  

Scientists Transplant Human Tissue into Rat Brains, Opening Door to New Research 

The Human Genome “Rosetta Stone” and The Future of Health 

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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 

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

From “save the whales” to “protect the bumblebee,” animal conservationists rally advocates and officials to put resources toward ensuring the survival of a threatened species. But can we really save them all? Or are we overlooking the trade-offs as we decide which animals are protected to the detriment of others? WSJ’s Danny Lewis speaks to Dr. Rebecca Nesbit, ecologist and author of the book “Tickets for The Ark: From Wasps to Whales – How Do We Choose What to Save?” about the tricky ethical questions behind conservation.

Further Reading:

A Belgian City Opens a Hotel for an Unusual Clientele: Insects | WSJ 

Are Shark Attacks a Sign of Conservation Success? | WSJ 

Bird Populations Plummet in North America | WSJ 

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.