Slate Technology

Even if you like the convenience of your phone unlocking after it reads your face, there are reasons to be wary of the TSA bringing facial recognition technology to the airport. 

Guest: Geoffrey Fowler, technology columnist for the Washington Post.

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On today’s episode, Rachelle dives into one of Candice’s most treasured subreddits: r/bathandbodyworks. They trace the boom of candle consumption during the pandemic, how sale culture keeps the store in business, and Candice’s definitive rules for curating your haul.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

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A shortage of basic chemotherapy drugs to treat cancer is jeopardizing the care of hundreds of thousands of patients. The drugs aren’t expensive, or patented—so where are they? 

Guest: Ed Yong, science journalist at The Atlantic.

Host: Lizzie O'Leary

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On today’s special Pride Month episode, Rachelle and Candice hear from their queer listeners about finding love online. Stories come from digital spaces as far flung as Buffy the Vampire Slayer fandom boards to Craigslist missed connections, from Minecraft rose gardens to couch surfing websites.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

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Semaglutide, better known by its brand name Ozempic, has been making headlines as a weight loss drug – despite only having FDA approval to treat diabetes. Now, some say it doesn’t just quell cravings for food – it helps quiet cravings for alcohol, drugs, and other compulsive behaviors. For years, researchers have been studying semaglutide's effectiveness as an addiction cure in animals. What have they found? And – does it actually work? 

Guest: Sarah Zhang covers health and medicine for The Atlantic

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On this month’s episode of Future Tense Fiction, host Maddie Stone talks to Matt Bell about his short story “Empathy Hour.”

In the story’s climate-change-ravaged future, society’s wealthiest are whisked away to luxurious, self-contained cities. Once there, they entertain themselves with a carefully crafted reality show meant to assuage their guilt about the climate refugees they’ve left behind. But then, someone breaks into their airbrushed world, lifting the lid on what hides underneath it. 

After the story, Matt and Maddie discuss the promises and pitfalls of climate fiction–and why we want to feel empathy, but never too much. 

Guest: Matt Bell is the author of several books, including the novel Appleseed, a New York Times Notable Book of 2021. He is a professor of creative writing at Arizona State University. 

Story read by Josh Bloomberg

Podcast production by Tiara Darnell

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On today’s episode, Rachelle Hampton and Candice Lim parse out this week in #OceanGate, when a 5-passenger underwater vessel heading for the Titanic went missing. The U.S. Coast Guard has confirmed all five passengers are presumed dead following a “catastrophic implosion,” but the internet remains obsessed and desperate for more answers. We take a look at OceanGate the company, why someone would sign up for this voyage, and how four days of unanswered questions turned into millions of tweets, memes and TikToks.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

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On Wednesday, the Federal Trade Commission sued Amazon, accusing the online giant of “tricking and trapping people into recurring subscriptions.” The complaint says Amazon “knowingly duped millions of consumers into unknowingly enrolling in Amazon Prime." 

With murmurs of a larger antitrust probe against Amazon just around the corner, how serious is this suit for the tech giant? 

Guest: Leah Nylen, antitrust reporter at Bloomberg

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On today’s episode, Rachelle and Candice are joined by Eater senior reporter Bettina Makalintal to discuss the rise of private chef content on TikTok. Specifically, the three discuss the now-yearly spectacle of chefs creating content about their summer sojourns to the Hamptons to cook for their wealthy clients. A form pioneered by Meredith Hayden, a.k.a @wishbonekitchen, Hamptons private chef content is now a phenomenon eagerly awaited by a section of TikTok viewers who call it their Super Bowl.

This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton.

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One son was preparing to take over George Soros’s multi-billion-dollar empire. Then, there was a falling out, and a new heir-apparent was chosen. 

Who is Alex Soros? And, as he takes over for one of the most influential figures in American politics, what can we expect from him? 

Guest: Gregory Zuckerman, special writer at the Wall Street Journal

Host: Emily Peck

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