After 23andMe filed for bankruptcy in March, VC-backed genetic testing company Nucleus Genomics put up its hand to acquire the platform. Nucleus uses whole-genome testing to give users a fuller picture of their DNA. The company also recently released a new feature that raised eyebrows among some ethicists. Kian Sadeghi, Nucleus’ founder and CEO, lays out his vision for a future where genetic testing tells you a whole lot more than who your ancestors are.

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Conspiracy theories are not new. They’re as old as time itself. But if you feel like they’re everywhere right now, you’re not alone. So, what do you do when somebody you love has fallen down a rabbit hole? CNN’s Donie O’Sullivan has been covering the world of misinformation for more than a decade, but now he's less interested in what people believe than why they believe it. So, he’s trying to find out. 

Listen to Persuadable here.

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With tariffs kicking in and stock prices taking wild swings, uncertainty has racked the US economy in recent weeks. What’s the best way to navigate your personal finances in a moment like this? Jeanne Sahadi, a senior writer for CNN Business, has some tips for weathering the storm.

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If you’ve been to the airport recently, you might have noticed something different while going through security: a TSA agent taking your photo. Face scans can speed up the security process, but according to Dr. Joy Buolamwini, this technology comes with big picture risks. She explains what’s going on with these face scans — and how to opt out.

Read more about Dr. Joy’s nonprofit, the Algorithmic Justice League, here.

What questions do you have about the technology in your life? Email us at [email protected].

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Conspiracy theories can take many forms, from misgivings about the first moon landing to false claims that the 2020 election was stolen. As anyone who’s tried to reason with a conspiracy theorist knows, it’s hard to debunk such deeply held beliefs – and arguing with a loved one about them can be emotionally taxing. What if an AI chatbot could help? A recent study, published in Science, asked that very question — and the results were surprising. Thomas Costello, an assistant professor of psychology at American University and co-author of the study, breaks down the findings.

Try chatting with the bot yourself at debunkbot.com.

What questions do you have about the technology in your life? Email us at [email protected].

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Grief is one of the most human experiences we have—so what happens when AI gets involved? How are people using it in their healing process? Audio producer Rebecca Nolan shares her own experience creating an AI chatbot based on her deceased father, and University of Arizona psychology professor Mary-Frances O’Connor talks with Clare about whether using AI for the grieving process has therapeutic benefits.

Mary-Frances’s latest book is called The Healing Body: How the Stress of Loss Can Be an Opportunity for Healing.

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In the past decade, technology has transformed the way we use doorbells. Home security cameras that capture footage of people around your home give some people peace of mind in the face of potential break-ins or theft. Clare talks with Matthew Guariglia, a senior policy analyst at the Electronic Frontier Foundation working on issues of surveillance and policing, about where that footage is going and what it’s being used for.

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The popularity of for-profit genetic testing services like Ancestry and 23andMe has skyrocketed in recent years. These tests can teach users more about their ancestry or health. But they can also have some unexpected outcomes. 23andMe recently filed for bankruptcy to pursue a sale, raising questions about what could happen to users’ data under a new owner. University of Iowa law professor Anya Prince digs into the privacy considerations around sharing your DNA. Plus, Alexis Hourselt of the DNA Surprises podcast shares her own journey with genetic testing.

If you’re navigating an unexpected discovery about your family because of a genetic testing service, 23andMe has a support page here.

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Becoming a parent is overwhelming. So is all the technology out there that’s marketed toward new parents, from smart bassinets to high-tech baby monitors and breastfeeding tracker apps. What gadgets do new parents actually need, and do you need them at all? Sophie Brickman explored this in her book Baby, Unplugged, and she shares some insights for fellow parents in the digital age.

What questions do you have about the technology in your life? Email us at [email protected].

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It’s no surprise that music can affect our emotions. But can music actually improve our mental health? Aaron Labbé, founder and chief technology officer at the Toronto-based company LUCID, believes it can. With the help of AI-curated music playlists, and technology that reads your facial expressions as you listen, LUCID is trying to turn music into medicine.

LUCID has an app called Resonance Rx that can be prescribed to patients with Alzheimer’s or dementia, as well as a public-facing platform where you can try this technology yourself at vibemusic.ai.

What questions do you have about the technology in your life? Email us at [email protected]

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