One of the top concerns when it comes to the harms of social media and political polarization in the United States is the fear of echo chambers or people operating in media bubbles. If people are only hearing opinions they already agree with or seeing stories that align with their worldview, they may become more… Continue reading The Small but Mighty Danger of Echo Chamber Extremism
Author: Wired Magazine
We Need to Talk About Your Stove
Michael Calore: Lauren, do you have gas? Lauren Goode: OK, like, we’re close as podcast hosts, but we’re not this close. We’re not talking about gas. Are you talking about gas stoves? Michael Calore: I am indeed asking if you have gas stove. Lauren Goode: I do have a gas stove and I also have… Continue reading We Need to Talk About Your Stove
China’s Declining Population Can Still Prosper
Earlier this week, the National Bureau of Statistics in China announced that the Chinese population has decreased for the first time in 60 years. The population decrease does not come as a complete surprise. Curbing population growth was the entire point of the one-child policy in effect between 1980 and 2015, and women in China have… Continue reading China’s Declining Population Can Still Prosper
A Damning US Report Lays Bare Amazon’s Worker Injury Crisis
Amazon was hit with an unusually forceful safety citation by federal investigators in the US today. The findings appear to back up what some workers at the company have long alleged: that the online retail giant’s warehouse and fulfillment facilities are designed for speed over safety, causing lower-back injuries and other musculoskeletal disorders at high rates.… Continue reading A Damning US Report Lays Bare Amazon’s Worker Injury Crisis
5 Best Sex Tech Deals From Lelo’s Anniversary Sale: Vibrators, Lube, Condoms
If you peruse our Best Sex Toys guide, you’ll come across several products from Lelo, but let’s be honest—they can be pretty expensive. That’s why Lelo’s 20th-anniversary sale caught my eye. There aren’t a ton of huge discounts, but there are a couple of standouts, including some of our favorites and some always-in-demand intimate accessories… Continue reading 5 Best Sex Tech Deals From Lelo’s Anniversary Sale: Vibrators, Lube, Condoms
Spy Cams Reveal the Grim Reality of Slaughterhouse Gas Chambers
At 4 am one morning in October of last year, animal rights activist Raven Deerbrook sat on a bed in a cheap hotel in East Los Angeles, looking at a live video feed on her phone. She’d barely slept that night, waking every hour or two to check that the feed was transmitting from three… Continue reading Spy Cams Reveal the Grim Reality of Slaughterhouse Gas Chambers
Apple 14- and 16-Inch MacBook Pro and Mac Mini (2023): Specs, Release Date, Price
New year, new MacBooks. With little fanfare, Apple has unveiled updated 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros, now powered by the M2 Pro and M2 Max Apple-made chipsets. That’s practically the only major change from the 2021 MacBook Pro predecessors. However, that’s not the only new hardware announcement. There’s also a more powerful Mac Mini, powered… Continue reading Apple 14- and 16-Inch MacBook Pro and Mac Mini (2023): Specs, Release Date, Price
The Collapse of the UK’s Electric Vehicle Champion
Britishvolt was meant to be the UK’s answer to Tesla. By 2024, it was supposed to be producing hundreds of thousands of lithium-ion batteries a year for the British automotive sector, and driving an industrial renaissance for the economically deprived northeast of the country. Since its launch in 2019, the company had amassed nearly $2.5… Continue reading The Collapse of the UK’s Electric Vehicle Champion
Big Tech’s Layoffs Highlight How the US Fails Immigrant Workers
Tens of thousands of people have been laid off at Amazon, Meta, Salesforce and other once-voracious tech employers in recent months. But one group of workers has been particularly shortchanged: US immigrants holding H-1B visas for workers with specialist skills. Those much-sought visas are awarded to immigrants sponsored by an employer to come to the… Continue reading Big Tech’s Layoffs Highlight How the US Fails Immigrant Workers
Mental Health Apps Won’t Get You Off the Couch
“Everyone’s so gung ho about therapy these days. I’ve been curious myself, but I’m not ready to commit to paying for it. A mental health app seems like it could be a decent stepping stone. But are they actually helpful?” —Mindful Skeptic Dear Mindful, The first time you open Headspace, one of the most popular… Continue reading Mental Health Apps Won’t Get You Off the Couch