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Episodes
Sponsored: The Race to Vaccinate a Nation with Deryck Mitchelson
06 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
From Slate Studios & ServiceNow, this episode of Let’s Workflow It features Deryck Mitchelson – one of the leaders taking on the greatest work...
It’s Time to Talk About UFOs
02 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Last week, the U.S. government released a new report that attempts to categorize 144 verified sightings of unidentified aerial phenomena, or UAP. They...
It’s Time to Talk About UFOs
02 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Last week, the U.S. government released a new report that attempts to categorize 144 verified sightings of unidentified aerial phenomena, or UAP. They...
Welcome to Bitcoin Beach
25 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
For nearly two years, an unprecedented experiment has been taking place in the town of El Zonte in El Salvador. Funded by a mysterious donor, the town...
Welcome to Bitcoin Beach
25 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
For nearly two years, an unprecedented experiment has been taking place in the town of El Zonte in El Salvador. Funded by a mysterious donor, the town...
What Cops Are Doing With Your DNA
18 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Ever since police used a DNA platform called GEDmatch to crack the Golden State Killer case in 2018, police departments around the country have rushed...
What Cops Are Doing With Your DNA
18 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Ever since police used a DNA platform called GEDmatch to crack the Golden State Killer case in 2018, police departments around the country have rushed...
What Space Billionaires Cost Us
11 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Over the last decade, billionaires like Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, and Richard Branson have come to embody the future of space travel and exploration. Wha...
What Space Billionaires Cost Us
11 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Over the last decade, billionaires like Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, and Richard Branson have come to embody the future of space travel and exploration. Wha...
The App That Sparked a Manhunt
04 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Two weeks ago, as wildfires burned north of Los Angeles, the crime app Citizen offered $30,000 for information that would lead to the arrest of a susp...
The App That Sparked a Manhunt
04 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Two weeks ago, as wildfires burned north of Los Angeles, the crime app Citizen offered $30,000 for information that would lead to the arrest of a susp...
Apple and Epic’s Battle Royale
28 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
After years of careful planning and public spats, Apple and Epic—the maker of Fortnite—have spent the last three weeks in court, fighting over the...
Apple and Epic’s Battle Royale
28 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
After years of careful planning and public spats, Apple and Epic—the maker of Fortnite—have spent the last three weeks in court, fighting over the...
The Hackers Who Took Down the Colonial Pipeline
21 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Last week, a hacker group called DarkSide shut down the Colonial Pipeline, which supplies 45 percent of the fuel consumed on the East Coast. Gas price...
The Hackers Who Took Down the Colonial Pipeline
21 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Last week, a hacker group called DarkSide shut down the Colonial Pipeline, which supplies 45 percent of the fuel consumed on the East Coast. Gas price...
How the World’s Great Vaccination Hope Crashed
14 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The Serum Institute of India was supposed to supply vaccines not just to India, but to the entire Global South. Now, with cases surging, there aren’...
How the World’s Great Vaccination Hope Crashed
14 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The Serum Institute of India was supposed to supply vaccines not just to India, but to the entire Global South. Now, with cases surging, there aren’...
Oversight Board to Facebook: Nice Try
07 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The question of Donald Trump’s banned account--to keep it blocked, or reinstate it--is one of the toughest that Facebook has ever faced. But the soc...
Oversight Board to Facebook: Nice Try
07 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The question of Donald Trump’s banned account--to keep it blocked, or reinstate it--is one of the toughest that Facebook has ever faced. But the soc...
Tim Apple vs. Mark Facebook
30 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
There was a time—back when Steve Jobs ran Apple and Mark Zuckerberg was in his early days as Facebook’s CEO— that Apple and Facebook were friend...
Tim Apple vs. Mark Facebook
30 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
There was a time—back when Steve Jobs ran Apple and Mark Zuckerberg was in his early days as Facebook’s CEO— that Apple and Facebook were friend...
What's Causing the Tesla Crashes?
23 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Last week, a Tesla Model S crashed into a tree in a neighborhood north of Houston. Both men inside the car were killed. But according to police, neith...
What's Causing the Tesla Crashes?
23 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Last week, a Tesla Model S crashed into a tree in a neighborhood north of Houston. Both men inside the car were killed. But according to police, neith...
Seduced by Substack
16 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Like countless venture-funded start-ups before it, Substack is “disrupting” the media industry. The newsletter service is siphoning off high-profi...
Seduced by Substack
16 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Like countless venture-funded start-ups before it, Substack is “disrupting” the media industry. The newsletter service is siphoning off high-profi...
The Rise of the Therapy Apps
09 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Since the start of the pandemic, usage of apps like BetterHelp and Talkspace has skyrocketed. These apps might make mental health care more accessible...
The Rise of the Therapy Apps
09 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Since the start of the pandemic, usage of apps like BetterHelp and Talkspace has skyrocketed. These apps might make mental health care more accessible...
Introducing: ICYMI
04 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
ICYMI is Slate’s new podcast about internet culture. It’s a show for people who have a healthy relationship with the internet, made by people who ...
Introducing: ICYMI
04 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
ICYMI is Slate’s new podcast about internet culture. It’s a show for people who have a healthy relationship with the internet, made by people who ...
The Fight Over Vaccine Passports
02 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
There are at least 17 different “vaccine passport” initiatives underway in the United States. And leaked documents reveal that the Biden administr...
The Fight Over Vaccine Passports
02 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
There are at least 17 different “vaccine passport” initiatives underway in the United States. And leaked documents reveal that the Biden administr...
The AstraZeneca Saga
26 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Back in April 2020, AstraZeneca was hailed as a frontrunner in the race to get an effective vaccine to market. A year later, after a series of trial p...
The AstraZeneca Saga
26 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Back in April 2020, AstraZeneca was hailed as a frontrunner in the race to get an effective vaccine to market. A year later, after a series of trial p...
Hate, Lies, and AI
19 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Facebook’s failure to contain the spread of dangerous misinformation is no secret. For years, the company has pledged publicly to fix the problem. B...
Hate, Lies, and AI
19 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Facebook’s failure to contain the spread of dangerous misinformation is no secret. For years, the company has pledged publicly to fix the problem. B...
Does Google Actually Want to Hire Black Engineers?
12 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Back in 2014, Google released in-depth diversity data for its workforce for the first time. 1.1 percent of its tech team identified as Black. Six year...
Does Google Actually Want to Hire Black Engineers?
12 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Back in 2014, Google released in-depth diversity data for its workforce for the first time. 1.1 percent of its tech team identified as Black. Six year...
The Failing Lifeline for Low-Income Americans
05 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The federal Lifeline program was intended to bridge the gap between Americans who could comfortably pay for phone and internet service, and those who ...
The Failing Lifeline for Low-Income Americans
05 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The federal Lifeline program was intended to bridge the gap between Americans who could comfortably pay for phone and internet service, and those who ...
Australia’s Kinda-Sorta Win Over Big Tech
26 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Over the last year, the Australian government has been waging a quiet war against Facebook and Google. Through a new law, it plans to force the big te...
Australia’s Kinda-Sorta Win Over Big Tech
26 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Over the last year, the Australian government has been waging a quiet war against Facebook and Google. Through a new law, it plans to force the big te...
Why Texas Went Dark
19 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Over the last week, millions of Texans have been forced to live without power or heat. At least 16 have died since Monday. In a state that’s no stra...
Why Texas Went Dark
19 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Over the last week, millions of Texans have been forced to live without power or heat. At least 16 have died since Monday. In a state that’s no stra...
How Clubhouse Cracked China’s Firewall
12 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
For most of the last year, Clubhouse—the audio-only social media app—has been dominated by conversations about business, branding, and Elon Musk. ...
How Clubhouse Cracked China’s Firewall
12 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
For most of the last year, Clubhouse—the audio-only social media app—has been dominated by conversations about business, branding, and Elon Musk. ...
India Turns Off the Internet
05 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Last week, in response to protests by farmers outside New Delhi, India, the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi restricted access to the mobile...
India Turns Off the Internet
05 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Last week, in response to protests by farmers outside New Delhi, India, the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi restricted access to the mobile...
Inside the Subreddit That Blew Up GameStop
29 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The story of how GameStop went from the verge of a bankruptcy to a $15 billion market value isn’t an easy one to wrap your head around. But it helps...
Inside the Subreddit That Blew Up GameStop
29 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The story of how GameStop went from the verge of a bankruptcy to a $15 billion market value isn’t an easy one to wrap your head around. But it helps...
Why the Vaccine Websites Suck
22 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Most people thought developing the vaccine in record time would be the hard part. That, or shipping millions of doses at subzero temperatures to every...
Why the Vaccine Websites Suck
22 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Most people thought developing the vaccine in record time would be the hard part. That, or shipping millions of doses at subzero temperatures to every...
Where the Far Right Is Meeting Now
15 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
After Facebook and Twitter banned thousands of accounts in the wake of the Capitol riots, fringe groups are flocking to platforms like Signal and Tele...
Where the Far Right Is Meeting Now
15 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
After Facebook and Twitter banned thousands of accounts in the wake of the Capitol riots, fringe groups are flocking to platforms like Signal and Tele...
Deplatforming the President
08 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This week, in the wake of violent protests at the Capitol, the social media platforms took unprecedented steps to rein in the president. Facebook bann...
Deplatforming the President
08 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This week, in the wake of violent protests at the Capitol, the social media platforms took unprecedented steps to rein in the president. Facebook bann...
Was This Google Ethicist Fired for Doing Her Job?
15 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Recently, one of the world’s leading AI ethics researchers, Timnit Gebru, left Google. Google says she resigned. Timnit says she was fired. In the d...
Was This Google Ethicist Fired for Doing Her Job?
15 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Recently, one of the world’s leading AI ethics researchers, Timnit Gebru, left Google. Google says she resigned. Timnit says she was fired. In the d...
Everybody Sues Facebook
11 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This week, the FTC and more than 40 state attorneys general brought antitrust lawsuits against Facebook. And they’re not pulling their punches. They...
Everybody Sues Facebook
11 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This week, the FTC and more than 40 state attorneys general brought antitrust lawsuits against Facebook. And they’re not pulling their punches. They...
How Hackers Hold Schools for Ransom
04 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Ransomware attacks--when hackers break into digital systems, encrypt files, and demand payment to unlock them, isn’t new. But 2020 has seen an explo...
How Hackers Hold Schools for Ransom
04 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Ransomware attacks--when hackers break into digital systems, encrypt files, and demand payment to unlock them, isn’t new. But 2020 has seen an explo...
Inside Biden’s COVID Team
20 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
When Joe Biden takes office in two months, the federal government will take on a new stance in its fight to contain the coronavirus. The broad strokes...
Inside Biden’s COVID Team
20 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
When Joe Biden takes office in two months, the federal government will take on a new stance in its fight to contain the coronavirus. The broad strokes...
How Tough Will Biden Really Be on Big Tech?
13 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
When Barack Obama first won the White House, back in 2008, with Joe Biden as his vice president, the executive branch’s stance towards tech and tech...
How Tough Will Biden Really Be on Big Tech?
13 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
When Barack Obama first won the White House, back in 2008, with Joe Biden as his vice president, the executive branch’s stance towards tech and tech...
How the Gig Economy Won in California
06 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Companies like Uber, Lyft, and DoorDash have always argued that their workers are independent contractors, not employees. This distinction has been cr...
How the Gig Economy Won in California
06 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Companies like Uber, Lyft, and DoorDash have always argued that their workers are independent contractors, not employees. This distinction has been cr...
The Fight Against Election Day Falsehoods
30 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The 2016 general election changed the way we think about information online and its power to sway results. Four years later, Americans will vote amid ...
The Fight Against Election Day Falsehoods
30 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The 2016 general election changed the way we think about information online and its power to sway results. Four years later, Americans will vote amid ...
A Historic Case Against Google
23 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It’s been 22 years since the federal government last brought a meaningful legal challenge to a big tech company. Back then, when the Justice Departm...
A Historic Case Against Google
23 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It’s been 22 years since the federal government last brought a meaningful legal challenge to a big tech company. Back then, when the Justice Departm...
Facebook Flips on Holocaust Denial
16 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Two years ago, Mark Zuckerberg held up Holocaust denial as an example of the type of speech that would be protected on Facebook. The company wouldn’...
Facebook Flips on Holocaust Denial
16 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Two years ago, Mark Zuckerberg held up Holocaust denial as an example of the type of speech that would be protected on Facebook. The company wouldn’...
What Landlords Have on You
09 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Over the last decade, born from the chaos of the 2008 financial crisis, automated tenant screening has grown into a billion-dollar industry. Now, nine...
What Landlords Have on You
09 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Over the last decade, born from the chaos of the 2008 financial crisis, automated tenant screening has grown into a billion-dollar industry. Now, nine...
The Attack on Florida’s Latino Voters
02 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Since the beginning of the pandemic, Spanish-speaking voters in Florida have been exposed to a steady uptick in falsities and conspiracy theories. Thi...
The Attack on Florida’s Latino Voters
02 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Since the beginning of the pandemic, Spanish-speaking voters in Florida have been exposed to a steady uptick in falsities and conspiracy theories. Thi...
A Vaccine Won’t Be the End
25 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
As of Sept. 24, there are 42 vaccines in clinical trials on humans. At least 92 others are being developed but have not yet gone to trial. For months,...
A Vaccine Won’t Be the End
25 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
As of Sept. 24, there are 42 vaccines in clinical trials on humans. At least 92 others are being developed but have not yet gone to trial. For months,...
Did the Internet Doom a Pregnancy?
18 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
For pregnant women in the U.S., there are plenty of reasons to mistrust the medical establishment. Mortality rates are high compared to other western ...
Did the Internet Doom a Pregnancy?
18 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
For pregnant women in the U.S., there are plenty of reasons to mistrust the medical establishment. Mortality rates are high compared to other western ...
The Great Climate Migration Begins
11 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
As the planet warms in the coming decades, many parts of the planet that millions now call home will become uninhabitable. At first, people in these a...
The Great Climate Migration Begins
11 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
As the planet warms in the coming decades, many parts of the planet that millions now call home will become uninhabitable. At first, people in these a...
The Limits of Filming Police Brutality
04 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In the wake of the killing of Michael Brown in 2014, and the national protests that followed, many believed that video shared on social media, along w...
The Limits of Filming Police Brutality
04 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In the wake of the killing of Michael Brown in 2014, and the national protests that followed, many believed that video shared on social media, along w...
QAnon Goes Mainstream
28 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Not long ago, the QAnon conspiracy theory seemed to have lost momentum. Social media mentions had decreased. 8chan had gone offline. But since March, ...
QAnon Goes Mainstream
28 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Not long ago, the QAnon conspiracy theory seemed to have lost momentum. Social media mentions had decreased. 8chan had gone offline. But since March, ...
What Went Wrong With Contact Tracing Apps
21 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In the early days of the pandemic, countries around the world invested heavily in new technologies that would help track the movement of the virus. No...
What Went Wrong With Contact Tracing Apps
21 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In the early days of the pandemic, countries around the world invested heavily in new technologies that would help track the movement of the virus. No...
How Google Search Sold Out
14 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In the early days of internet search engines, Google set itself apart by providing a simple service. A list of links, inviting you to explore the webs...
How Google Search Sold Out
14 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In the early days of internet search engines, Google set itself apart by providing a simple service. A list of links, inviting you to explore the webs...
How One Block Got Through It
07 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Over the past five months, city blocks have been slipping away. Bars are closed; restaurants are half-empty; retail is shuttered. As the country retur...
How One Block Got Through It
07 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Over the past five months, city blocks have been slipping away. Bars are closed; restaurants are half-empty; retail is shuttered. As the country retur...
When America Can’t Pay the Rent
31 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
For the last four months, federal and state eviction moratoria have kept Americans in their apartments, even if they couldn’t pay rent. Now, with fi...
When America Can’t Pay the Rent
31 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
For the last four months, federal and state eviction moratoria have kept Americans in their apartments, even if they couldn’t pay rent. Now, with fi...
New Orleans Without Music
24 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
More than any other U.S. city, New Orleans banks on its culture. From music to restaurants to parades, the city relies on a steady stream of tourists ...
New Orleans Without Music
24 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
More than any other U.S. city, New Orleans banks on its culture. From music to restaurants to parades, the city relies on a steady stream of tourists ...
Cities Are Running Out of Money
17 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
After months of coronavirus lockdowns, cities are taking stock of their finances. The situation is bleak. With plummeting sales and property tax reven...
Cities Are Running Out of Money
17 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
After months of coronavirus lockdowns, cities are taking stock of their finances. The situation is bleak. With plummeting sales and property tax reven...
Is “Covid Flight” a Thing?
10 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Tens of thousands of people leave American cities every year. Normally, they’re replaced by new arrivals seeking jobs, education, and opportunity. B...