How Aristotle Created the Computer
The philosophers he influenced set the stage for the technological revolution that remade our world.
How Monopoly’s New Tokens Betray Its History
The metal thimble has a very particular Depression-era provenance.
Tech Start-Ups Have Become Conceptual Art
An edible drone doesn’t need to feed the starving to do its job.
The Lifesaving Potential of Underwater Earthquake Monitors
Sending sensors deep into the ocean could allow for earlier and more accurate tsunami warnings.
Scientists Brace for a Lost Generation in American Research
Private funding isn't enough to offset the president's proposed budget cuts, they say.
Trump's Cyber Skepticism Hasn't Stopped Charges Against Foreign Hackers
The Justice Department has indicted four Russians for their roles in a cyberattack on Yahoo that compromised half a billion user accounts.
Welcome, Please Remove Your Shoes
Around the world, slippers are used to keep the outside out of the home. An Object Lesson.
What Happens If a Nuclear Bomb Goes Off in Manhattan?
A computer model is in the works to simulate how New Yorkers would respond in the the first 30 days after a nuclear attack.
Rise of the Robolawyers
How legal representation could come to resemble TurboTax
Why Is Silicon Valley So Awful to Women?
Tech companies are spending hundreds of millions of dollars to improve conditions for female employees. Here’s why not much has changed—and what might actually work.
The Fight Between Waymo and Uber Intensifies
After six weeks of brutally bad PR, the ridesharing giant is ratcheting up its defense.
The 9-1-1 Paradox
Emergency call lines in the United States rarely fail, yet they're more vulnerable than ever.
Your Hot Hands Can Give Away Your Smartphone PIN
Thermal images reveal what parts of the screen were tapped, even after it’s left untouched for 30 seconds.
The Still-Misunderstood Shape of the Clitoris
Can a 3-D printed model of the organ change views on female sexuality? Yes and no. An Object Lesson.
A Behavioral Economist Tries to Fix Email
Inbox maintenance was taking up a lot of Dan Ariely’s time, so he decided to study it as he would anything else.
Lady Liberty’s Cloak of Darkness
Why technological failures are such handy metaphors
Social Media’s Silent Filter
Under-the-radar workers have scrubbed objectionable material from Facebook and other sites since well before the fake-news controversy.
A Visual Search Engine for the Entire Planet
Descartes Labs lets you point-and-hop between features in China and the United States.
When Algorithms Don’t Account for Civil Rights
Do lucrative deals with advertisers have to come at the expense of users’ civil rights?
Should Journalists Be More Cautious of WikiLeaks?
With its latest leak, the site is daring reporters to go on a scavenger hunt for scoops.