Technology

Hypodermics on the Shore

The “syringe tides”—waves of used hypodermic needles, washing up on land—terrified beachgoers of the late 1980s. Their disturbing lesson was ignored.

It’s a Weird Time for Driverless Cars

The robotaxis now hitting American streets are troubling and amazing all at once.

Online Ratings Are Broken

Companies aren’t asking for your feedback. They’re begging you for data.

Good News for Your Sad, Beaten-Up iPhone

In a surprising turn, Apple has acknowledged that maybe not everyone needs a new phone every year.

Bama Rush Is a Strange, Sparkly Window Into How America Shops

Here’s my cute $20 Shein dress. And here are all of my $400 David Yurman bracelets.

The Internet’s Next Great Power Suck

AI’s carbon emissions are about to be a problem.

‘Subliminals’ Have a Power No Teen Can Explain

Short YouTube videos promise to change your hair color … and straighten your nose … and turn you into a soccer star.

What Happened to Wirecutter?

Longtime fans have turned against the product-recommendation website. An evolving internet may be to blame.

The Most Disrespected Document in Higher Education

The college syllabus is dead.

The Right to Not Have Your Mind Read

Can “neurorights” protect us from the future?

Revealed: The Authors Whose Pirated Books Are Powering Generative AI

Stephen King, Zadie Smith, and Michael Pollan are among thousands of writers whose copyrighted works are being used to train large language models.

Make the Collabs Stop

The world does not need Blue Bottle sneakers or Harry Potter spatulas.

The Future of Recycling Is Sorty McSortface

It’s really hard to sort all the junk that gets thrown in recycling bins. Do tech start-ups have the answer?

TikTok Is Opening a Parallel Dimension in Europe

People will soon be able to experience TikTok without its all-knowing, hyper-personalized algorithm. Will anything change?

Schrödinger’s Cage Match

Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg’s rivalry is not worth your time.

I Turned My House Into a Zero-Carbon Utopia

The Inflation Reduction Act let me break up with fossil fuels.

The Greatest Pogo Stick the World Has Ever Seen

A classic toy has been reengineered for extreme athletes. Can it appeal to normies too?

Drinking Water Is Easy

Just add stuff to it.

There’s No Shame in Flaking

Embrace chaos. Don’t show up.

Before a Bot Steals Your Job, It Will Steal Your Name

The future of AI looks a lot like Tessa, Ernie, and Amy.