Netflix’s 'Skip Intro' Button Makes TV Ever More Like an App
The option to bypass title sequences seems convenient, but it also tightens the bond between viewer and screen.
'It's Decorative Gourd Season, Motherfuckers' Will Never Die
The author of the classic humor piece on his “spewing” of joy for autumn
The Saintliness of Undecayed Corpses
In the medieval church, “incorrupt” remains signaled virtue, chastity, and holiness. An Object Lesson.
What Will Our Lives Be Like as Cyborgs?
A case for embracing the “augmentation” of human minds and bodies
Google's Profits Are Exploding Because the Web Is Massive
The company's global ad business is now larger than that of Facebook, Alibaba, Baidu, Twitter, Amazon, and Snap, combined.
Securing Amazon Deliveries Without a Home Invasion
The tech giant wants a key to your house. Give them access to an empty box on the porch instead.
The Video Game That Could Shape the Future of War
The U.S. Army is developing a new way to test technologies and tactics—but first they have to get tens of thousands of soldiers to play it.
Why Computers Should Be Hidden
A luxury bicycle computer forecasts a welcome future of humble, embedded systems.
How Do You Regulate a Self-Improving Algorithm?
For health care, the answer is a matter of life and death.
When the Facebook Traffic Goes Away
Facebook’s latest test disrupted the news ecosystem in six small countries. Does the company owe them anything?
The Suffix That Tells the Story of Modern Science
Why did words that end in “tron” once sound so futuristic?
Facebook’s Evidence of Russian Electoral Meddling Is Only ‘the Tip of the Iceberg’
The ranking Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee believes Facebook, Google, and Twitter aren’t searching hard enough to learn the extent of Russian interference.
The AI That Has Nothing to Learn From Humans
DeepMind’s new self-taught Go-playing program is making moves that other players describe as “alien” and “from an alternate dimension.”
The World's Most Powerful Publishers Refuse to Admit What They Really Are
Facebook and Google's push to personalize the news is the latest seismic shift in tech giants’ influence on the information landscape.
A Catfishing With a Happy Ending
Emma Perrier was deceived by an older man on the internet—a hoax that turned into an unbelievable love story.
Free Money at the Edge of the Tech Boom
A 27-year-old mayor is implementing a $1 million experiment in guaranteed income for residents of a poor city just outside the Bay Area.
Your Bones Live On Without You
The human skeleton inspires wonder and terror because it lasts much longer than its owner. An Object Lesson.
Google Maps' Failed Attempt to Get People to Lose Weight
Not everyone wants to be reminded of calories when trying to get directions.
Twitter's Harassment Problem Is Baked Into Its Design
Many women recently boycotted the social network, protesting its failure as a public sphere where all voices are welcome.
The Underclass Origins of the Little Black Dress
The upper classes once imposed the fashion staple on their servants—then they stole it back from them. An Object Lesson.