How Apps Commandeered the Age-Old Idea of Takeout
At the turn of this century, when Seamless was launched, mostly as a tool for offices to place large orders from restaurants and caterers, it didn’t register as a threat.…
The Missing Teen Who Fueled ‘Cult Panic’ Over Dungeons & Dragons
Tactical Studies Rules, the company cofounded by Gary Gygax to publish the rules for Dungeons & Dragons, held its annual “GenCon” convention in the summer of 1979. At that point,…
Why Skincare That Burns Is So Satisfying
The ritual goes a little bit like this. Once or twice a month, I prance expectantly into my little bathroom and greet my face in the mirror. In the private…
Artificial Intelligence and the ‘Gods Behind the Masks’
“Why don’t you go join them?” asked Ozioma. Showing up behind Amaka on the balcony, the landlady lit an English-brand cigarette, leaned against the railings, and peered down. “I used…
Can Robots Evolve Into Machines of Loving Grace?
Nobody could say exactly when the robots arrived. They seemed to have been smuggled onto campus during the break without any official announcement, explanation, or warning. There were a few…
The Truth About the Quietest Town in America
This loss of radio quiet has coincided with a loss of audible quiet. In 2000, the director of the US National Park Service passed an ordinance on “soundscape preservation and…
When the Next Animal Plague Hits, Can This Lab Stop It?
There were 16 pathogens on the terrorist’s list, written in tall, spiky scribbles that slanted across the page. Next to each one was the incubation period, route of transmission, and…
How a Geeky Superhero Fan Revived a Failing Comic Con
Over the course of the next decade, Graeb and the team at Wizard introduced countless innovations to revitalize this dying Comic Con, focusing on ways to include the wide varieties…
How Amazon Paid Unwitting Civilians to Make Alexa Smarter
Jeff Bezos first sketched out the device that would become the Amazon Echo on a conference room whiteboard in early 2011. He wanted it to cost $20 and be controlled…
The Wolf Tree and the World Wide Web
Skin burning, I returned to the shade and checked the wasp sting. I should show my girls how to make a poultice of baking soda. I sat and leaned back…