What Next: TBD | Tech, power, and the...
Every Friday and Sunday, Slate’s popular daily news podcast What Next brings you TBD, a clear-eyed look into the future. From fake news to fake meat, algorithms to augmented reality, Lizzie O’Leary is your guide to the tech industry and the world it’s creating for us to live in.
451
QAnon Goes Mainstream
How the conspiracy moved from the fringes of the internet to the White House press room.
16 min
452
What Went Wrong With Contact Tracing Apps
They were supposed to help us keep the virus in check. Why don’t any of them seem to actually work?
19 min
453
How Google Search Sold Out
The search engine used to be a gateway to the rest of the internet. Now, it’s something else entirely
18 min
454
How One Block Got Through It
Chicago’s 75th Street seems like exactly the type of place that would have struggled to survive the pandemic. Instead, it’s thriving.
20 min
455
When America Can’t Pay the Rent
Is an eviction crisis around the corner?
23 min
456
New Orleans Without Music
The city’s music scene can’t work without visitors. What will become of its venues, musicians, and economy?
19 min
457
Cities Are Running Out of Money
Will the U.S. learn lessons from the Great Recession or just repeat the same mistakes?
21 min
458
Is “Covid Flight” a Thing?
There are countless reasons why Americans move out of cities. Is the coronavirus really one of them?
19 min
459
What's a City Without the Office?
The future of the corporate office and the future of the American city aren’t easily separated.
18 min
460
A Hidden Side of Police Abuse
You can’t reform the police if you don’t know what surveillance technology they’re using.
15 min
461
Why Remote Learning Failed
After three months of school closures, data about the impact of the coronavirus on learning is starting to trickle in. It’s far from reassuring.
20 min
462
Is This the End of Facial Recognition?
In the space of a week, development of the powerful surveillance technology has come to a screeching halt.
20 min
463
Your Delivery Habit Isn't Helping
Apps like DoorDash and Grubhub are doing more harm than good.
18 min
464
Trump and Twitter Go to War
Twitter fact checked the president’s tweets. Two days later, he issued an executive order that aims to redefine free speech online.
18 min
465
What Is Elon Musk Thinking?
A public battle over the closure of a Tesla plant shows what happens when big tech goes up against local government.
17 min
466
Decoding the Flood of COVID Data
How to turn data into decisions.
17 min
467
Should You Get an Antibody Test?
A layperson and a scientist talk us through what they’re good for.
22 min
468
How the Crisis Could Embolden Big Tech
While much of the economy suffers fallout from the coronavirus, the tech giants see an opportunity.
16 min
469
Can We Really Make a Safe Vaccine in 18 Months?
How fast is too fast when it comes to finding the fix for COVID-19?
20 min
470
Can the U.S. Really Track the Coronavirus?
Widespread contact tracing will be critical for preventing a resurgence of the coronavirus.
20 min
471
The Limits of Coronavirus Predictions
Can mathematical models chart the course of this pandemic?
16 min
472
Risking Your Life for $8.71
While much of the country shelters indoors, Instacart workers have found themselves on the front lines of COVID-19. Who’s keeping them safe?
18 min
473
Where Are All the Tests?
Here’s why America isn’t ready for widespread testing.
22 min
474
Big Tech Eyes the Pandemic
Silicon Valley’s biggest players have been trying to break into health care for years. The coronavirus may provide an opportunity.
20 min
475
What If They Close All the Schools?
As the coronavirus spreads across the country, many schools are considering moving their classes online. For many, that’s not a realistic option.
15 min