ComputingMay 1, 2020
When Will Speech-Recognition Software Finally Be Good Enough?
Think how much time we’d save if voice assistants always understood commands or questions the first time
Stories by Wade Roush
Wade Roush is the host and producer of Soonish, a podcast about technology, culture, curiosity and the future. He is a co-founder of the podcast collective Hub & Spoke and a freelance reporter for print, online and radio outlets, such as MIT Technology Review, Xconomy, WBUR and WHYY. His new book, Extraterrestrials, is published by the MIT Press.
OpinionApril 7, 2020
Life as We Don’t Know It
If we’re going to find extraterrestrials, we need to stop assuming they’ll think like humans
EarthApril 1, 2020
Who’s Brave Enough to Invest in Saving the Planet?
A handful of venture capitalists are taking big financial risks in hopes of even bigger rewards
EngineeringMarch 1, 2020
Pricey Storm-Surge Barriers May Be Worth It
Failing to protect our coasts from sea-level rise would cost vastly more
ElectronicsFebruary 1, 2020
Augmented Reality Is Getting Real
AR headsets are still bulky and expensive, but smartphone-based apps are filling the gap
PolicyJanuary 1, 2020
Truly Secure Voting Is on the Way
Unfortunately, it won’t be here by 2020
EnvironmentDecember 1, 2019
Wait, Plastic Can Be Good for the Environment?
It’s usually made from petroleum, which is better in a landfill than in a tank of gasoline
ComputingNovember 1, 2019
Goodbye, Phone Calls. Hello, Loneliness
Can you really “reach out and touch someone” via text?
EnvironmentOctober 1, 2019
Aviation Is on a Low-Carbon Flight Path
Buy offsets if you want, but for real hope, look to electric planes
ElectronicsSeptember 1, 2019
Apple’s Amazing New Screen
It will revamp our ideas of what a display can do
ElectronicsAugust 1, 2019
Despite What You Might Think, Major Technological Changes Are Coming More Slowly Than They Once Did
Major technological shifts are fewer and farther between than they once were
Climate ChangeJuly 1, 2019
We Should Be More Worried about Climate Change Than We Are about Nuclear Power
Climate change scares me more than the risk of meltdowns
ElectronicsJune 1, 2019
Virtual Assistants Are Getting Smarter All the Time. Can We Trust Them with Our Data?
Virtual assistants are getting smarter. Let's think about how that will play out
BehaviorMay 1, 2019
How to Get Away from Facebook’s “Emotion Pump”
Are there better social technologies than Facebook?
BiotechApril 1, 2019
Machines That Read Your Brain Waves
How to make sure noninvasive neural interfaces stay that way
ComputingMarch 1, 2019
Technology Is Upending How Music Is Made
Technology is upending how music gets made
PolicyFebruary 1, 2019
You Don’t Need Tech Companies to Reboot Your City’s Economy
You don't need programmers or venture capitalists for a thriving local economy