logo
episode-header-image
Feb 2022
28m 20s

Ok. I guess we'll talk about the metaver...

NPR
About this episode
What is the metaverse? How do you get to it? Why does it seem to dominate headlines every week? Is it possibly a sign of our dystopian future? Sam learns all about the metaverse and more with NPR technology correspondent Shannon Bond and NPR tech reporter Bobby Allyn. They define the metaverse, explain why companies are so eager to jump into it, and whether or not we should worry about it.

You can follow us on Twitter @NPRItsBeenAMin and email us at samsanders@npr.org.

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy
Up next
Today
People say college doesn't matter. They're right and wrong.
Does a college degree get you anything these days? Some people say no, but the reality is far more complicated. About 19 million people are going to college right now. But one recent poll from Gallup shows that the percentage of Americans who view college as very important is at ... Show More
20m 44s
Oct 8
Is the economy slowing? Ask Black women.
Black women’s unemployment rate is hovering at 6.7% — higher than the rate for white workers. Is it a sign the broader economy could sour? These economists say yes.Black women are the 'canary in the economic coal mine,' says Anna Gifty Opoku-Agyeman. She's the author of The Doubl ... Show More
19m 10s
Oct 6
If American films are meh...are China’s better?
Hollywood isn't performing as well at home or abroad. Is it losing its cultural dominance to China's burgeoning film industry? ‘Survive until 2025’ was the mantra that got Hollywood through the past five years of lockdown, streaming wars, and franchise fatigue. And while summer f ... Show More
18m 3s
Recommended Episodes
May 2022
Live … from the metaverse!
Suddenly it feels like everyone is talking about the metaverse, doesn’t it? But what exactly is the metaverse? Wikipedia describes it as “a network of 3D virtual worlds focused on social connection,” but the only real consensus seems to be that it’s going to be, well, huge. Googl ... Show More
27m 49s
May 2024
From Facebook to Meta: Zuckerberg's Big Bet—The Future
Since Facebook became Meta in 2021, the company has invested billions of dollars to develop the metaverse to where it is today. But the competitive landscape is changing as companies like Apple come out with their own headsets. Plus, artificial intelligence is becoming a more imp ... Show More
15m 19s
Nov 2021
Metaverse 2030
We started this journey in an effort to better understand where the future of the internet is heading, as well as to help you explore the metaverse. And just as we were doing that, something quite interesting happened. Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook, announced that the ... Show More
35m 19s
Oct 2021
What is the metaverse?
In Neal Stephenson's "Snow Crash," we were introduced to the concept of a metaverse. Now companies like Facebook are working to make their own version. But what is it? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy ... Show More
48m 45s
Jul 2022
Into the Metaverse
In October 2021, Mark Zuckerberg announced that Facebook would change its name to Meta, reflecting its shift towards “the Metaverse”. Today, the concept is central to the strategies of the world’s biggest tech companies – including Google, Amazon, Apple and Microsoft – who are sp ... Show More
28m 8s
Apr 2023
Is Metaverse Still A Thing?
Remember when everyone was obsessed with the Metaverse? But now, all of a sudden, no one is talking about it.Why did the idea not take off? Why are companies backing out? Where did it all start to go downhill?We explore it all in under five minutes. 
4m 51s
Aug 2022
Enter the Zuckerverse: On the Metaverse and its Corporatization
The term “metaverse” was coined in a 1993 science fiction novel. Since then, it’s grown from a dystopian literary concept to a reality that corporations want to sell you. Strap on some VR goggles and escape your tired analog life! Except that the systemic issues we already have s ... Show More
46m 54s
Nov 2021
What is the metaverse and why is Facebook so obsessed with it?
As Facebook rebrands itself as Meta, which vision of the so-called metaverse will we adopt in the future? Will one firm dominate or will control be decentralized? And what dangers and opportunities will there be as we adopt avatars and become embodied in our online experience. Wi ... Show More
22m 54s