Is Lightning-Fast Plasma the Key to a Cl...

Although we paused on publishing narrated versions of WIRED articles in this feed, you will still hear the latest in tech from the WIRED team.On WIRED's Gadget Lab, you'll find hosts Lauren Goode and Michael Calore tackling the biggest questions in the world of tech with knowledg ... Show More

Although we paused on publishing narrated versions of WIRED articles in this feed, you will still hear the latest in tech and politics from the WIRED team. Join host Leah Feiger and a rotation of guests as they guide you through the exciting, challenging, and sometimes entertaini ... Show More

Human cases keep ticking up, are very likely to be underreported, and offer the virus the opportunity to learn how to spread from person to person. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices 

<p><strong>#144</strong></p> <p>Cars are complicated, there's lots of parts that do lots of things most of us will probably never understand it all. Well we can at least tackle one of those mysteries today. You've probably heard of something called a catalytic converter, right? A ... Show More

Scientists are closer than ever to harnessing fusion power — the same process that powers the sun — by essentially making a small star here on Earth. Fusion could give humanity its best shot at solving the climate crisis, but the technology has yet to be perfected and would requi ... Show More

<p>CrowdScience listener Alix has a burning question - what’s actually happening inside the flames of a campfire to make it glow? And why do some materials burn easily, while others refuse to light at all?</p><p>To find out, Alex Lathbridge travels to the Fire Research Centre at ... Show More

On Dec. 5 at 1 o'clock in the morning local time, researchers at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California used lasers to zap a tiny pellet of hydrogen fuel. The lasers hit their target with 2.05 megajoules of energy, and the pellet released roughly 3.15 megajoules ... Show More

<p>If you've ever watched a jet engine start, you've probably noticed that the blades begin to rotate slowly before spinning up to full speed -- but why? Listen in as Marshall Brain breaks down the science behind jet engines in this episode.</p><p> </p> Learn more about your ad-c ... Show More

Our rockets use combustion for power. Some planets have atmospheres made of flammable stuff like hydrogen and methane. Learn why we probably wouldn't cause a planetary fire in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffworks.com/rockets-accidentall ... Show More

<p>Decades of efforts to cut carbon emissions have failed to significantly slow the rate of global warming, so scientists are now turning to bolder approaches.</p><p>Christopher Flavelle, who writes about climate change for The Times, discusses efforts to engineer our way out of ... Show More

<p>The process that powers our sun was still a mystery about 100 years ago. Bit by bit, scientists have worked out that the fusion of hydrogen at a star’s core can generate enough power to keep it shining for billions of years. Now, armed with this knowledge, researchers around t ... Show More

Carbon dioxide is a waste product of gasoline- and coal-burning engines, and it's a serious pollutant. But what if we could capture that carbon and recycle it into usable fuel? Learn why researchers say we're getting close in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-c ... Show More