20 Things That Made the World a Better Place in 2023
From the falling costs of renewable energy to new treatments for a whole host of diseases, 2023 wasn’t all doom and gloom.
What Are ‘Missed Period Pills,’ and How Do They Work?
Menstrual regulation—sometimes referred to as “missed period pills"—is a new front in women's battle for bodily autonomy. Here's how it works and what you need to know.
https://www.wired.com/story/missed-period-pills-menstrual-regulation-how-it-works/
Your Eco-Friendly Lifestyle Is a Big Lie
Eating organic and switching to low-energy light bulbs feels like the green thing to do, but are people missing the bigger opportunities right in front of them?
Spying on Beavers From Space Could Help Save California
A group of scientists taught an algorithm to spot beaver ponds in satellite imagery, which has the potential to help drought-ridden areas like California bounce back.
https://www.wired.com/story/spying-on-beavers-from-space-could-help-save-california/
Yes, the Climate Crisis Is Now ‘Gobsmacking.’ But So Is Progress
This is the year that “absolutely gobsmackingly bananas” summed up the climate emergency. But dramatic descriptors extend to the huge gains humanity has made too.
https://www.wired.com/story/yes-the-climate-crisis-is-now-gobsmacking-but-so-is-progress/
The Tantalizing Mystery of the Solar System’s Hidden Oceans
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The moons orbiting Jupiter and Saturn appear to have subsurface oceans which could support life beyond Earth. But it’s not clear why these seas exist at all.
This Radical Plan to Make Roads Greener Actually Works
Using embankments, channels, and dikes, so-called “green roads” help control floods, harvest excess water for irrigation, and slash maintenance costs. A movement to retrofit existing roads is gathering steam.
https://www.wired.com/story/this-radical-plan-to-make-roads-greener-actually-works/
The Race to Put Brain Implants in People Is Heating Up
Thanks in part to Elon Musk, the field of brain-computer interfaces has captured both public and investor interest, with a cadre of companies now developing implantable devices.
https://www.wired.com/story/the-race-to-put-brain-implants-in-people-is-heating-up/
Your Money Is Funding Fossil Fuels Without You Knowing It
Banks use your deposits to make loans to carbon-intensive industries. A new analysis finds that $1,000 in your account creates emissions equal to a flight from NYC to Seattle.
https://www.wired.com/story/your-money-is-funding-fossil-fuels-without-you-knowing-it/
A Demographic Time Bomb Is About to Hit the Beef Industry
A tiny proportion of Americans—particularly boomers—eat the majority of the nation’s beef. Can clever framing sway a younger generation?
Your Money Is Funding Fossil Fuels Without You Knowing It
Banks use your deposits to make loans to carbon-intensive industries. A new analysis finds that $1,000 in your account creates emissions equal to a flight from NYC to Seattle.
https://www.wired.com/story/your-money-is-funding-fossil-fuels-without-you-knowing-it/
Snow Sports Are Getting More Dangerous
Extreme conditions caused by climate change are making winter sports more risky. From Colorado to Washington, that’s also making mountain rescue missions even more perilous.
https://www.wired.com/story/snow-sports-are-becoming-more-dangerous/
The Age of Crispr Medicine Is Here
The approval of the first Crispr-based therapy is just the beginning. Getting it to patients is the next hurdle.
https://www.wired.com/story/the-age-of-crispr-medicine-is-here/
You Know It’s a Placebo. So Why Does It Still Work?
As researchers try to make sense of “open-label” placebos—fake drugs that proudly announce their fakeness—the mysterious effect is starting to show up beyond the world of medicine.
https://www.wired.com/story/open-label-placebo-why-does-it-work/
Oh Good, Hurricanes Are Now Made of Microplastics
When Hurricane Larry made landfall two years ago, it dropped over 100,000 microplastics per square meter of land per day. It’s another ominous sign of how plasticized the environment has become.
https://www.wired.com/story/oh-good-hurricanes-are-now-made-of-microplastics/
The Toxic Truth About Your Christmas Tree
Growing the perfect Christmas tree often requires coating saplings in insecticides, fungicides, and herbicides, some of which are dangerous to human health.
https://www.wired.com/story/christmas-tree-toxic-truth-pollution-pesticide/
Oh Good, Hurricanes Are Now Made of Microplastics
When Hurricane Larry made landfall two years ago, it dropped over 100,000 microplastics per square meter of land per day. It’s another ominous sign of how plasticized the environment has become.
https://www.wired.com/story/oh-good-hurricanes-are-now-made-of-microplastics/
The Toxic Truth About Your Christmas Tree
Growing the perfect Christmas tree often requires coating saplings in insecticides, fungicides, and herbicides, some of which are dangerous to human health.
https://www.wired.com/story/christmas-tree-toxic-truth-pollution-pesticide/
School of Rock: The Physics of Waves on Guitar Strings
Playing the guitar is an art form. But the good vibrations you hear are a science.
https://www.wired.com/story/school-of-rock-the-physics-of-waves-on-guitar-strings/
Energy Drinks Are Out of Control
Highly caffeinated drinks have become a cultural staple. But following a death allegedly related to Panera Bread’s Charged Lemonade, has our collective obsession with energy drinks become unsafe?
https://www.wired.com/story/panera-bread-charged-lemonade-caffeine-energy-drinks/