Podcast wired.co.uk

Coming up today… we chart the rise and fall of Football Index and explain what the hell is going on with non-fungible tokens.\n\nFootball Index’s collapse exposes how gambling broke British sport\nhttps://www.wired.co.uk/article/football-index-uk-gambling\n\nAfter @jack’s NFT tweet, the race is on to tokenise collectible farts\nhttps://www.wired.co.uk/article/future-of-nft\n\nMusic by Filip Hnizdo\n\nProduced and edited (remotely) by Matt Burgess

Coming up today… the long-term psychological impacts of surviving ICU with Covid-19 and how Slack can actually fix workplace communications. The stories we talked about this week: The terror and trauma of surviving intensive care with Covid-19 https://www.wired.co.uk/article/covid-19-icu-trauma-delirium Slack didn’t break remote working, your colleagues did https://www.wired.co.uk/article/slack-remote-working-broken Music by Filip Hnizdo Produced and edited (remotely) by Matt Burgess

Coming up today: we explain why anecdotal benefits of microdosing might only be a placebo effect and find out how a bunch of deepfakes could one day replace the cast of The Simpsons. The stories we talked about this week: The benefits of microdosing might be down to the placebo effect https://www.wired.co.uk/article/microdosing-study-placebo-results Could The Simpsons replace its voice actors with AI deepfakes? (Publishing March 6, 2020) https://www.wired.co.uk/article/simpsons-deepfake-voice-actors-ai Music by Filip Hnizdo Produced and edited (remotely) by Matt Burgess

Coming up today: the Uber lawsuit feeding frenzy, how growing grapes in space can make wine better on Earth and the reality of life under Myanmar’s internet shutdown. The stories we talked about this week: The Supreme Court owned Uber. What comes next is much worse https://www.wired.co.uk/article/uber-supreme-court-future-lawsuits The terrifying reality of life under Myanmar’s internet shutdown https://www.wired.co.uk/article/myanmar-coup-internet Scientists are growing grapes in space to save Earth’s wine supply https://www.wired.co.uk/article/space-grapes-wine-mutations Music by Filip Hnizdo Produced and edited (remotely) by Matt Burgess

Coming up today: What Uber’s loss in the Supreme Court means for the gig economy, why Facebook was right to ban news in Australia and we go inside the UK’s controversial Covid-19 challenge trial. The stories we talked about this week: Uber has lost in the Supreme Court. Here’s what happens next https://www.wired.co.uk/article/uber-loses-gig-economy-case Facebook’s Australia news ban is the best decision it’s ever made https://www.wired.co.uk/article/facebook-australia-rupert-murdoch The UK is infecting people with Covid-19 for science. Is it worth it? https://www.wired.co.uk/article/covid-19-uk-challenge-trial-vaccines Music by Filip Hnizdo Produced and edited (remotely) by Matt Burgess

Coming up today: Matt Reynolds delves into the origins of the UK Covid-19 variant, Natasha looks at how Amazon saved Deliveroo from disaster and Amit charts the strange demise of Habbo Hotel The stories we talked about this week: A lone infection may have changed the course of the pandemic https://www.wired.co.uk/article/chronic-infection-uk-coronavirus-variant Amazon took a chunk of Deliveroo. Then things got interesting https://www.wired.co.uk/article/deliveroo-pandemic-amazon The cursed demise of Habbo Hotel https://www.wired.co.uk/article/habbo-hotel-update-chaos Music by Filip Hnizdo Produced and edited (remotely) by Matt Burgess

Coming up today: we explain how QAnon took over yoga, look at Google’s plan to rewrite the rules of the web and investigate the scammers getting rich from the lockdown puppy boom. The stories we talked about this week: Fraudsters and thieves are cashing in on the pandemic puppy boom https://www.wired.co.uk/article/puppy-fraud-lockdown Google’s next big Chrome update will rewrite the rules of the web https://www.wired.co.uk/article/google-chrome-cookies-third-party-ads The yoga world is riddled with anti-vaxxers and QAnon believers https://www.wired.co.uk/article/yoga-disinformation-qanon-conspiracy-wellness Music by Filip Hnizdo Produced and edited (remotely) by Matt Burgess

Coming up today: we delve deep into WeWork’s financials, look at what’s really happening with Covid-19 in North Korea and get moderately angry about generic startup adverts The stories we talked about this week: Is this the end of WeWork? https://www.wired.co.uk/article/wework-future-pandemic No cases? No chance. The truth about North Korea and Covid-19 https://www.wired.co.uk/article/north-korea-covid-news Why does every advert look the same? Blame Corporate Memphis https://www.wired.co.uk/article/north-korea-covid-news Music by Filip Hnizdo Produced and edited (remotely) by Matt Burgess

Coming up today: a Covid crisis for sommeliers and bakers, the tragic rise of instant loan apps and that data that shows why April is going to be a tough month for everyone. The stories we talked about this week: Their noses paid the bills. Then Covid took their sense of smell https://www.wired.co.uk/article/loss-of-smell-covid-19-wine-food-industry Shame, suicide and the dodgy loan apps plaguing Google’s Play Store https://www.wired.co.uk/article/google-loan-apps-india-deaths Blue Monday isn't a thing. The data shows April could be way tougher https://www.wired.co.uk/article/lockdown-productivity-mental-health Music by Filip Hnizdo Produced and edited (remotely) by Matt Burgess

Coming up today: we’re 500 today so we’re all feeling terribly old. Come celebrate. The honey detectives are closing in on China’s shady syrup swindlers https://www.wired.co.uk/article/honey-fraud-detection How to break out of your Spotify feedback loop and find new music https://www.wired.co.uk/article/spotify-feedback-loop-new-music A pro-Trump mob plots more riots as Biden’s inauguration looms https://www.wired.co.uk/article/biden-inauguration-day-protests-violence Trump’s mob is on Telegram and they’re already getting organised https://www.wired.co.uk/article/trump-telegram Music by Filip Hnizdo Produced and edited (remotely) by Matt Burgess

Coming up today: lucid dreams, lonely penguins and our predictions for 2021 The stories we talked about today... The mystery of the world’s loneliest penguins https://www.wired.co.uk/article/lonely-penguins-argentina Lucid dreamers are using unproven tech to hack their sleep https://www.wired.co.uk/article/lucid-dreaming-tech Music by Filip Hnizdo Produced and edited (remotely) by Matt Burgess

Coming up today: it’s the final podcast of 2020, so we’re having a party... The stories we talked about today... The Moon is a volcanic freak and China is trying to find out why https://www.wired.co.uk/article/china-moon-mission-change-5 Co-op is using facial recognition tech to scan and track shoppers https://www.wired.co.uk/article/coop-facial-recognition And... the great WIRED quiz of 2020 Music by Filip Hnizdo Produced and edited (remotely) by Matt Burgess

Coming up today: How a coronavirus vaccine will affect the return to work, what we learned from F1’s biggest crash in recent history, and how will Santa deal with lockdown? The stories we talked about this week: The Covid-19 vaccines will usher the dawn of the true hybrid office https://www.wired.co.uk/article/return-to-office-work-vaccine Zooming through the snow: Santas are adjusting to Christmas online https://www.wired.co.uk/article/zoom-santas-grotto How Romain Grosjean survived the biggest crash in modern F1 history https://www.wired.co.uk/article/romain-grosjean-crash-f1-survive Music by Filip Hnizdo Produced and edited (remotely) by Matt Burgess

Coming up today: Matt Reynolds lays on a Covid Christmas, Amit explains why Netflix is elbowing in on linear TV, and Matt Burgess explores the issue of work burnout. The stories we talked about this week: How to stop Christmas 2020 from being a Covid-19 disaster https://www.wired.co.uk/article/christmas-uk-coronavirus-covid-bubbles Is Netflix Direct the future of TV? https://www.wired.co.uk/article/netflix-direct-linear-television Companies are finally starting to take staff burnout seriously https://www.wired.co.uk/article/burnout-workplace-coronavirus Music by Filip Hnizdo Produced and edited (remotely) by Matt Burgess

Coming up today: Matt Reynolds dissects China’s coronavirus strategy, Amit asks why games are getting shorter, and we discuss the security faux pas you’re probably making The stories we talked about this week: How China crushed coronavirus https://www.wired.co.uk/article/china-crushed-coronavirus-pandemic Music by Filip Hnizdo Produced and edited (remotely) by Matt Burgess

Coming up today: Amit and Matt Reynolds talk us through the Covid-19 vaccine breakthrough and Natasha explores the weird world of pandemic office Christmas parties. The stories we talked about this week: Seven big unknowns about the breakthrough coronavirus vaccine https://www.wired.co.uk/article/covid-coronavirus-pfizer-vaccine-questions The Covid-19 vaccine will need to have a flawless PR strategy https://www.wired.co.uk/article/coronavirus-vaccine-hesitancy-pfizer These companies are hosting the weirdest office Christmas parties https://www.wired.co.uk/article/zoom-christmas-office-party Music by Filip Hnizdo Produced and edited (remotely) by Matt Burgess

Coming up today: Matt Reynolds explains why Africa has been spared the worst of the pandemic, Natasha reveals the middle-class private jet boom and Matt Burgess looks at the worrying rise of police fingerprint scanners. The stories we talked about this week: The world could learn a lot from how Africa is handling Covid-19 https://www.wired.co.uk/article/covid-19-africa Police are using fingerprint scanners to target Black Britons https://www.wired.co.uk/article/police-fingerprint-scan-uk The pandemic has created a middle class private jet boom https://www.wired.co.uk/article/coronavirus-planes-bonanza Music by Filip Hnizdo Produced and edited (remotely) by Matt Burgess

Coming up today: Natasha looks into Uber’s robo-firings, Matt Burgess charts the grim rise of stalkerware and Vicki explains why there might not be signs of life on Venus after all The stories we talked about this week: Scientists found signs of life on Venus. Now they’re not so sure https://www.wired.co.uk/article/venus-phosphine-life-questions Inside the fight to rid the world of abusive stalkerware https://www.wired.co.uk/article/stalkerware-spyware-monitoring-apps-uk If you believe you are living with cases of stalkerware or other forms of domestic abuse, the UK's National Domestic Abuse Helpline can be contacted on: 0808 2000 247. There are also resources available at refuge.org.uk Music by Filip Hnizdo Produced and edited (remotely) by Matt Burgess

Coming up today: Sweden’s pandemic gamble; the deepfake bot being weaponised against women; and Natasha tries to put the ‘interesting’ in negative interest rates The stories we talked about this week: Did Sweden’s coronavirus experiment pay off? Not really https://www.wired.co.uk/article/sweden-coronavirus-response-experiment The end of free bank accounts is bad news for Monzo and its rivals https://www.wired.co.uk/article/monzo-starling-negative-interest-rates A deepfake porn bot is being used to abuse thousands of women https://www.wired.co.uk/article/telegram-deepfakes-deepnude-ai Music by Filip Hnizdo Produced and edited (remotely) by Matt Burgess

Coming up today: Natasha investigates the UK’s broken housing algorithm, Matt Burgess reveals how universities are snooping on students and Amit witnesses The grim demise of the cinema industry. The stories we talked about this week: Politicians have made an algorithm to fix the housing crisis. It’s bad https://www.wired.co.uk/article/housing-algorithm-flaws Universities are using surveillance software to spy on students https://www.wired.co.uk/article/university-covid-learning-student-monitoring Music by Filip Hnizdo Produced and edited (remotely) by Matt Burgess