WSJ’s The Future of Everything

Imagine getting from your home to the airport and skipping all the traffic on the road in a flying taxi. They once were the domain of science fiction and Saturday morning cartoons, but a growing number of companies are working to make taxis in the sky a reality, and the FAA is coming up with regulations to keep them safe. In this conversation from the Future of Everything festival in May, WSJ’s Alex Ossola speaks to Billy Nolen, the acting FAA administrator, about the business and technology behind air-taxi travel and the challenges facing regulators. Further reading: FAA Plans New Sky Lanes for Air Taxis When Will Flying Taxis Get Off the Ground? The CEO of Boeing-Backed Wisk Aero Has Some Ideas. United to Invest $15 Million in Flying-Taxi Maker Backed by Embraer For eVTOLs to Really Take Off, Airspace Needs an Overhaul. Here’s Why. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

NASA’s Perseverance rover is currently collecting samples on the surface of Mars, and some of them will be coming to Earth—that is, if all goes well. NASA has a complex plan to bring bits of the Red Planet here, arriving in 2033, so scientists can study them to answer some burning questions. What’s the planet’s history? What is its dust like? And, are there any signs that life may have existed there? WSJ’s Alex Ossola speaks to Lindsay Hays, an astrobiologist at NASA and deputy lead scientist for the Mars Sample Return mission, about how this mission could help us better understand the history of our own planet and shape future missions to Mars and beyond. Further reading: NASA Lands Perseverance Rover Safely on Mars After ‘Seven Minutes of Terror’ NASA Collects Mars Rock Samples in Historic First for Perseverance Rover NASA’s Perseverance Rover Begins Its Search for Life on Mars Mars Photos: See NASA’s Perseverance Rover’s First Visions of Red Planet Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, epidemiologists looked to our sewers to help figure out the scale of the virus’ spread. It worked, giving some public health officials a heads-up before Covid surges. Now, researchers are taking the lessons from that pandemic, and working to put the wastewater from bathing, toilets, laundry machines and dishwashers to use in monitoring the spread of other diseases. WSJ’s Danny Lewis speaks with environmental microbiologist, engineer and epidemiologist Marlene Wolfe about why it’s so important to look at wastewater if we want to stop the next pandemic. Further reading: For Future Viral Threats, Health Officials Look to Sewage - WSJ From the Sewers, Clues to Covid-19’s Next Moves - WSJ CDC Will Test Sewage for Polio in Some U.S. Communities - WSJ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Severe droughts in the American South and West are raising new questions about how to ensure millions of people have access to clean, safe water. That’s why several local water systems, including one that provides water to 19 million people in Southern California, are looking to a method of water recycling that brings treated wastewater back into the system. It’s called “direct potable reuse,” but many people have dubbed it “toilet to tap.” Can it succeed despite the ick factor? WSJ’s Alex Ossola visited Los Angeles to find out just how it would work, and how the public is reacting. Further reading: California Could Face Cuts to Colorado River Usage Under Federal Proposal California Governor Lifts Most Drought Restrictions on Water Use Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our sense of smell is deeply linked to our emotions, due to the connections between the tissue structures that identify odors and the parts of the brain that govern our memories and feelings. But what if those smells are linked to traumatic memories? Researchers are finding success using a combination of artificial scents and virtual reality to treat people with severe cases of trauma. WSJ’s Danny Lewis examines how new innovations could make this therapy more accessible. Further reading: High-Tech Smell Sensors Aim to Sniff Out Disease, Explosives—and Even Moods - WSJ The Metaverse’s Effects on Mental Health: Trivial or Troubling? - WSJ The New Halloween Scare: ‘Oh, My God, That Smell Was Gross.’ - WSJ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It may seem like science fiction, but over the past decade scientists have been using stem cells to grow so-called “mini brains.” Researchers prefer the term brain organoids, a collection of human cells in a petri dish that mimic the structure and cell types of our own brains. They’ve been used to study diseases like cancer and Parkinson’s, and evaluate potential treatments, but now the research is becoming more sophisticated, and that’s raising big concerns. Could they become conscious? Should we even be experimenting on our own cells? WSJ’s Alex Ossola explores the advantages, and potential issues, as scientists look to use brain organoids to test new medicines or even replace the chips in our computers. Further reading: Scientists Grow Human Cells in Rat Brains to Study Autism, Schizophrenia Engineered Mini Brain Models Show Patterns of Activity That Resemble Babies’ Startup Uses ‘Mini Brains’ and Software to Power Drug Research Thomas Hartung’s laboratory at Johns Hopkins University Paola Arlotta’s laboratory at Harvard University The Brainstorm Project Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

High-speed internet is something many of us take for granted. But the FCC says millions of Americans lack access to broadband service. That includes many people who live in the northernmost parts of Alaska, where satellite internet has long been the only option. That’s changing, though, as melting sea ice is leading a rush of companies to step in and start laying new undersea cables. WSJ Pro reporter Isabelle Bousquette visited parts of the Arctic where high-speed internet has made it easier to learn and even saved lives. She speaks with WSJ’s Danny Lewis about the huge educational, medical and research implications for people in the Arctic and beyond. Further reading: A Warming Arctic Emerges as a Route for Subsea Cables - WSJ Climate Change in Arctic Is Changing How People There Live and Work - WSJ Google, Amazon, Meta and Microsoft Weave a Fiber-Optic Web of Power - WSJ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Microchips are in pretty much all of our electronic devices—if it’s got a plug or a battery, it’s probably got a chip. For the past 60 years, most of these have been made of silicon. But new devices demand faster, better, and more efficient processors, and engineers are hitting silicon’s physical limits. In this encore episode of the Future of Everything, WSJ’s Alex Ossola digs into the future of chips—how scientists are boosting silicon’s capabilities and looking for other materials that could take its place. Further reading: Graphene and Beyond: The Wonder Materials That Could Replace Silicon in Future Tech The Microchip Era Is Giving Way to the Megachip Age Chips Act Will Create More Than One Million Jobs, Biden Says Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A growing body of research suggests that the gut microbiome, the bacteria and other organisms that live in the gut, is linked to our mental health. But what if doctors could act on that information to treat mental illness by changing the gut microbiome? WSJ’s Alex Ossola talks to some of the top researchers in the emerging field of psychobiotics to explore how changing what’s in the gut could lead to future psychiatric treatments. Help is available: Reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (formerly known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline) by dialing or texting 988. Further reading: Gut Bacteria Are Linked to Depression What Is Your Microbiome? A Wellness Trend Taking On Post-Covid Urgency Modern Life Is Messing With Our Microbiomes, but Science Is Fighting Back Diets Engineered to Work With Your Microbiome Are Latest Startup Craze Those Probiotics May Actually Be Hurting Your ‘Gut Health’ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When the game clock starts, football players aren’t just heading out with their pads and a game plan. Technology like helmet sensors that track the hits players take are becoming more common, especially for young players. They’re being used to figure out when a player might be at risk for a concussion or another brain injury. The data collected is helping researchers and doctors learn more about what happens to the brain over time. But could these innovations and research shape how we play football? Further reading: Tua Tagovailoa Is in the NFL’s Concussion Protocols Again - WSJ Severity, Not Frequency, Sets Football Injuries Apart - WSJ NFL and Nike Court a New Football Market: Girls - WSJ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Computer algorithms and artificial intelligence increasingly affect more and more of our lives, from the content we’re shown online, to the music we enjoy, to how our household appliances work. But the results these algorithms produce may be changing our world in ways users may not fully understand. WSJ’s Danny Lewis speaks with psychologist Gerd Gigerenzer, director of the Harding Center for Risk Literacy at the University of Potsdam. He’s spent decades studying how people make choices and find patterns when faced with uncertainty, and has some ideas about how to navigate and improve the relationship between AI and our society. Further reading: The Backstory of ChatGPT Creator OpenAI New York City Delays Enforcement of AI Bias Law How AI That Powers Chatbots and Search Queries Could Discover New Drugs Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our clothes are in need of a refresh, but not in the way you might think. With each wash, everything from sweaters to socks are releasing tiny, microscopic fibers into our water. Almost 35% of the primary microplastics in oceans right now come from laundry, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature. From filters in our washing machines to new materials for our clothes, alternatives are in the works to stop microplastics from coming off our clothes. But will it be enough? WSJ’s Alex Ossola and Ariana Aspuru speak about the steps researchers and companies are taking to solve the problem of microplastics in our wash. Further reading: The Tiny Plastics in Your Clothes Are Becoming a Big Problem - WSJ Ocean Garbage Patches Have a Microscopic Problem - WSJ Fashion Firms Look to Single-Fiber Clothes as EU Recycling Regulations Loom - WSJ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From paper maps to smartphone apps, the way people navigate the world has changed tremendously due to the rise of the internet. Google Maps is the fourth most popular mobile app in the U.S. by unique visitors, according to Comscore. That makes it more popular than Instagram, Tiktok and Spotify or its closest competitor, Apple Maps. Christopher Phillips, who runs Google’s Geo team and oversees Google Maps, speaks with WSJ’s Danny Lewis about how his company is thinking about the role maps play in bringing more information to our fingertips. Further reading: WSJ: The Future of Transportation Google Combines Maps and Waze Teams Amid Pressure to Cut Costs Google Reaches $391.5 Million Settlement With States Over Location Tracking Practices Slow Self-Driving Car Progress Tests Investors’ Patience Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This past summer, many parts of the world suffered from some of the worst drought conditions in decades. In an effort to create more rain, the government of China turned once again to cloud seeding, a controversial technique that aims to target precipitation in key areas. WSJ’s Alex Ossola talks to Dr. Katja Friedrich, an atmospheric scientist at the University of Colorado Boulder, about the advantages and disadvantages of using cloud seeding to get more water where it is needed. Further reading: China Extends Power Curbs Amid Heat Wave, Drought China, Thirsty and Craving Rain, Lines Clouds With Silver Bullets When the U.S. Tried to Control Hurricanes Indonesian Snapshot: The Rainmakers of Riau Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thanksgiving often centers around a meal: turkey, sides and a lot of desserts. This year, many Thanksgiving staples are more expensive due to inflation; in the future, many of those staples will cost even more due to the effects of climate change. WSJ’s Alex Ossola looks into how environmental conditions, alongside technological advances, will change what makes its way to our Thanksgiving tables, and how our individual choices may spark new traditions. Further reading: The Trouble With Butter: Tight Dairy Supplies Send Prices Surging Ahead of Baking Season Record Turkey Prices Are Coming for Thanksgiving Lab-Grown Poultry Clears First Hurdle at FDA Sean Sherman’s 2018 op-ed in Time The Essential Thanksgiving Playbook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

World leaders are still trying to figure out how to handle the hundreds of millions of tons of plastic waste generated every year. Back in the 1990s, it was tough to switch on the TV and not see ads or shows offering viewers a simple solution: to reduce, reuse, and recycle plastics. Nice words, but it turns out that wasn’t enough to solve the problem. New high tech methods have shown promise in breaking down plastics or creating new ones that are easier to recycle. But they’re expensive alternatives. Will the economics work out? WSJ’s Danny Lewis sorts through the future of plastics recycling. Would you pay more for plastic products designed to be easily recycled? Email us at foepodcast@wsj.com Further reading: U.S. Recycles 5% of Plastic Waste, Studies Show The 100% Recyclable Running Shoe That’s Only Available by Subscription ‘Widely Recyclable’ Label Introduced to Plastic Packaging Soda Brands Are About to Get Possessive of Their Trash Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cells are the basic unit of life, but you could be forgiven if you stopped thinking about them after high school biology. In his newest book, “The Song of the Cell,” physician and author Dr. Siddhartha Mukherjee explores the myriad ways the humble cell is key to our world and our biology. He speaks to WSJ’s Alex Ossola about how our understanding of the cell is opening up a new frontier in medicine, how it is helping create new treatments for difficult diseases like cancer, and how it could one day help fix or even enhance our bodies. What’s something you’re curious about that could shape the future? Email us at foepodcast@wsj.com Further reading: Book Review: The Emperor of All Maladies Peeking Into Pandora’s Box Publisher Tweaks ‘Gene’ Book After New Yorker Article Uproar Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the future, you might leave your doctor’s office with a prescription for a pig whose DNA has been modified to match your own. Scientists are already working on genetically engineering pigs to help predict the progression of a disease, or serve as an organ donor for those who need a transplant. But could pigs one day become keys to truly personalized medicine? WSJ’s Danny Lewis explores the promise and potential pitfalls of using animals to help human health. What’s something you’re curious about that could shape the future? Email us at foepodcast@wsj.com Further reading: Growing a New Type of Organ Donor Scientists to Study Pig-Organ Transplants in Brain-Dead People for Longer Periods Scientists Transplant Human Tissue into Rat Brains, Opening Door to New Research The Human Genome “Rosetta Stone” and The Future of Health Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Microchips are in pretty much all of our electronic devices—if it’s got a plug or a battery, it’s probably got a chip. For the past 60 years, most of these have been made of silicon. But new devices demand faster, better, and more efficient processors, and engineers are hitting silicon’s physical limits. In this episode of the Future of Everything, WSJ’s Alex Ossola digs into the future of chips—how scientists are boosting silicon’s capabilities and looking for other materials that could take its place. Further reading: Graphene and Beyond: The Wonder Materials That Could Replace Silicon in Future Tech The Microchip Era Is Giving Way to the Megachip Age Chips Act Will Create More Than One Million Jobs, Biden Says Timeline of silicon’s development (Computer History Museum) Christopher Mims’ tech column for the Wall Street Journal Deji Akinwande's research page at the University of Texas at Austin Stephen Forrest's profile page at the University of Michigan Deep Jariwala's lab page the the University of Pennsylvania Wolfspeed's website Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From “save the whales” to “protect the bumblebee,” animal conservationists rally advocates and officials to put resources toward ensuring the survival of a threatened species. But can we really save them all? Or are we overlooking the trade-offs as we decide which animals are protected to the detriment of others? WSJ’s Danny Lewis speaks to Dr. Rebecca Nesbit, ecologist and author of the book “Tickets for The Ark: From Wasps to Whales – How Do We Choose What to Save?” about the tricky ethical questions behind conservation. Further Reading: A Belgian City Opens a Hotel for an Unusual Clientele: Insects | WSJ Are Shark Attacks a Sign of Conservation Success? | WSJ Bird Populations Plummet in North America | WSJ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices