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Since 2004.

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post thumbnail for The Unexpected Problem With E-Bikes Might Start with the Name

21 2026 January

The Unexpected Problem With E-Bikes Might Start with the Name

The dangers of e-bikes are starting to get more attention. Crashes involving these bikes are more serious, have a higher likelihood of fatality and are...

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post thumbnail for The Non-Obvious Book of the Week: Live To See the Day by Mark Medley

20 2026 January

The Non-Obvious Book of the Week: Live To See the Day by Mark Medley

What causes some people to devote their lives to an impossible quest? From hopeless candidates who keep running for office to NASA explorers trying to...

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post thumbnail for America’s Data Blind Spot Is Real … and Getting Worse

19 2026 January

America’s Data Blind Spot Is Real … and Getting Worse

One way to control the story about what’s happening in the world is to remove any data that can prove otherwise. That seems to be...

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post thumbnail for 5 Non-Obvious Takeaways from the World’s Largest Tech Show

15 2026 January

5 Non-Obvious Takeaways from the World’s Largest Tech Show

I spent several days touring the trade show floor talking with tech experts, trying out demos, encountering lots of weird robots and interviewing people about their visions...

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post thumbnail for People Are Paying to Get Their Chatbots High on ‘Drugs’

06 2026 January

People Are Paying to Get Their Chatbots High on ‘Drugs’

If AI models are trained on human language and behavior, could they be similarly affected by psychedelics or other drugs? That’s the question that led...

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post thumbnail for The Data on Driverless Cars Says They Reduce Crashes, So What’s Missing?

02 2026 January

The Data on Driverless Cars Says They Reduce Crashes, So What’s Missing?

Recently, a compelling article that came out, written by a trauma surgeon who has had to deal with the aftermath of bodies shattered from car...

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post thumbnail for The Quantified Uselessness of the AI-Generated Year in Review

30 2025 December

The Quantified Uselessness of the AI-Generated Year in Review

There’s a special kind of uselessness amplified by AI that’s probably surrounding you right now: the year in review. The idea wasn’t a bad one....

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post thumbnail for The Season of Curated Recaps Is Here, With CES Around the Corner

26 2025 December

The Season of Curated Recaps Is Here, With CES Around the Corner

Imagine eye drops that temporarily correct your vision. Or ear buds that transform how you sleep. Or a new type of wood that has the...

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post thumbnail for How To Create an Obvious Christmas Song in 4 Easy Steps

23 2025 December

How To Create an Obvious Christmas Song in 4 Easy Steps

If the songs and movies all around this December are feeling formulaic, that’s because they are … a fact perfectly brought to life in this...

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post thumbnail for Why Australia’s Ban on Social Media for Kids Under 16 Isn’t Pointless

19 2025 December

Why Australia’s Ban on Social Media for Kids Under 16 Isn’t Pointless

Tech-savvy kids born in the mobile generation have lots of ways of circumventing just about any rule you put in front of them. Last week,...

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post thumbnail for The Non-Obvious Book Awards Winners Announced!

18 2025 December

The Non-Obvious Book Awards Winners Announced!

Another year of picks and a recap of our favorite 15 books of the year, all the books on the Longlist, our selections for the...

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post thumbnail for The Non-Obvious Book of the Week: Four Lost Cities by Annalee Newitz

16 2025 December

The Non-Obvious Book of the Week: Four Lost Cities by Annalee Newitz

The rise and fall of cities is a fascinating thing, when you can look back at them with a historical view. That’s the idea at...

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post thumbnail for The Recent Chanel Subway Show Is Typically Unapproachable, But Masterful Storytelling

15 2025 December

The Recent Chanel Subway Show Is Typically Unapproachable, But Masterful Storytelling

The theatricality was on full display for Chanel’s annual Métiers d’Art show as they took over a decommissioned New York Subway station subway station beneath Bowery on...

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