Blood Feasts and Roach Vacuums: The Life of an Urban Pest Scientist
A look at the work of scientists on the front lines of the battle to contain bed bugs and cockroaches.
The Quest for the Most Elusive Material in Physics
A look at the search to find “the most miraculous substances of modern physics”, that speaks to the nature of scientific research. The substance turns out to be “a material that, at near room temperature, could transport electricity without losing power.”
Ong’s Hat: The Early Internet Conspiracy Game That Got Too Real
The story of a science-fiction infused conspiracy theory and a meditation on conspiracy theories in the internet age.
The Last of the Iron Lungs
A profile of three of the last polio sufferers in the US using an iron lung. The piece examines what life is like spent in one of these contraptions, used in a medical context for nearly 100 years.
The Future of Online Dating Is Unsexy and Brutally Effective
An engineer and data scientist (formerly at OK Cupid) goes deep in this engaging piece covering how AI, machine learning and ever greater troves of data from social platforms will impact dating.