When Tom Merritt got fired, he turned around a bad situation by building his own podcast. Now he gets 20,000 listens a day - sometimes cashing in is the best reward. Read More...

A new technology in Japan places cooling systems on the outside of buildings. And it might solve urban heating woes. Read More...

 
You'll want to know these three things about this week's show:

1. We're all guinea pigs in an ongoing political experiment. The 2016 elections may seem far away, but behind the scenes, techies are figuring out how to slice and dice data that will target YOU.

2. Women might not want to "lean in" quite as much as they thought. It's all well and good to chant the mantra, but studies show that there could be negative repercussions in the workplace for women who are perceived as too aggressive.

3. You'll need a fork and knife to eat the soup of the future. Thanks to edible, fruit-like skins, those cans and plastic containers might be a thing of the past.

Venture into President Obama's "cave," where techies helped shape the 2012 election. We talk with Jonathan Alter, author of "The Center Holds: Obama and His Enemies," about how tech is quietly revolutionizing our politics. Read More...

We’ve all heard Sheryl Sandberg’s “Lean In” advice, but are we tipping too far? Writer Maria Konnikova explains why Sandberg’s prescription for success may overlook the science. Read More...

Forget the bread bowl. Someday your soup may be contained in edible, grape-like packaging. Dr. David Edwards, creator and Harvard professor, is taking his cue from fruits with edible skins and looking to upend the food industry. Read More...

Find out what product started as futuristic wallpaper made from shower curtains and became essential for shipping. Read More...

With the 2014 and 2016 elections looming, techies are hard at work on how to change our votes. Teddy Goff, Digital Director for President Obama’s 2012 campaign, talks about the experiments we’ll all be part of. Read More...

 
These are the three things you need to know about this week's show:

1. We aren't missing anything in a world without Walter Cronkite. At least that's what media theorist Clay Shirky thinks.

2. Kids stopped using abbreviations in texting and emailing when their parents started. Linguist David Crystal says that the age of the smartphone isn't changing us as much as we think.

3. Forget sitting down to a meal. Soy shakes may be your future - which concerns Ruth Reichl.

Technology theorist Clay Shirky has been studying the Internet since before most of us had email. He says a number of industries - from the media to higher education - need to shape up, or prepare for extinction. Read More...