Election deniers are mobilizing their supporters and rolling out new tech to disrupt the November election. These groups are already organizing on hyperlocal levels, and learning to monitor polling places, target election officials, and challenge voter rolls. And though their work was once fringe, its become mainstreamed in the Republican Party. Today on WIRED Politics Lab, we focus on what these groups are doing, and what this means for voters and the election workers already facing threats and harassment.

Listen to and follow WIRED Politics Lab here.
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We look back at the year in tech, science, business, and culture—through the medium of a quiz.

Amit hosts the annual WIRED podcast quiz, with Morgan, Matt R, Grace, and Matt B vying for the prestigious title.

Music by Filip Hnizdo

Produced and edited by Matt Burgess

Coming up today: we go on the hunt for the people who’ve never caught Covid and take a look at the wild logistics of replacing the Queen’s iconography on everything from bank notes to post vans.

The stories we talk about this week:

The Mystery of Why Some People Don’t Get Covid

https://www.wired.com/story/the-mystery-of-why-some-people-dont-get-covid/

What Happens to Everything With Queen Elizabeth II’s Image?

https://www.wired.com/story/updating-british-royal-iconography/

Music by Filip Hnizdo

Produced and edited by Matt Burgess

Coming up today: we talk about the juicy business of plant-based meat and the equally juicy business of Russian censorship.

The stories we talk about this week:

Plant-Based Burgers Aren’t Denting People’s Beef Addiction

Alternative proteins were meant to reduce the carbon footprint of our diets. But it doesn’t look like consumers are switching ... yet.

https://www.wired.com/story/plant-based-meat-replacing-animal-meat/

This Clever Anti-Censorship Tool Lets Russians Read Blocked News

Samizdat Online syndicates banned news sites by hosting them on uncensored domains—allowing people to access independent reporting.

https://www.wired.com/story/russia-internet-censorship-samizdat-online/

Music by Filip Hnizdo

Produced and edited by Matt Burgess

Coming up today: Matt Reynolds on Russian gas supplies, and Grace on why the psychedelics bubble could be about to burst.

Europe’s Plan to Wean Itself off Russian Gas Just Might Work

https://www.wired.com/story/russian-gas-europe/

Is the Psychedelic Therapy Bubble About to Burst?

https://www.wired.com/story/psychedelic-hype-bubble/

Music by Filip Hnizdo

Produced and edited by Matt Burgess

Coming up today: the tech behind a high-school prank, and the hunt for Covid’s origins

The stories we walked about this week:

The Origins of Covid-19 Are More Complicated Than Once Thought

https://www.wired.com/story/tracing-covid-pandemic-origins/

Inside the World’s Biggest Hacker Rickroll

https://www.wired.com/story/biggest-hacker-rickroll-high-school-prank/

Music by Filip Hnizdo

Produced and edited by Matt Burgess

Coming up today: how NFTs conquered football, and why captchas are getting more confusing

The stories we walked about this week:

NFTs Are Conquering Football

https://www.wired.com/story/nfts-conquering-soccer/

Smiling Dogs? Horses Made of Clouds? Captcha Has Gone Too Far

https://www.wired.com/story/smiling-dogs-horses-made-of-clouds-captcha-has-gone-too-far/

Music by Filip Hnizdo

Produced and edited by Matt Burgess

Coming up today: Grace explores the monkeypox vaccine pipeline problems and Matt Burgess looks at Facebook's European data woes.

The stories we walked about this week:

The Chaotic Monkeypox Vaccine Pipeline Is Leaving Everyone Short

https://www.wired.com/story/monkeypox-vaccine-supply-chain/

Will Europe Force a Facebook Blackout?

https://www.wired.com/story/facebook-eu-us-data-transfers/

Music by Filip Hnizdo

Produced and edited by Matt Burgess

Coming up today: Morgan explores a plan to tackle deadly heatwaves through afternoon naps, and Grace investigates the technology hoping to tap into your brain

The stories we walked about this week:

The Age of Brain-Computer Interfaces Is on the Horizon

https://www.wired.com/story/synchron-brain-computer-interface/

How Siestas Might Help Europe Survive Deadly Heat Waves

https://www.wired.com/story/how-siestas-might-help-europe-survive-deadly-heat-waves/

Music by Filip Hnizdo

Produced and edited by Matt Burgess

Coming up today: Morgan explores the global trade in abortion pills, and Matt Burgess investigates the strange case of the severed internet cables

The stories we walked about this week:

Abortion Pill Demand Is Driving an Underground Network

https://www.wired.com/story/the-wild-abortion-pill-supply-chain/

The Unsolved Mystery Attack on Internet Cables in Paris

https://www.wired.com/story/france-paris-internet-cable-cuts-attack/

Music by Filip Hnizdo

Produced and edited by Matt Burgess

Coming up today: how China took control of the world’s lithium supply and we explain why your next car could be a threat to national security. Western automakers built their fortunes on the internal combustion engine. Now China has ambitions to define the electric vehicle age.

The stories we talked about this week (and more!):

China Built Your iPhone. Will It Build Your Next Car?

https://www.wired.com/story/foxconn-apple-car-china/

The Rise and Precarious Reign of China’s Battery King

https://www.wired.com/story/catl-china-battery-production-evs/

Is Your New Car a Threat to National Security?

https://www.wired.com/story/china-cars-surveillance-national-security/

Music by Filip Hnizdo

Produced and edited by Matt Burgess

After a brief pause last week, the WIRED podcast returns.

Coming up today: Natasha on what it’s like working at Twitter amid Elon Musk chaos, and Matt Reynolds on a mad plan to grow plants without sunlight.

The stories we talked about this week:

As Elon Musk Walks, Twitter Workers Say No One’s in Charge

https://www.wired.com/story/plants-growing-in-darkness/

Scientists Are Trying to Grow Crops in the Dark

https://www.wired.com/story/plants-growing-in-darkness/

Music by Filip Hnizdo

Produced and edited by Matt Burgess

Hello, WIRED podcast listeners. We’re on a short break from producing new episodes at the moment, with some big plans for next year. In the meantime, we need your help. 

Tell us: What are your burning questions about the future. 

The future of what? Anything. Big or small, strange or serious. We want to hear your questions.

And they may even make it into a future episode of the show. 

Email us at the normal address: podcast@wired.co.uk

Coming up today: how Covid tracking apps are pivoting for commercial profit and we talk about the future of genome sequencing.

The stories we talked about this week:

How Covid Tracking Apps Are Pivoting for Commercial Profit

https://www.wired.com/story/covid-19-data-switch/

How Genome Sequencing Will Change Our Lives

https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/112/1120653/genomics--wired-guides-/9781847943408.html

Music by Filip Hnizdo

Produced and edited by Matt Burgess

Coming up today: we speak to the people picking up the slack after their colleagues quit and get stuck into a messy argument about microbe names.

The stories we talked about this week:

The Almighty Squabble Over Who Gets to Name Microbes

https://www.wired.com/story/microbe-names-fight/

They Quit. Now You're Picking Up the Slack

https://www.wired.co.uk/article/they-quit-now-youre-picking-up-the-slack

Music by Filip Hnizdo

Produced and edited by Matt Burgess

Coming up today: how Russia is remaking Ukraine’s internet in its own image and the pros and cons of Canada’s bold new drug law.

The stories we talked about this week:

Canada Moves to Decriminalize Possession of ‘Hard’ Drugs

https://www.wired.com/story/canada-moves-to-decriminalize-possession-of-hard-drugs/

Russia Is Taking Over Ukraine’s Internet

https://www.wired.com/story/ukraine-russia-internet-takeover/

Music by Filip Hnizdo

Produced and edited by Matt Burgess

Coming up today: Morgan explores the problems facing Google in Russia, and Grace tells us all about the Great Reinfection

The stories we talked about this week:

Welcome to the Great Reinfection

https://www.wired.com/story/welcome-to-the-great-reinfection/

Google's Russian Empire Faces an Uncertain Future

https://www.wired.com/story/google-russia-exit/

Music by Filip Hnizdo

Produced and edited by Matt Burgess