advertisementadvertisementBy Fast Company staffSometimes, it’s obvious from the get-go that a moment in tech history is . . . well, historic. Other times, it’s clear only in the fullness of time. Yet another type of historic moment flies largely under the radar, shaping our lives more than most people ever realize.advertisementadvertisementAs Fast Company celebrates our 25th anniversary, we’ve compiled a list of 25 moments that have defined the tech industry since our first issue hit the stands with a cover date of November 1995. (These calls are tough to make, so we also picked 10...…advertisementadvertisementBy Fast Company staffSometimes, it’s obvious from the get-go that a moment in tech history is . . . well, historic. Other times, it’s clear only in the fullness of time. Yet another type of historic moment flies largely under the radar, shaping our lives more than most people ever realize.advertisementadvertisementAs Fast Company celebrates our 25th anniversary, we’ve compiled a list of 25 moments that have defined the tech industry since our first issue hit the stands with a cover date of November 1995. (These calls are tough to make, so we also picked 10...WW…

advertisementadvertisementFor years, the fashion industry has been trying to find a way to turn old clothes into new ones, the way we currently recycle cardboard or aluminum cans. Now, the technology has finally arrived. And if you stop by an H&M store in Stockholm, you can see the process before your eyes.advertisementadvertisementThe company has installed a machine the size of a shipping container called Looop in its store in the Drottninggatan shopping district. It invites customers to bring a garment they’re planning to discard—say, an old T-shirt or cotton dress—and watch it get broken...…advertisementadvertisementFor years, the fashion industry has been trying to find a way to turn old clothes into new ones, the way we currently recycle cardboard or aluminum cans. Now, the technology has finally arrived. And if you stop by an H&M store in Stockholm, you can see the process before your eyes.advertisementadvertisementThe company has installed a machine the size of a shipping container called Looop in its store in the Drottninggatan shopping district. It invites customers to bring a garment they’re planning to discard—say, an old T-shirt or cotton dress—and watch it get broken...WW…

advertisementadvertisementIn the city of Compton, one in five residents lives in poverty, double the national average. Since the pandemic began, the unemployment rate has risen from about 7% to more than 20%. But a select group will have a chance to get help reversing those trends, as part of a pilot program called that will aim to assist 800 people through no-strings-attached direct cash payments over two years.advertisementadvertisementCompton mayor Aja Brown recently announced the guaranteed income pilot, in partnership with the Jain Family Institute, a nonprofit research institution,...…advertisementadvertisementIn the city of Compton, one in five residents lives in poverty, double the national average. Since the pandemic began, the unemployment rate has risen from about 7% to more than 20%. But a select group will have a chance to get help reversing those trends, as part of a pilot program called that will aim to assist 800 people through no-strings-attached direct cash payments over two years.advertisementadvertisementCompton mayor Aja Brown recently announced the guaranteed income pilot, in partnership with the Jain Family Institute, a nonprofit research institution,...WW…

advertisementadvertisementFlorida residents registered as Democrats have reported receiving emails purporting to be from the , the far-right group, demanding they change their registration to Republican and vote for Trump.advertisementA lot of ppl registered as Dems in Florida are getting emails like this today.— Roxy Horror Picture Show???? (@redrawnoxen) The senders claim to “have gained access into the entire voting infrastructure.”“You will vote for Trump on Election Day or we will come after you,” the emails say, according to screenshots shared on Twitter.Local law enforcement...…advertisementadvertisementFlorida residents registered as Democrats have reported receiving emails purporting to be from the , the far-right group, demanding they change their registration to Republican and vote for Trump.advertisementA lot of ppl registered as Dems in Florida are getting emails like this today.— Roxy Horror Picture Show???? (@redrawnoxen) The senders claim to “have gained access into the entire voting infrastructure.”“You will vote for Trump on Election Day or we will come after you,” the emails say, according to screenshots shared on Twitter.Local law enforcement...WW…

advertisementadvertisementFacebook and Google aren’t that interested in putting social content in front of you that will broaden your horizons or introduce you to a diversity of viewpoints. They’re interested in finding out what you like and then putting as much of that stuff in front of you as possible. In recent years these companies have put some guardrails around the kinds of content they’ll use for that, but the main idea is still the same.advertisementadvertisementFurthermore, the algorithms tech companies use to curate content live in a black box. They’re a secret, even though their...…advertisementadvertisementFacebook and Google aren’t that interested in putting social content in front of you that will broaden your horizons or introduce you to a diversity of viewpoints. They’re interested in finding out what you like and then putting as much of that stuff in front of you as possible. In recent years these companies have put some guardrails around the kinds of content they’ll use for that, but the main idea is still the same.advertisementadvertisementFurthermore, the algorithms tech companies use to curate content live in a black box. They’re a secret, even though their...WW…

advertisementadvertisementAfter to take up a stimulus bill for coronavirus relief this week, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell outlined what his striped-down plan would include in a on Saturday. The Senate is expected to vote on the proposal on Wednesday. Here’s what McConnell says it will include:advertisementNoticeably absent from the list? Additional aid for state and local governments and direct payments to Americans in the form of $1,200 stimulus checks. At $500 billion, McConnell’s plan is not even one-third the size of latest $1.8 trillion proposal from the White House—a deal...…advertisementadvertisementAfter to take up a stimulus bill for coronavirus relief this week, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell outlined what his striped-down plan would include in a on Saturday. The Senate is expected to vote on the proposal on Wednesday. Here’s what McConnell says it will include:advertisementNoticeably absent from the list? Additional aid for state and local governments and direct payments to Americans in the form of $1,200 stimulus checks. At $500 billion, McConnell’s plan is not even one-third the size of latest $1.8 trillion proposal from the White House—a deal...WW…

advertisementadvertisementThough Native Americans have technically been enfranchised since 1924, numerous obstacles in various states serve to bar individuals from voting. They largely affect the 30% of the 5.2 million Native Americans who live on reservations, but even extend to people living in rural areas more generally.advertisementadvertisementSo a new online resource, ,  aims to help Native Americans navigate roadblocks to the ballot box, by supplying specific, scrupulous details for registering, voting in person, and voting by mail, in all relevant counties and Indian tribal lands in...…advertisementadvertisementThough Native Americans have technically been enfranchised since 1924, numerous obstacles in various states serve to bar individuals from voting. They largely affect the 30% of the 5.2 million Native Americans who live on reservations, but even extend to people living in rural areas more generally.advertisementadvertisementSo a new online resource, ,  aims to help Native Americans navigate roadblocks to the ballot box, by supplying specific, scrupulous details for registering, voting in person, and voting by mail, in all relevant counties and Indian tribal lands in...WW…

advertisementadvertisementMaybe you don’t know the name Qualcomm, but you should. The company makes many of the critical chips found in smartphones from almost every major manufacturer other than Apple. And as a result, when the company releases a faster processor or wireless technology, that’s what actually ends up inside your next smartphone.advertisementadvertisementToday, Qualcomm has demonstrated a technology that’s not just about having clearer calls, better battery life, or faster downloads. In a partnership with a company called Truepic, Qualcomm has developed a way to guarantee...…advertisementadvertisementMaybe you don’t know the name Qualcomm, but you should. The company makes many of the critical chips found in smartphones from almost every major manufacturer other than Apple. And as a result, when the company releases a faster processor or wireless technology, that’s what actually ends up inside your next smartphone.advertisementadvertisementToday, Qualcomm has demonstrated a technology that’s not just about having clearer calls, better battery life, or faster downloads. In a partnership with a company called Truepic, Qualcomm has developed a way to guarantee...WW…

advertisementadvertisement2020 Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang may not be at the top of the race when it comes to polling (Politico has him ranked as the 7th most-popular Democratic contender), but his policies, including support for universal basic income, have made him popular among a subset of young, liberal-leaning, tech-savvy voters. Yang’s latest proposal, too, is sure to strike a chord with them.advertisementThe presidential candidate today: to treat data as a property right. Announcing the proposal on his website, Yang lamented how our data is collected, used, and...…advertisementadvertisement2020 Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang may not be at the top of the race when it comes to polling (Politico has him ranked as the 7th most-popular Democratic contender), but his policies, including support for universal basic income, have made him popular among a subset of young, liberal-leaning, tech-savvy voters. Yang’s latest proposal, too, is sure to strike a chord with them.advertisementThe presidential candidate today: to treat data as a property right. Announcing the proposal on his website, Yang lamented how our data is collected, used, and...WW…

advertisementadvertisementIn late September, the Trump administration finalized a plan to in Alaska’s Tongass National Forest—the world’s largest intact temperate rainforest. A little more than two weeks later, on October 13, he issued an calling for a new council to “implement a strategy” for the Trillion Trees Initiative, a global effort to grow and conserve a trillion trees within the next decade.advertisementBut while the plans to open up the Tongass are moving forward quickly, with timber sales possible later in the year, the new executive order lacks any concrete detail. “It looks an...…advertisementadvertisementIn late September, the Trump administration finalized a plan to in Alaska’s Tongass National Forest—the world’s largest intact temperate rainforest. A little more than two weeks later, on October 13, he issued an calling for a new council to “implement a strategy” for the Trillion Trees Initiative, a global effort to grow and conserve a trillion trees within the next decade.advertisementBut while the plans to open up the Tongass are moving forward quickly, with timber sales possible later in the year, the new executive order lacks any concrete detail. “It looks an...WW…

advertisementadvertisementOne of the most common new hobbies over the past four years has been for critics of President Trump to retweet his or done on any given day. There’s always a tweet, right? Last month, during a rally speech saying, “If I lose to him, I don’t know what I’m going to do. I will never speak to you again . . . . You’ll never see me again.”advertisementadvertisementNow the Biden campaign has crafted another masterpiece using the President’s own words in new and exciting ways. Over the weekend, the praising his handling of the pandemic crisis, which included a short clip...…advertisementadvertisementOne of the most common new hobbies over the past four years has been for critics of President Trump to retweet his or done on any given day. There’s always a tweet, right? Last month, during a rally speech saying, “If I lose to him, I don’t know what I’m going to do. I will never speak to you again . . . . You’ll never see me again.”advertisementadvertisementNow the Biden campaign has crafted another masterpiece using the President’s own words in new and exciting ways. Over the weekend, the praising his handling of the pandemic crisis, which included a short clip...WW…

advertisementadvertisementThe web browser has become the central app on today’s computers. It’s where people check email and social media, message friends, read news, play videos and music, attend school, do office work, and have socially distanced online meetups. You can learn a lot about someone from what happens in their browser, and dozens of companies do just that with cookies and other tracking technology that build up advertising profiles. But it doesn’t have to be that way.advertisementadvertisementGoogle’s Chrome browser is fast and efficient. But Chrome has conflicting loyalties...…advertisementadvertisementThe web browser has become the central app on today’s computers. It’s where people check email and social media, message friends, read news, play videos and music, attend school, do office work, and have socially distanced online meetups. You can learn a lot about someone from what happens in their browser, and dozens of companies do just that with cookies and other tracking technology that build up advertising profiles. But it doesn’t have to be that way.advertisementadvertisementGoogle’s Chrome browser is fast and efficient. But Chrome has conflicting loyalties...WW…

advertisementadvertisementThe presidential election is mere weeks away, and ballots are being cast as we speak—at the polls, in drop-off boxes, or popped  in the mail.advertisementadvertisementIn This Is What Democracy Looked Like: A Visual History of the Printed Ballot, author Alicia Yin Cheng, looks at ballots throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. Cheng, founding partner of design agency Mgmt, reveals how their colors, text, images, and decoration often say even more than the candidates up for election that cycle. The ballots are material evidence that show the evolution of voting—and...…advertisementadvertisementThe presidential election is mere weeks away, and ballots are being cast as we speak—at the polls, in drop-off boxes, or popped  in the mail.advertisementadvertisementIn This Is What Democracy Looked Like: A Visual History of the Printed Ballot, author Alicia Yin Cheng, looks at ballots throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. Cheng, founding partner of design agency Mgmt, reveals how their colors, text, images, and decoration often say even more than the candidates up for election that cycle. The ballots are material evidence that show the evolution of voting—and...WW…

advertisementadvertisementOne of the hardest parts of controlling COVID-19 is that it’s very difficult to know if you or someone you know is carrying it asymptomatically. So you might let your guard down, spend time in close proximity to someone else, and help it spread. Testing is useful to curb this issue, but the wait on a test result . So it’s difficult to say for sure, at any given moment, if you actually have COVID-19 or not.advertisementadvertisementA new device being developed at Caltech, dubbed , could put this uncertainty to an end. It’s a SARS-CoV-2 sensor that’s being designed...…advertisementadvertisementOne of the hardest parts of controlling COVID-19 is that it’s very difficult to know if you or someone you know is carrying it asymptomatically. So you might let your guard down, spend time in close proximity to someone else, and help it spread. Testing is useful to curb this issue, but the wait on a test result . So it’s difficult to say for sure, at any given moment, if you actually have COVID-19 or not.advertisementadvertisementA new device being developed at Caltech, dubbed , could put this uncertainty to an end. It’s a SARS-CoV-2 sensor that’s being designed...WW…

advertisementadvertisementAcross the country, on pedestals and in front of government buildings, more than 700 monuments to the Confederacy still stand. In the form of statues, museums, parks, and fountains, these monuments celebrate a racist legacy under the guise of Civil War commemoration. Most of these monuments were built in the 1900s and, though recent protests have brought renewed focus to their racist symbology, many of them stand unobtrusively and with little signage or information to explain the history they represent.advertisementadvertisementTo expose the racism and bigotry...…advertisementadvertisementAcross the country, on pedestals and in front of government buildings, more than 700 monuments to the Confederacy still stand. In the form of statues, museums, parks, and fountains, these monuments celebrate a racist legacy under the guise of Civil War commemoration. Most of these monuments were built in the 1900s and, though recent protests have brought renewed focus to their racist symbology, many of them stand unobtrusively and with little signage or information to explain the history they represent.advertisementadvertisementTo expose the racism and bigotry...WW…

advertisementadvertisementElectric vehicles are incredible. Beyond eliminating fossil fuels, they are whisper quiet, accelerate faster than gasoline cars, and according to , operate with less expensive maintenance over time. But one of the biggest benefits of EVs that they are the way cars are built.advertisementadvertisementHow? As this new video from Israeli startup Ree demonstrates, the EV of tomorrow is basically just a giant skateboard. With tiny motors placed inside the wheels, the car can assume any form imaginable; any sort of seating or storage arrangement can be built right on top...…advertisementadvertisementElectric vehicles are incredible. Beyond eliminating fossil fuels, they are whisper quiet, accelerate faster than gasoline cars, and according to , operate with less expensive maintenance over time. But one of the biggest benefits of EVs that they are the way cars are built.advertisementadvertisementHow? As this new video from Israeli startup Ree demonstrates, the EV of tomorrow is basically just a giant skateboard. With tiny motors placed inside the wheels, the car can assume any form imaginable; any sort of seating or storage arrangement can be built right on top...WW…

advertisementadvertisementGround control to Major Tom: Sanitize your hands and put your helmet on. Pandemic gear that looks straight-up celestial has come to Earth.advertisementA new, fully enclosed helmet called has been released by Hall Labs, a Utah-based tech, material science, and manufacturing incubator. The helmet looks like what an astronaut might wear to space: Washable black fabric secures it tightly around the neck and attaches to a clear acrylic half-dome, which curves over the face from the back of the head to below the chin. It’s currently available for pre-order for $199, and...…advertisementadvertisementGround control to Major Tom: Sanitize your hands and put your helmet on. Pandemic gear that looks straight-up celestial has come to Earth.advertisementA new, fully enclosed helmet called has been released by Hall Labs, a Utah-based tech, material science, and manufacturing incubator. The helmet looks like what an astronaut might wear to space: Washable black fabric secures it tightly around the neck and attaches to a clear acrylic half-dome, which curves over the face from the back of the head to below the chin. It’s currently available for pre-order for $199, and...WW…

advertisementadvertisementThe global surge in solar power is helping quickly lower the cost of solar panels and shrink energy’s carbon footprint, with around 70,000 solar panels being installed by 2018, and an estimated in place by that year in the U.S. alone. But it also means that we’ll face an enormous pile of e-waste when those panels eventually wear out.advertisementadvertisementBy the early 2030s, as one large wave of solar panels is reaching the end of life, the International Renewable Energy Agency that there could be as much as 8 million metric tons of total solar panel waste. By...…advertisementadvertisementThe global surge in solar power is helping quickly lower the cost of solar panels and shrink energy’s carbon footprint, with around 70,000 solar panels being installed by 2018, and an estimated in place by that year in the U.S. alone. But it also means that we’ll face an enormous pile of e-waste when those panels eventually wear out.advertisementadvertisementBy the early 2030s, as one large wave of solar panels is reaching the end of life, the International Renewable Energy Agency that there could be as much as 8 million metric tons of total solar panel waste. By...WW…

advertisementadvertisementSan Francisco district attorney Chesa Boudin ran for his current title on a platform committed to ending mass incarceration, citing how widespread imprisonment affects the families and communities left behind, costs taxpayers money, and fails to truly rehabilitate people who have inflicted harm.advertisementadvertisementSpeaking on a panel at Fast Company’s Innovation Festival, Boudin explained how his team reduced the number of people incarcerated in order to prevent a COVID-19 outbreak. (Five of the largest known clusters of the coronavirus in the U.S. inside...…advertisementadvertisementSan Francisco district attorney Chesa Boudin ran for his current title on a platform committed to ending mass incarceration, citing how widespread imprisonment affects the families and communities left behind, costs taxpayers money, and fails to truly rehabilitate people who have inflicted harm.advertisementadvertisementSpeaking on a panel at Fast Company’s Innovation Festival, Boudin explained how his team reduced the number of people incarcerated in order to prevent a COVID-19 outbreak. (Five of the largest known clusters of the coronavirus in the U.S. inside...WW…

advertisementadvertisementBuilding a cinematic universe is not as easy as Marvel makes it look.advertisementadvertisementWhere the superhero super-studio has succeeded, many others have faltered. Universal’s attempt to resurrect its classic monster movies in a Dark Universe was The Lego Movie’s spin-offs were profitable, but largely failed to, uh, connect in any meaningful way. And the DC Extended Universe has done its best work (Wonder Woman, Aqua Man, Shazam) with movies that feel as though they exist entirely independent of the Justice League.It takes a lot of chutzpah to launch an...…advertisementadvertisementBuilding a cinematic universe is not as easy as Marvel makes it look.advertisementadvertisementWhere the superhero super-studio has succeeded, many others have faltered. Universal’s attempt to resurrect its classic monster movies in a Dark Universe was The Lego Movie’s spin-offs were profitable, but largely failed to, uh, connect in any meaningful way. And the DC Extended Universe has done its best work (Wonder Woman, Aqua Man, Shazam) with movies that feel as though they exist entirely independent of the Justice League.It takes a lot of chutzpah to launch an...WW…

advertisementadvertisementBy Tony Seba and James ArbibSuppose we told you that solutions to the world’s most intractable problems are possible in the next decade. Poverty. Inequality. Climate change. You’d probably say impossible, preposterous, unthinkable. We’ve heard that about our predictions before. But advertisementadvertisementNow, we are predicting the fastest, deepest, most consequential technological disruption in history and with it, a moment civilization has never encountered before. In the next 10 years, key technologies will converge to completely disrupt the five foundational...…advertisementadvertisementBy Tony Seba and James ArbibSuppose we told you that solutions to the world’s most intractable problems are possible in the next decade. Poverty. Inequality. Climate change. You’d probably say impossible, preposterous, unthinkable. We’ve heard that about our predictions before. But advertisementadvertisementNow, we are predicting the fastest, deepest, most consequential technological disruption in history and with it, a moment civilization has never encountered before. In the next 10 years, key technologies will converge to completely disrupt the five foundational...WW…

advertisementadvertisementIn May, when the United States reached the grim milestone of 100,000 confirmed deaths from COVID-19, The New York Times turned its front page into a powerful memorial, a list of every American coronavirus fatality to date: name, age, hometown, and a personal detail. Topped by a banner headline, the gray page was as solemn as a tombstone.advertisementadvertisementIt was the latest example of how the Times, the winner of Fast Company’s 2020 Innovation by Design General Excellence category, is reimagining its most valuable real estate to help readers make sense of...…advertisementadvertisementIn May, when the United States reached the grim milestone of 100,000 confirmed deaths from COVID-19, The New York Times turned its front page into a powerful memorial, a list of every American coronavirus fatality to date: name, age, hometown, and a personal detail. Topped by a banner headline, the gray page was as solemn as a tombstone.advertisementadvertisementIt was the latest example of how the Times, the winner of Fast Company’s 2020 Innovation by Design General Excellence category, is reimagining its most valuable real estate to help readers make sense of...WW…

advertisementadvertisementI talked to Donald Trump’s niece, Mary Trump, the morning after Tuesday’s presidential debate, perhaps the worst debate in the history of U.S. politics. The spectacle was made miserable by Donald Trump, a political animal whom after almost four years as our president we still don’t know quite how to handle.advertisementadvertisementMary Trump brings perhaps the best view of anyone into the inner workings of the brain of the man who simply would not stop talking on the stage on Tuesday night. She’s seen him from the inside of the family, has been burnt by him, and...…advertisementadvertisementI talked to Donald Trump’s niece, Mary Trump, the morning after Tuesday’s presidential debate, perhaps the worst debate in the history of U.S. politics. The spectacle was made miserable by Donald Trump, a political animal whom after almost four years as our president we still don’t know quite how to handle.advertisementadvertisementMary Trump brings perhaps the best view of anyone into the inner workings of the brain of the man who simply would not stop talking on the stage on Tuesday night. She’s seen him from the inside of the family, has been burnt by him, and...WW…

advertisementadvertisementSince burst onto the scene a few years ago, many have worried that they . Creators of deepfakes use artificial intelligence-based neural network algorithms to craft increasingly convincing forgeries of video, audio, and photography almost as if by magic. But this new technology doesn’t just threaten our present discourse. Soon, AI-generated synthetic media may reach into the past and sow doubt into the authenticity of historical events, potentially destroying the credibility of records left behind in our present digital era.advertisementadvertisementIn an age of...…advertisementadvertisementSince burst onto the scene a few years ago, many have worried that they . Creators of deepfakes use artificial intelligence-based neural network algorithms to craft increasingly convincing forgeries of video, audio, and photography almost as if by magic. But this new technology doesn’t just threaten our present discourse. Soon, AI-generated synthetic media may reach into the past and sow doubt into the authenticity of historical events, potentially destroying the credibility of records left behind in our present digital era.advertisementadvertisementIn an age of...WW…

advertisementadvertisementWhen you’re working from home, it’s all too easy to develop some bad habits. Maybe you’re staring at the screen for too long without interruption, or hunching over your laptop with little regard for posture. Or perhaps you’re just working too much in the first place.advertisementadvertisementA new website called wants to help with all that, offering a free suite of tools that promote a healthier remote work routine. While there are lots of apps and websites that offer some similar resources, Working Den helpfully puts them all in one place. It’s got playlists of...…advertisementadvertisementWhen you’re working from home, it’s all too easy to develop some bad habits. Maybe you’re staring at the screen for too long without interruption, or hunching over your laptop with little regard for posture. Or perhaps you’re just working too much in the first place.advertisementadvertisementA new website called wants to help with all that, offering a free suite of tools that promote a healthier remote work routine. While there are lots of apps and websites that offer some similar resources, Working Den helpfully puts them all in one place. It’s got playlists of...WW…