Welcome to Better Worlds, The Verge's new series of short fiction, audio, and animation that explores how technology can shape our society and environment in better, more equitable ways. Starting on January 16th, Verge Extras will feature five original fiction stories by a diverse roster of science fiction authors who take a more optimistic view of what lies ahead in ways both large and small, fantastical and everyday.
Better Worlds release schedule:
January 16th, 2019
“Online Reunion” by Leigh Alexander
A young journalist chronicling a vintage e-pet reunion gets more than she expected.
January 23rd, 2019
“The Burn” by Peter Tieryas
As people around the world fall victim to The Burn, AR researchers begin to suspect a pattern.
January 20th, 2019
“Monsters in Their Season” by Cadwell Turnbull
An island commonwealth integrates an AI to defend itself against a worsening hurricane season.
February 6th, 2019
“Skin City” by Kelly Robson
A street performer gets into trouble after falling for a radical privacy devotee.
February 13th, 2019
“Move The World” by Carla Speed McNeil
Once in your life, you can choose to pull a lever that resets the world — but will it make things better?
Better Worlds launches site-wide on January 14th on theverge.com
How to future-proof a 30-year-old computer
Pirate Radio » The PIRATE Act
Pirate Radio » Dial Up!
Pirate Radio » Outside the wire
Machine Of Loving Grace | Better Worlds Pt. 5
Skin City | Better Worlds Pt. 4
The Burn | Better Worlds Pt. 3
Monsters Come Howling in Their Season | Better Worlds Pt. 2
Online Reunion | Better Worlds Pt. 1
@dril tweets: a reading of his best work
VR pioneer Jaron Lanier on dystopia, empathy, and the future of the internet
Why watch people play video games?
What to do when 20,000 bees unexpectedly swarm your Manhattan skyscraper
Astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti on tweeting from space and brewing the first zero-G espresso
How to build your own personal Westworld
Astronauts Scott and Mark Kelly on NASA’s twin experiment and the future of space travel
The Space Shuttle Columbia tragedy: a conversation with my parents who worked the accident
Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines controversy explained
The delicate science of counting crowds
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
The Vergecast
Decoder with Nilay Patel
Why’d You Push That Button?
Ctrl-Walt-Delete
Re/code Decode, hosted by Kara Swisher