Whale research is difficult, but a conservation organization is trying to make it a bit easier with drones. WIRED's Matt Simon talks with Ocean Alliance CEO Iain Kerr about the benefits of flying the "SnotBot" into a whale's blow spout.

Artist Refik Anadol doesn't work with paintbrushes or clay. Instead, he uses large collections of data and machine learning algorithms to create mesmerizing and dynamic installations.

Since 2016, inventor and entrepreneur Richard Browning has dedicated himself to one ambitious mission: creating the perfect jet suit. The 'real-life Iron Man' founded Gravity Industries in 2017 to develop, test and produce his suit. In his first record attempt he hit a top speed of 32.02 miles per hour and in November 2019 he set out to smash that record with a more advanced version of his unique suit. Before his attempt, we spoke to Richard about his journey to creating his suit and the changes he's made to help him in his record attempt. He also spoke of his plans for the future, which include selling suits to enthusiasts (it takes just a day to learn how to use them) and even the possibility of a racing series. Formula 1 with jet packs? Sign us up #richardbrowning #gravity #jetsuit

Believe it or not, levitating objects aren't just the stuff of science fiction and magic shows. There are actually many different forms of levitation including something called acoustic levitation, which uses powerful sound waves to trap objects in mid-air. WIRED spoke with a physicist at Argonne National Laboratory to find out how acoustic levitation works and what it's used for.

Former prosecutor Lucy Lang is back to take a look at more courtroom scenes from television shows and movies and breaks down how accurate they are. Lucy Lang is an executive director at the Institute For Innovation In Prosecution at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Learn more about Lucy Lang and the Institute for Innovation in Prosecution at http://www.prosecution.org and follow their work on Instagram and Twitter @LucyLangNYC and @iip_johnjay

There are a number of myths about detecting deception. Fidgeting, looking away, touching your mouth, all of these things are commonly thought to be practices that indicate deception. Jim Clemente, former Supervisory Special Agent for the FBI, explains why that isn't always the case and how people like him can decipher what these indicators really mean.

Former New York Giants defensive end Michael Strahan uses the power of Twitter to answer the internet's burning questions about the Super Bowl and the NFL. How much is a Super Bowl ring worth? Why does the owner always get the Lombardi trophy? Do NFL players play fantasy football?

Crime scene analyst Matthew Steiner teaches the techniques forensics experts use to investigate bloodstain patterns, ranging from easy to difficult. Matthew explains how different types of forces create different bloodstain patterns in the crime scenes, and demonstrates how they can analyze these patterns to figure out how a crime was committed.

Dr. Seema Yasmin breaks down everything you should know about the growing Coronavirus outbreak. Seema Yasmin is a professor at Stanford School of Medicine, director of the Stanford Center for Health Communication and an Emmy Award-wining journalist. She was a CDC disease detective and a reporter for the Dallas Morning News, where she was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. Dr. Yasmin trained in medicine at the University of Cambridge and in journalism at the University of Toronto.

Len Solomon has been making instruments out of random objects for over 30 years. He's performed as a one-man-band all over the world, and The Majestic Bellowphone is perhaps his DIY novelty masterpiece. Check out Len Solomon's YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/user/bellowphone.

Kevin Baillie, Creative Director & Sr. VFX Supervisor for Method Studios, talks through this year's Oscar nominees for Best Visual Effects -- 1917, Avengers: Endgame, The Irishman, The Lion King, and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Baillie began his career two decades ago as an 18-year-old pre-viz artist on Star Wars: Episode I. Since then, he has worked on Harry Potter, Star Trek and Transfomers movies, among many others. He is a member of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences.

In May 2019, San Francisco became the first US city to ban the use of facial recognition, but this is an isolated example of resistance to this controversial technology. In the UK, it's been used on numerous occasions, while London's Metropolitan Police has confirmed that it will start using the technology as part of its regular policing. But how does facial recognition work and is it accurate and safe? In this WIRED Explains video, security editor Matt Burgess breaks down the ins and outs of the technology and the issues surrounding its use. This video was produced as part of Digital Society, a publishing partnership between WIRED and Vontobel where all content is editorially independent. Visit Vontobel Impact for more stories on how technology is shaping the future of society: https://www.vontobel.com/en-int/about-vontobel/impact/ #privacy #facialrecognition #wiredexplains

Crime scene analyst Matthew Steiner teaches the techniques forensics experts use to determine bullet trajectory in a crime scene, ranging from easy to difficult. Matthew shows how forensic analysts use protractors, string, lasers and 3D laser scanners to investigate crime scenes.

Ed Maslaveckas is the founder and CEO of Bud, which started as an educational platform to help people become more financially literate. It’s now a platform used by banks to empower customers and their financial wellbeing. In this video, Maslaveckas shares how data has been powerful for the average individual, and for institutions throughout history – and that institutions and banks have a responsibility to manage the access they have to data now. He details how GDPR and open banking can coexist, as well as how the average person can shift the balance of power. #wiredsmarter For more information on WIRED Smarter: http://wired.uk/smarter ABOUT WIRED EVENTS WIRED events shine a spotlight on the innovators, inventors and entrepreneurs who are changing our world for the better. Explore this channel for videos showing on-stage talks, behind-the-scenes action, exclusive interviews and performances from our roster of events. Join us as we uncover the most relevant, up-and-coming trends and meet the people building the future. ABOUT WIRED WIRED brings you the future as it happens - the people, the trends, the big ideas that will change our lives. An award-winning printed monthly and online publication. WIRED is an agenda-setting magazine offering brain food on a wide range of topics, from science, technology and business to pop-culture and politics. CONNECT WITH WIRED Events: http://wired.uk/events Subscribe for Events Information: http://wired.uk/signup Web: http://bit.ly/VideoWired Twitter: http://bit.ly/TwitterWired Facebook: http://bit.ly/FacebookWired Instagram: http://bit.ly/InstagramWired Magazine: http://bit.ly/MagazineWired Newsletter: http://bit.ly/NewslettersWired

Heike Riel is an IBM Fellow and the head of the Science & Technology Department at IBM Research in Switzerland. Her work has been crucial for developing OLED display technology and new materials at nanoscale, and she has filed over 50 patents. In this video, Riel explains how quantum computers are already here, and how they can be best used to drive innovation and research forward. She shares how vital it is to keep asking why a technology is being used, and what for, as well as what industries and uses quantum computing could prove itself to be invaluable in. #quantumcomputing #wiredsmarter For more information on WIRED Smarter: http://wired.uk/smarter ABOUT WIRED EVENTS WIRED events shine a spotlight on the innovators, inventors and entrepreneurs who are changing our world for the better. Explore this channel for videos showing on-stage talks, behind-the-scenes action, exclusive interviews and performances from our roster of events. Join us as we uncover the most relevant, up-and-coming trends and meet the people building the future. ABOUT WIRED WIRED brings you the future as it happens - the people, the trends, the big ideas that will change our lives. An award-winning printed monthly and online publication. WIRED is an agenda-setting magazine offering brain food on a wide range of topics, from science, technology and business to pop-culture and politics. CONNECT WITH WIRED Events: http://wired.uk/events Subscribe for Events Information: http://wired.uk/signup Web: http://bit.ly/VideoWired Twitter: http://bit.ly/TwitterWired Facebook: http://bit.ly/FacebookWired Instagram: http://bit.ly/InstagramWired Magazine: http://bit.ly/MagazineWired Newsletter: http://bit.ly/NewslettersWired

Let’s say you’re on an interplanetary mission to Mars, millions of miles from the nearest hospital, and something in your body goes awry. Say, a routine body scan reveals a potentially life-threatening blood clot. What on Earth, or in space I guess, do you do? Well now we have the answer to that question.

Chris Atkeson, a professor at the Robotics Institute at Carnegie Mellon University, watches a variety of scenes featuring robots from movies and television and breaks down how accurate their depictions really are.

A self-taught artist with a background in physics, David C. Roy has been creating mesmerizing wooden kinetic sculptures for nearly 40 years. Powered solely through mechanical wind-up mechanisms, pieces can run up to 48 hours on a single wind.

Mariana Mazzucato is a Professor of Innovation and Public Value at UCL, and a Director of the Institute of Innovation and Public Purpose. She advises policy-makers on how to better create inclusive growth at a large scale, and was named one of the 3 most important thinkers about innovation by the New Republic. In this video, Mazzucato explains how many of the ideas and developments which we see as being an offshoot of private innovation are actually a function of public funding and investment. For more information on WIRED Smarter: http://wired.uk/smarter ABOUT WIRED EVENTS WIRED events shine a spotlight on the innovators, inventors and entrepreneurs who are changing our world for the better. Explore this channel for videos showing on-stage talks, behind-the-scenes action, exclusive interviews and performances from our roster of events. Join us as we uncover the most relevant, up-and-coming trends and meet the people building the future. ABOUT WIRED WIRED brings you the future as it happens - the people, the trends, the big ideas that will change our lives. An award-winning printed monthly and online publication. WIRED is an agenda-setting magazine offering brain food on a wide range of topics, from science, technology and business to pop-culture and politics. CONNECT WITH WIRED Events: http://wired.uk/events Subscribe for Events Information: http://wired.uk/signup Web: http://bit.ly/VideoWired Twitter: http://bit.ly/TwitterWired Facebook: http://bit.ly/FacebookWired Instagram: http://bit.ly/InstagramWired Magazine: http://bit.ly/MagazineWired Newsletter: http://bit.ly/NewslettersWired

Dr. Bill Schindler, a professor of archeology and anthropology at Washington College, demonstrates a couple of the most effective methods for starting a fire in the wilderness. "Even though you may never find yourself in a survival situation, I firmly believe that learning and practicing these primitive skills are an essential part of connecting to your past, your environment, and everything it means to be human," says Bill, explaining why it's important to have basic survival skills knowledge.

New technology is becoming a part of the 2020 election process and has the potential to create faster, more accessible voting around the country. But, as shown with the Iowa caucus, these untested technologies have the potential to do the complete opposite - delaying results and creating confusion. How can we ensure that the technology we are using gives us fast, reliable and accurate results?

If you're in the wilderness and have nothing, perhaps the most important thing you need is a sharp, durable edge. Humans are among the weakest species on the planet and tools are what help us compensate for that lack of strength. Dr. Bill Schindler, a professor of archeology and anthropology at Washington College, explains how to construct some primitive stone tools that could be useful in a survival situation.

As more coronavirus cases appear outside of Asia, Dr. Seema Yasmin breaks down what you need to know about pandemics.

Michael Grab's mind-bending rock formations aren't held together by glue or steel rods. Shockingly, his rock piles are stacked using only the laws of gravity. His rock formations have taken the internet by storm, and brought an even greater attention to rock balancing.

Professor Lawrence Gostin on what you should know about COVID-19 quarantines.

Epidemic expert Dr. Seema Yasmin interviews emergency room physician Dr. Cedric Dark about COVID-19's effect on the city of Houston, Texas. Dr. Dark talks about how the city is handling the pandemic, and what measures they are beginning to take in preparation for the worst.

Have you ever played a card game then decided to see how high you could stack the cards? Bryan Berg has made card stacking an art form. He holds numerous Guinness World Records (so many he's lost count), and keeps upping the ante on the difficulty. Stacking a house of cards on a running dryer? Why not!

There's a lot of conflicting information when it comes to wearing masks in public during the coronavirus pandemic. Dr. Seema Yasmin explains everything we need to know about wearing masks. Should we be wearing masks? What kinds of masks should we wear? Can we make our own?

NASA astronaut Nicole Stott returns to examine more scenes depicting space from movies and television. Do space stations really have onboard AI like in "2001: A Space Odyssey?" Do blackout periods like the one shown in "Apollo 13" really happen on spaceflights? Would a robot like WALL-E survive in space?

Guinness World Record-holding cardstacker Bryan Berg has made a living stacking playing cards, and now he's here to help all of us learn some of the foundational tricks of the trade. Bryan explains why the traditional "V" stacking formation is flawed and shows how, when done properly, a house of cards can even support blocks of concrete.

Ferrofluid is a liquid with nano-sized iron particles that was developed by NASA in the 1960s. Artist Eric Mesplé has been experimenting with this magnetic liquid in his art for the past dozen years, and the results are mesmerizing.

If you get Covid-19 and recover does that mean you are immune to the virus? If you become immune, how long does that immunity last? We are still looking for answers to many of these questions. In the meantime, Dr. Seema Yasmin takes a look at the human body's immunity to some other viral infections such as chickenpox, HIV and the common cold.

Chris Atkeson, a professor at the Robotics Institute at Carnegie Mellon University, watches more scenes featuring robots from movies and television and continues to break down how accurate their depictions really are.

With the coronavirus lockdown forcing us to spend more time isolated, or indoors with families or friends, what happens when people are forced to live in isolation for a whole year? We asked Beth Healey, researching the effects of physical and psychological isolation on a group of 13 crew members for the European Space Agency, how people change when totally isolated. #isolation #europeanspaceagency #antarctica

12 to 18 months is the timeline we keep hearing about for a potential Covid-19 vaccine. While this is possible, it would also be the fastest we've ever developed a vaccine. Dr. Seema Yasmin takes a look at the standard timeline for creating a vaccine, from the exploratory stage all the way until manufacturing and quality control. Just how does a Covid-19 vaccine fit into this timeline?

Lots of people like kayaking, and some even enjoy white water, but Rafael Ortiz takes it to another level. Rafael is obsessed with kayaking over massively steep waterfalls.

This ventilator may not look like an important piece of medical equipment but it may be one of the critical things keeping Covid-19 patients alive. MIT has designed an emergency ventilator that uses commonly found and easily sourced materials. FDA-approved ventilators are expensive and require hundreds of components, and in these trying times a cheaper alternative may be able to save lives as these machines become more scarce.

Dr. Seema Yasmin talks to three Covid-19 vaccine researchers who are developing three different types of vaccines. Traditionally, vaccines are created by using a weakened or dead version of the virus and injecting that into the body. Many of these developing coronavirus vaccines are using new technologies. What's the difference between recombinant protein-based vaccine, a DNA-based vaccine and an mRNA-based vaccine?

Physics professor Rhett Allain breaks down amazing feats of physics from superheroes in movies and television and explains how accurate their depictions really are. How realistic are "superhero" landings? Is the kinetic energy suit from "Black Panther" possible? Even with superpowers, is it physically feasible for Superman to lift a large building? Rhett Allain is an Associate Professor of Physics at Southeastern Louisiana University.

'Unhinged' star Russell Crowe answers the internet's most searched questions about himself. What is Russell Crowe doing right now? How old was Russell when he made 'Gladiator'? What band was Russell in? What color are his eyes? What did he win an Oscar for? Russell answers all these questions and more! 'Unhinged' releases July 10

You know those plants and weeds you see every day growing outside your home? They may not look like much, but if prepared properly, they can be transformed into a delicious and nutritious meal. Dr. Bill Schindler, a chef and professor of archeology and anthropology at Washington College, explains how we can forage for greenery from the most unlikely places and prepare a meal that is both good for you and tastes great. @drbillschindler Note: Due to COVID-19 restrictions, this video was self-taped by Bill with remote direction from our Wired video crew.

Airline captain Fatima Shafi examines scenes depicting airplanes from movies and television. Why do the pilot and copilot repeat what each other are saying in 'Sully'? Does weight really affect an empty aircraft like in the Tom Cruise film 'American Made'? Do pilots lie to passengers when they say they'll only have to wait, "another 30 minutes"? Fatima Shafi is a captain for a major US commercial airline and is also a former avionics engineering officer for the Pakistan Air Force.

Dialect coach Erik Singer is back, this time to take a look at tongue twisters. We've all tried tongue twisters in our lives, and know how hard they can be! But "why" are they hard? What makes one group of words more difficult to speak fluidly than others? Erik explains why our tongues get so twisted up, and breaks down how different tongue twisters affect different people with different accents. Ultrasound Tongue Twister footage courtesy of Professor Ian Wilson, CLR Phonetics Lab at the University of Aizu, Japan Sagittal Section Diagram courtesy of Professor Daniel C. Hall, Linguistics & Department of English Saint Mary’s University, Halifax, N.S. https://incl.pl/sammy/ Thank you for all our tongue twister participants! Nicole Cunniff Larry Chan Taylor Faires Nichole Holze Alina Peng Sarah Jack Siobhan Pesce Bob Wendland Anushka Conway Maxine Jones Jordan Trafford Elizabeth Cartwright Brooke Henzell Tim Mills Clare/Clisare Cullen Kamal Batra Dylan Rogers Kayla Pereira Marcus A Siler Louise Starks

Warren King is a former engineer turned artist, and he's a wizard when it comes to cardboard. Most of his mesmerizing sculptures are made with just cardboard, glue, and a knife. Warren shows us how to build our very own robot helmet, using the techniques he's perfected throughout his career.

For all intensive purposes, dialect coach Erik Singer is literally an expert when it comes to language. So, who better to curve our hunger for knowledge than him and his colleague, fellow dialect coach Eliza Simpson. Erik and Eliza break down some of the most common pet peeves we associate with language; some so common we often take them for granite. This episode features a special guest appearance by dialect coach, Eliza Simpson. Vocal cord imagery courtesy of Jan G. Svec Videokymographic images of the three voice registers taken from the study "Svec, J. G. (2004). Research journey: chest-falsetto discontinuity and videokymography. In H. K. Schutte, S. Poppema, & E. te Bos (Eds.), Physiology and Acoustics of Singing (PAS), 3-5 October, 2002, Groningen, the Netherlands (CD-ROM). Groningen, the Netherlands: Groningen Voice Research Lab (https://www.researchgate.net/publication/241682145_RESEARCH_JOURNEY_CHEST-FALSETTO_DISCONTINUITY_AND_VIDEOKYMOGRAPHY)", courtesy of Jan G. Svec, Palacky University, Olomouc, Czechia.

Sword fighting expert Christina Traister examines a variety of scenes from movies and television featuring sword fighting and applies her expert analysis. Could Darth Maul really hold off two attackers like in 'The Phantom Menace'? Was Arya's sword training in 'Game of Thrones' accurate? Did the Black Knight from 'Monty Python and the Holy Grail' really only sustain a mere flesh wound? Christina Traister is an Associate Professor of Acting and Stage Combat at the University of Michigan

Former FBI agent and body language expert Joe Navarro is back, this time to breaks down the non-verbal ways we communicate using facial expressions. What does it mean when we scrunch up our noses or show tension in the glabella? Joe also goes deep into chirality, and equates this concept with some of the most quizzical of human expressions. Check out Joe's book "The Dictionary of Body Language" https://www.jnforensics.com/

To keep family and friends connected during COVID-19, visual effects company, Invisible Thread, developed an augmented reality application that would enhance video communication to keep people more authentically connected during a time of separation. Co-founder Alex Hessler explains how they built the concept and why they use the Verizon Visa® Card to help with product development.

Artist Andres Amador takes "playing with sand" to a whole new level. His free-flowing and fractal-inspired works of art exist for only a short amount of time, eventually getting swallowed up by the ocean's tides. But, in that timeframe, Andres is able to create unique pieces that are indelible and impactful.

Former U.S. Air Force fighter pilot Christine "Grinder" Mau examines some flying and dogfighting scenes from popular movies and television shows and determines how accurate they really are.