Vince Beiser
Contributor
Vince Beiser (@vincebeiser) is the author of The World in a Grain: The Story of Sand and How it Transformed Civilization. His last feature for WIRED, in issue 29.03, was about a $500 billion biofuel scam.
The Quest to Trap Carbon in Stone—and Beat Climate Change
On a barren lava plateau in Iceland, a new facility is sucking in air and stashing the carbon dioxide in rock. The next step: Build 10,000 more.
Florida’s Condo Collapse Foreshadows the Concrete Crack-Up
Overreliance on the world’s favorite building material will lead to more crumbling towers, dams, bridges, and roads. And way more greenhouse gases.
The Lion, the Polygamist, and the Biofuel Scam
How a member of a breakaway Mormon sect teamed up with a Lambo-driving, hard-partying tycoon to bilk the government for hundreds of millions of dollars.
5 Weird Concepts to (Theoretically) Supercharge Mask Fabrics
From diamonds to salt, researchers are exploring novel materials for face coverings. But don't expect to see these far-out ideas in stores anytime soon.
Concrete Is Awful for the Planet. Clever Chemistry Can Help
Without it, our civilization would be nowhere. With it, the Earth is suffering. But what if concrete could be used to store climate-warming carbon?
The War Vet, the Dating Site, and the Phone Call From Hell
Jared Johns found out too late that swapping messages with the pretty girl from a dating site would mean serious trouble. If only he had known who she really was.
The Super-Secret Sand That Makes Your Phone Possible
The processor that makes your laptop or cell phone work was fabricated using quartz from this obscure Appalachian backwater.
Fukishima’s Million Tons of Radioactive Water—and Counting
More than 1 million tons of radiation-laced water is already being kept on-site in an ever-expanding forest of hundreds of hulking steel tanks.
No Job for Humans: The Robot Assault on Fukushima
The 2011 earthquake and tsunami triggered a devastating catastrophe in one of Japan's largest nuclear power plants—and the cleanup will take decades.
The Deadly Global War for Sand
The global demand for plain old sand is so high that illegal mines are everywhere, and mafias around the world are killing for the stuff.
A Tactical Boot Made for Civilians That's Hard-Core Enough for Marines
Designed for every kind of terrain, these new boots are quick-drying, ultra-lightweight, super-grippy, and equipped with extras like titanium cleats and blade-resistant ceramic toe caps.
World's Fastest Guitarist Turns Classical Classic Into Blistering Blur
John Taylor claimed the Guinness-certified fastest guitarist title after blazing through "The Flight of the Bumblebee" at 600 beats per minute.
HBO's Luck Dives Deep Into Horse Racing
David Milch, of NYPD Blue and Deadwood fame, takes you into the world of thoroughbred racing through a new HBO series.
Massive Biometric Project Gives Millions of Indians an ID
A massive biometric project in India aims to give millions of impoverished citizens a new form of ID.
Digital Weapons Help Dissidents Punch Holes in China's Great Firewall
The curt knock on the door of his hotel room woke Alan Huang with a start. He looked at the clock: 5:30 am. Huang had been in Shenzhen, China, for only a few days; who could be looking for him at this hour? He groggily undid the lock—and found a half-dozen police officers in the […]
Motor: The Military's Incredible Hulk
US marine hate stupid land mine and IED! Assault Breacher SMASH! Assault Breacher 64-ton, 42-foot-long spawn of tank and bulldozer. RAAAWR! M1A1 Abrams tank chassis with modified turret and titanium-plated undercarriage. SLAM! Fifteen-foot armored plow with steel skis dig up land mine. Puny explosion only tickle! Humans drive Assault Breacher remotely if too afraid to […]