In the slog of 2020, innovation sped ahead

Extremely cold vaccine storage. Truly recycling those batteries. Breaking land speeds. Fixing video chat. These stories dig into the breakthroughs we've seen in science, transportation, and more this year. View this email in your browser  |  Manage newsletter subscriptions 12.03.20 In spite of—or thanks to—the pandemic, the worlds of science, transportation, and communication continue to innovate in surprising ways. From breaking land speeds to building robot-piloted ships, tackling super-cold vaccine storage to truly recycling those batteries, the new frontiers of technology are leading us to exciting new places.   The Pandemic Gives Us a Chance to Change How We Get Around BY TOM VANDERBILT City transportation ecosystems are suddenly getting more diverse, creating an opportunity to (finally) rethink the car.   The Race To Crack Battery Recycling—Before It's Too Late BY DANIEL OBERHAUS Millions of EVs will soon hit the road, but the world isn't ready for their old batteries. A crop of startups wants to crack this billion-dollar problem.   The Physics of Materials at Minus 80 Degrees Celsius BY RHETT ALLAIN Pfizer's new vaccine has to be stored at extremely low temperatures. Here's how things work when it gets that cold.   The Hair-Raising, Record-Setting Race to 331 MPH BY ERIC ADAMS Hang on to your stomach: In two thunderous dashes, supercar maker SSC set multiple production-car speed records.   The Xenobot Future Is Coming—Start Planning Now BY AMY WEBB We're on the cusp of being able to program biological systems like we program computers. That raises some thorny questions.   How to Design a Supersonic Plane for the (Fairly Rich) Masses BY ERIC ADAMS Boom Supersonic's sleek prototype craft rolled out this week; the final production model will be quieter than previous supersonics, and a novel fly-by-wire system will keep it stable at low speeds.   A Mission to Make Virtual Parties Actually Fun BY GRETCHEN MCCULLOCH Let's be honest, Zoom birthdays and happy hours are bad. But an emerging type of platform known as "proximity chat" could offer a better option.   The Robot Ships Are Coming ... Eventually BY ERIC NIILER As the pandemic fuels demand for less contact and fewer sailors, shipping companies turn to AI-assisted navigation. GET WIRED The Cyber Week Sale is here. Now with free stickers! Get one year of WIRED for just $10 $5. Tech news and analysis you won't find anywhere else. Subscribe now.     This e-mail was sent to you by WIRED. To ensure delivery to your inbox (not bulk or junk folders), please add our e-mail address, wired@newsletters.wired.com, to your address book.   View our Privacy Policy Unsubscribe or manage your newsletter subscriptions