From The Big Story: The Big Fight Over 403 Very Small Wasps

To hear stories three days earlier, listen on The Big Story: ⁠⁠⁠⁠http://swap.fm/l/wi-bigstorypod-feeddrop Here’s what I learned sailing the seas with a boat full of “Sea Monkeys” celebrating geek culture while inverting classic rules of social hierarchy. Written by Adam Rogers. Originally published on December 19th 2014. For more of the most ambitious, future-defining stories from our favorite human writers, subscribe to The Big Story newsletter: https://www.wired.com/newsletter/the-big-story Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

To hear stories three days earlier, listen on The Big Story: ⁠⁠⁠⁠http://swap.fm/l/wi-bigstorypod-feeddrop A new startup called Cofertility lets young women freeze their eggs—for free. But is anything ever truly free? Written by Maia Hibbett. Originally published on September 9th 2026. For more of the most ambitious, future-defining stories from our favorite human writers, subscribe to The Big Story newsletter: https://www.wired.com/newsletter/the-big-story Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

To hear stories three days earlier, listen on The Big Story: ⁠⁠⁠⁠http://swap.fm/l/wi-bigstorypod-feeddrop We now have the power to quickly and easily alter DNA. It could eliminate disease. It could solve world hunger. It could provide unlimited clean energy. It could get really out of hand.  Written by Amy Maxmen. Originally published in August 2015. For more of the most ambitious, future-defining stories from our favorite human writers, subscribe to The Big Story newsletter: https://www.wired.com/newsletter/the-big-story Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

To hear stories three days earlier, listen on The Big Story: ⁠⁠⁠⁠http://swap.fm/l/wi-bigstorypod-feeddrop Every day, Wikipedia biographies of living people are flagged for deletion because the subjects are not “notable” enough. How do these poor souls take the news? Written by Duncan Fyfe. Originally published on October 26th 2026. For more of the most ambitious, future-defining stories from our favorite human writers, subscribe to The Big Story newsletter: https://www.wired.com/newsletter/the-big-story Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

To hear stories three days earlier, listen on The Big Story: ⁠⁠⁠⁠http://swap.fm/l/wi-bigstorypod-feeddrop Earth is teeming with unknown species, and they’re dying off faster than ever. Now biologists are battling over an old question: how to catalog life? Written by Brooke Jarvis. Originally published on November 10th 2022. For more of the most ambitious, future-defining stories from our favorite human writers, subscribe to The Big Story newsletter: https://www.wired.com/newsletter/the-big-story Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

To hear stories three days earlier, listen on The Big Story: ⁠⁠⁠⁠http://swap.fm/l/wi-bigstorypod-feeddrop Sneaking six Americans out of Iran in 1979 would take an audacious plan, false identities, and an epic Hollywood cover story. Written by Joshuah Bearman. Originally published on April 24th, 2007. For more of the most ambitious, future-defining stories from our favorite human writers, subscribe to The Big Story newsletter: https://www.wired.com/newsletter/the-big-story Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

To listen to episodes a day early, follow The Big Story here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠http://swap.fm/l/wi-bigstorypod-feeddrop To escape the chaos of her Russian childhood, Lili Infante became an American law enforcement prodigy. She pioneered the DEA’s investigations of the dark web—never suspecting who she’d find hiding there. Written by Joshuah Bearman and Owen Long. Originally published on October 21st, 2026. For more of the most ambitious, future-defining stories from our favorite human writers, subscribe to The Big Story newsletter: https://www.wired.com/newsletter/the-big-story Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Listen to more of The Big Story here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠http://swap.fm/l/wi-bigstorypod-feeddrop They thought their payments were untraceable. They couldn’t have been more wrong. The untold story of the case that shredded the myth of Bitcoin’s anonymity. Written by Andy Greenberg. Originally published on April 7th, 2022. For more of the most ambitious, future-defining stories from our favorite human writers, subscribe to The Big Story newsletter: https://www.wired.com/newsletter/the-big-story Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Listen to more of The Big Story here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠http://swap.fm/l/wi-bigstorypod-feeddrop He shed his identity with the goal of disappearing for one month. Then the manhunt began. Written by Evan Ratliff. Originally published on November 20th, 2009. For more of the most ambitious, future-defining stories from our favorite human writers, subscribe to The Big Story newsletter: https://www.wired.com/newsletter/the-big-story Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Including what Elizabeth Holmes said to him last week. A WIRED exclusive interview with the comic auteur, as his first feature film hits theaters. The conversation between Katie Drummond and Nathan Fielder is performed by voice actors. These are not their actual voices. Written by Katie Drummond. Originally published on October 19th, 2026. Listen to more of The Big Story here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠http://swap.fm/l/wi-bigstorypod-feeddrop For more of the most ambitious, future-defining stories from our favorite human writers, subscribe to The Big Story newsletter: https://www.wired.com/newsletter/the-big-story Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices