Thirty years ago, park rangers reintroduced grey wolves into Yellowstone National Park. They wanted to restore the ecosystem and get the elk population, which had decimated the plant community, in check. And it worked – or so the popular narrative suggests. But is it really so simple? Today on the show, we explore how the Yellowstone ecosystem has changed since wolves returned and whether those changes can really be pinned solely on wolves. Plus, how the narrative of the Yellowstone wolf legacy could affect wolf reintroduction elsewhere.
Curious about other science controversies? Email us at shortwave@npr.org.
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We chat about the disappointing launch and critical reception of GPT-5 and what this massive claims-reality gap tells us about how an overactive industry, propelled by grand social forces of capital accumulation, are ultimately producing “normal” or “mid” technologies. Plus, we get into the productivity paradox that plagues AI.
••• Does AI really boost productivity at work? Research shows gains don’t come cheap or easy https://theconversation.com/does-ai-really-boost-productivity-at-work-research-shows-gains-dont-come-cheap-or-easy-263127
••• Does AI actually boost productivity? The evidence is murky https://theconversation.com/does-ai-actually-boost-productivity-the-evidence-is-murky-260690
••• GPT-5 is a joke. Will it matter? https://www.bloodinthemachine.com/p/gpt-5-is-a-joke-will-it-matter
••• GPT-5 Should Be Ashamed of Itself https://www.realtimetechpocalypse.com/p/gpt-5-is-by-far-the-best-ai-system
••• A.I. as normal technology (derogatory) https://maxread.substack.com/p/ai-as-normal-technology-derogatory
••• What If A.I. Doesn’t Get Much Better Than This? https://www.newyorker.com/culture/open-questions/what-if-ai-doesnt-get-much-better-than-this
••• The Tech Fantasy That Powers A.I. Is Running on Fumes https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/29/opinion/ai-tech-innovation.html
••• How AI, Healthcare, and Labubu Became the American Economy https://kyla.substack.com/p/how-ai-healthcare-and-labubu-became
Standing Plugs:
••• Order Jathan’s new book: https://www.ucpress.edu/book/9780520398078/the-mechanic-and-the-luddite
••• Subscribe to Ed’s substack: https://substack.com/@thetechbubble
••• Subscribe to TMK on patreon for premium episodes: https://www.patreon.com/thismachinekills
Hosted by Jathan Sadowski (bsky.app/profile/jathansadowski.com) and Edward Ongweso Jr. (www.x.com/bigblackjacobin). Production / Music by Jereme Brown (bsky.app/profile/jebr.bsky.social)
Donald Trump told Fox News that America could provide Ukraine with air support in a post-war security guarantee, but ruled out sending soldiers to Ukraine.
Israel is demanding the release of all 50 hostages held in Gaza, an Israeli official has said, casting doubt on whether it will accept a new proposal for a 60-day ceasefire that Hamas agreed to on Monday. Also: President Trump has ruled out sending American troops to Ukraine as part of any peacekeeping deal; Mumbai is under a red flood alert as the Indian city experiences heavy downpours; 10 years after 71 people were found in an abandoned lorry in Austria, we hear from the families of the victims; child marriages are more likely to happen in regions with higher than average climate risk according to new figures; India tells China of its concerns about a new mega dam; mixed doubles tennis has a new format at the US Open; thousands of people in France sign a petition not to loan the Bayeux Tapestry to the UK.
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As Hurricane Erin churns off the U.S. East Coast, red flag "no swimming" warnings are up at beaches. CBS News learns an Eastern European city is in the running for the next possible summit on the Russia-Ukraine war. Florida man dies by lethal injection for the 1982 kidnapping and killing a woman.
CBS News Correspondent Jennifer Keiper with tonight's World News Roundup.
The White House says that Vladimir Putin told President Trump that he would meet with the man whose country Russia invaded, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. It comes as Trump is ruling out sending U.S. troops to Ukraine and also signaling it would be impossible for Ukraine to get Crimea back. Nick Schifrin discussed more with Pavlo Klimkin, Ukraine’s foreign minister from 2014 to 2019. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy
In this uncertain economy, employers want to save where they can. That’s likely why Starbucks just joined a growing list of companies to shift from merit-based raises to a flat percentage raise. In this episode, why a flat raise structure tends to be cheaper and less time consuming than merit increases — even though everyone gets ‘em. Plus: China leans into trade with developing nations, President Trump wants to cut funding for flights to rural airports, and homebuilder sentiment stays low.
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Over the last decade, we've charted Russian propaganda efforts to affect elections in the U.S. and overseas. Russian President Vladimir Putin is trying to portray himself and Russia as defenders of Christian and so-called "traditional" values. As special correspondent Simon Ostrovsky reports, those arguments have found an eager audience within certain sectors of American politics. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy