A problem with a Content Delivery Network meant that several major web sites and services went offline on Thursday. The State of California brings a lawsuit against video game company Activision Blizzard. And the UAE zaps clouds to make it rain.

The word algorithm pops up a lot in tech discussions, but what the heck is an algorithm? From learning about an Arabic genius to discovering a way to figure out what day of the week falls on any given date, we look at algorithms.

Jeff Bezos takes a joyride on a rocket. Apple delays when employees will have to return to the office. And an illegal cryptocurrency mining operation turns out to be something completely different.

We make some time to celebrate some of the ideas and companies in tech that just didn't work out. From bad ideas to bad luck, we explore the factors that lead to failure in tech.

What's the manufacturing process for carbon fiber? What properties does carbon fiber possess?

A Dogecoin co-founder speaks out against cryptocurrency. Android 12 takes a new spin on auto-rotate. President Biden signs an executive order supporting the right to repair. And what do emoji sound like?

How do scam artists disguise their phone numbers when setting up robocalls? We look at Caller ID and spoofing and learn how companies and government agencies are trying to fight back.

ByteDance employees are about to have less work. Google faces a big fine in France. And Amazon just got permission from the FCC to watch you sleep. Plus more!

A listener asked to learn more about fast recharging technologies, so we take a look at the history and evolution of batteries, what happens with rechargeable batteries and the complicated mess of fast recharging solutions.

Carbon fiber is an amazing material. Where did it come from? And were people really making it in the 19th century?

Former president Donald Trump files legal complaints against YouTube, Twitter and Facebook. More than 30 states say that the Google App store is "monopolistic." China's WeChat shuts down LGBT channels on the platform. And Dodge announces an all-electric muscle car.

Iyaz Akhtar joins the show to talk about his career in tech, his friendship with Jonathan and what it's like to have your finger on the pulse of the technology sector.

The government in India says that Twitter could be held liable for illegal material posted to the network. The "King of Bitcoin" is under arrest. And learn why some major Internet companies say they might pull out of Hong Kong.

How were matches invented? From toxic chemicals to pee science, we learn about matches. And a fictional character stops by to irritate our host.

Clothes dryers have evolved from precarious, fire-bellied devices to the increasingly green machines we know today. We cover the history of dryer tech, plus the newest innovations and NASA-funded research. And, of course, explain how they work.

The FCC cracks down on spoofing. Google has a digital COVID card. And companies that make autonomous vehicles in the US must report all major accidents moving forward. All this and more.

We've reached the end of our primer on tech acronyms and initialisms (for now). In this episode, learn about search engine optimization, what an SSID is, why you should pick WPA over WEP and what Y2K was all about.

In today's news episode, we learn how one YouTube algorithm banned a legitimate channel and how over at Amazon an algorithm can fire employees. Plus ISPs and Netflix go to battle in South Korea and Apple has an extreme solution to information leaks.

What's a PCB? What makes an RTF? What the heck is SaaS? We continue to demystify the acronyms and initialisms common in tech circles.