Sugar Smith Greg Cohen and the staff from Lofty Pursuits make traditional Christmas candy using century’s old techniques and equipment at their shop in Tallahassee, Florida. Watch and see how Greg and the staff make some of most popular styles of holiday hard candies: Candy canes, Sugar plum drops and more. You can see more of them making candy at: https://www.YouTube.com/LoftyPursuits at the Public Displays of Confection website https://www.pd.net and on their weekly podcast called “Lofty Pursuits”.

What is a robot? Well, it doesn't always look like a human. In fact, different roboticists have different definitions. But most agree that a robot needs to be a physical machine that can sense the world around it, and make at least some decisions on its own. In the next few years, we're going to start seeing robots that make decisions entirely on their own - fully autonomous robots. Many fear that these kind of robots will breed dangerous results: can we trust a robot that makes all decisions for us? Or should humans and robots share the control?

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Scientists from around the world are using nose swabs to track the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants. Here's how it works.

Did you play with fingerboards when you were younger? Welcome to the next-level of fingerboarding. Mike Schneider is a professional fingerboarder, the owner of FlatFace Fingerboards, and is really, really good at fingerboarding. Mike has been manufacturing his own fingerboards and scaled-down skateparks since he was 9 years-old. In Dracut, Massachusetts, you can find the FlatFace Fingerboards building. Here, Mike spends 40+ hours a week practicing, building, and socializing with other fingerboarders in what can only be described as "Fingerboard Heaven."

WIRED Partnership | How immersive technology is helping patients during Covid-19 and beyond. Learn more about how doctors are donning mixed-reality headsets to provide safer care: https://www.wired.co.uk/bc/article/immersive-technology-patients-covid-19 Learn more about how mixed reality is empowering doctors and helping patients: https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/hololens/industry-healthcare

Jake Laser engineers DIY superhero gadgets from his garage. Jake has a massive following on YouTube, bringing to life things we only thought could be fiction. Captain America's shield, Spider-Man's wall-climbing, and Iron Man's lasers are just a few examples of some of his biggest projects. Check out Jake's channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/JLaservideo

Over the past two years, you've likely taken a Covid rapid antigen test. A unique, biochemical reaction involving saline, tiny particles of gold, and paper with antibodies, is helping to give us quick and relatively accurate results. Dr. Kate Biberdorf, a chemist and author, explains the chemical process of the at-home tests (while taking one!) to explain exactly how it works.

Produced by WIRED Brand Lab with PwC | What if healthcare data was more accessible to doctors and hospitals across the globe? One might argue that the lack of data transparency in the healthcare industry is one of our biggest hurdles—especially when it comes to treating rare diseases. That's where Open Source Imaging Consortium (OSIC) comes in. With the help of PwC and Microsoft, OSIC aims to aggregate and share anonymized patient data globally, in hopes of providing a brighter future for patients.

For most of us, jumping rope may seem like a simple childhood pastime, but for this woman, it's a way of life. Tori Boggs is a professional jump roper, and as you may expect, she's really good at jumping rope. Tori explains what her jump rope life is like, and breaks down how she's helping take the sport to the next level.

'Everything Everywhere All at Once' directors Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert (also known as DANIELS) sit down with visual effects artist Zak Stoltz to talk about the special and visual effects used in their astonishing new movie. The Michelle Yeoh sci-fi vehicle is capturing audiences and critics with its distinctive take on the action genre. Stoltz and DANIELS explain how their small budget forced them to get creative to create something truly unique.

Produced by WIRED Brand Lab with AWS | Chatboxes serve an important role in customer service, and some require knowledge of many languages to run globally, which can be costly and time-consuming. Autodesk uses AWS Inferentia to help its chatbox, AVA, route questions through multiple ML models at once and generate responses in milliseconds - serving 5x the amount of customers at half the cost.

Produced by WIRED Brand Lab with AWS | Online gamers have the potential to create entire worlds - but when a surge of players join, the processing power needed for the game to run increases dramatically. AWS EC2 helps these world-building games - like Fortnite from Epic Games - scale seamlessly so players get an uninterrupted, immersive experience with cost efficiency, allowing anyone to be the creator of the next biggest game.

Dogs are our companions, but they're also living proof of artificial selection. Dogs have coevolved and adapted to live in a human world. Dr. Sarah Byosiere, a dog cognition researcher, walks through canine behaviors that demonstrate our coevolution with dogs.

Claire Weisz, founder of W X Y + architecture + urban design, walks us through three different street redesigns that her team has done in New York City. Claire explains why they made the changes they made, and what ultimately makes for a "better" street.

Produced by WIRED Brand Lab with AWS | When AWS realized their clients' needs for computation were outgrowing its cloud virtualization's capabilities, their engineers rebuilt it by creating custom, original silicon chips, pioneering a hybrid software and hardware model called NITRO. NITRO provides dedicated hardware, increased performance, and security at a cheaper cost to their customer base — and is programmed for evolution as the virtualization landscape continues to change.

Produced by WIRED Brand Lab with AWS | After facing years of obstacles in efficiently building new app versions for Mac OS, Flipboard developers decided to turn to AWS EC2 Mac instances, shortening their process from 20 minutes to only 5. This not only gave Flipboard developers the ability to build apps and run automated tests simultaneously, but also gave designers more freedom to innovate without slowing down core aspects of app development.

Behind some of the coolest premium effects in Hollywood is the invisible aid of artificial intelligence. Machine learning is helping create previously unimaginable moments in media today. Let's examine how A.I. is changing Hollywood's creative workflow.

Every day New York City picks up 12,000 tons of refuse and recycling. How does all this trash go from the garbage can to its final destination? Former New York City Sanitation Commissioner Ed Grayson is here to explain.

The seconds saved (and lost!) during a pit stop can be the difference between a champion and a racer who doesn't place. If we playback a video of a NASCAR pit crew, we can see all the things they do precisely in an incredibly short amount of time. *This video is about the 5 lug nut pit stop that is still used on the NASCAR Xfinity Series and the NASCAR Camping World truck Series. PIT Instruction and Training has trained pit crew athletes for the sport of NASCAR since 2001. With nearly 70% of its eight hundred and sixty-five students having raced in NASCAR’s top three divisions, PIT has proven itself to be a high capacity producer of pit crew talent for the motorsports industry. Interested in taking the pit crew path? Call 704-799-3869 or email pitcrew@visitpit.com for details on how to begin your new career in the pits. Adam Merrell has been coaching pit crews within NASCAR since 2006 and has coached multiple stock car and truck teams since joining PIT Instruction & Training in 2007. He is a certified and licensed athletic trainer (ATC/L), and a certified strength & conditioning coach (CSCS) by trade, which has strengthened his knowledge in biomechanics and coaching to help place pit crew members at the highest level with championship teams.

During the pandemic, 23 million American households adopted a pet. But now that owners are leaving animals home alone to go to work, are pets stressing out? Veterinarian Dr. Molly McAllister draws insights from data collected from hospitals and pet visits in 2021 to determine just how our pets may be feeling once we leave our homes.

The scientific understanding of dinosaurs has never been better, and in the new nature documentary, "Prehistoric Planet," we see dinosaurs in a way we've never seen them before. Dr. Darren Naish and Tim Walker sit down with WIRED to explain what went into the making of "Prehistoric Planet." Producer/Director: Maya Dangerfield Director of Photography: Matt Krueger Editor: Patrick Biesemans External Talent: Dr. Darren Naish and Tim Walker Line Producer: Joseph Buscemi Associate Producer: Samantha Vélez Production Manager: Andressa Pelachi Production Coordinator: Peter Brunette Camera Operator: Shay Eberle-Gunst Audio: Kari Barber Post Production Supervisor: Doug Larsen Post Production Coordinator: Ian Bryant Supervising Editor: Doug Larsen Assistant Editor: Billy Ward Production Assistant: John Brodsky Casting Producer or Talent Booker: Tara Burke Groomer / Hair & Make-Up: Vanessa Rene

Leigh Webber doesn't just find treasure as a hobby, he does it for a living. Armed with an incredibly powerful magnet, Leigh discovers incredible hidden treasurers all around the globe. From the water's great depths, Leigh has pulled up everything from gold coins to an entire BMW motorcycle. Check out Leigh's channel 'Bondi Treasure Hunter' here: https://www.youtube.com/c/BondiTreasureHunter

This woman uses tiny brushes to create ultra realistic portraits on acrylic nails. Her name is Vivian Xue Rahey, and she's a nail art scientist and the CEO of Pamper Nail Gallery. Her unbelievable creations have become viral, leading to some wild collaborations with major brands. Director: Corey Eisenstein Director of Photography: Florian Pilsl Editor: Parker Dixon Talent: Vivian Xue Rahey Producer: Wendi Jonassen Line Producer: Joseph Buscemi Associate Producer: Melissa Cho Production Manager: Eric Martinez Production Coordinator: Julie Suronen Camera Operator: Shreyans Zaveri Audio: Hugh Scott Production Assistant: Nathan Sandoval Post Production Supervisor: Nicholas Ascanio Post Production Coordinator: Ian Bryant Supervising Editor: Doug Larsen Assistant Editor: Andy Morell Archive Credits: Vivian Xu Rahey Special Thanks: Pamper Nail Gallery

WIRED spoke with several experts about the explosion of surveillance technology, how police use it, and what the dangers might be. As tech advances, street cameras can now employ facial recognition and even connect to the internet. What does this mean for the future of privacy? Director: Lisandro Perez-Rey Editors: Shandor Garrison, Jason Malizia Experts: Albert Fox Cahn, Arthur Holland MIchel, Florian Matusek Line Producer: Joseph Buscemi Associate Producer: Brandon White Production Manager: Eric Martinez Post Production Supervisor: Nicholas Ascanio Post Production Coordinator: Ian Bryant Supervising Editor: Doug Larsen Assistant Editor: Billy Ward

Amazon Prime Day is arguably one of the most confusing shopping holidays in existence. So here's how to cut through the clutter to find the real gems.

If an automated car was only designed to transport goods, what would that look like? In theory, it wouldn't need windows, or steering wheels, or seats. Nuro is doing just that, they've engineered a vehicle that's sole purpose is delivering things. How did they do it? Nuro's Andrew Clare and Daniel Hundt break it all down. Producer/Director: Maya Dangerfield Director of Photography: Florian Pilsl Editor: Josh Pullar External Talent: Andrew Clare and Daniel Hundt Line Producer: Joseph Buscemi Associate Producer: Samantha Vélez Production Manager: Eric Martinez Camera Operator: Shreyans Zaveri Audio: Simon Gordon Post Production Supervisor: Doug Larsen Post Production Coordinator: Ian Bryant Supervising Editor: Doug Larsen Assistant Editor: Billy Ward

Professional slackliner Faith Dickey attempts things that plenty of us wouldn't dare try. How about traversing a slackline barely 2 inches in width across a canyon, hundreds of feet in the air? A car accident at age 18 changed Faith's life, teaching her to live every moment to its fullest. This is the story of how Faith Dickey became one of the best slackliners in the world.

Former FBI agent and body language expert Joe Navarro sits down with WIRED to talk about the non-verbal language of appearance. The ornate nature of how we attend to our bodies has grand significance throughout humankind. The way we present ourselves, across cultures, continues to be of massive importance. But, just how important is appearance to things like success, money and power? Check out Joe's book "Be Exceptional" https://www.amazon.com/Be-Exceptional-Master-Traits-Extraordinary-ebook/dp/B08K93BLQP/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr= https://www.jnforensics.com/ Books By Joe Navarro: https://www.jnforensics.com/books Joe Navarro Body Language Academy: https://jnbodylanguageacademy.com

A robotic diving system that looks like a Transformer? OceanOneK can go to depths that would kill a human diver. It can also handle delicate objects without breaking them. Using a haptic system, humans can use OceanOneK as an avatar, allowing humans to dive in areas we never previously could. WIRED spoke with Professor Oussama Khatib to understand how he and his team designed, built and tested this robotic diver.

As NASA ramps up the Artemis program, growing plants using water and soil from the moon could become a necessity during longer duration stays there. When space biologists recently grew plants in actual moon soil, it was a game changer. WIRED spoke with Sharmila Bhattacharya to find out exactly how they did it. Director: Lisandro Perez-Ray Director of Photography: Kevin Dynia Editor: Richard Trammell Expert: Sharmila Bhattacharya Line Producer: Joseph Buscemi Associate Producer: Samantha Vélez Production Manager: Eric Martinez Production Coordinator: Fernando Davila Post Production Supervisor: Alexa Deutsch Post Production Coordinator: Ian Bryant Supervising Editor: Doug Larsen Assistant Editor: Justin Symonds Junior Editor: Paul Tael

Kantcho Doskov, game design director on the FIFA team, breaks down how FIFA's gameplay has evolved over the years. Kantcho goes all the way back to 1993 to talk about FIFA's original isometric view and then breaks down FIFA 23's HyperMotion2 technology that's aided by artificial intelligence.

Wildlife veterinarian Romain Pizzi performed the first brain surgery on a bear as well as the first keyhole appendix surgery on an orangutan. He's also anesthetized hundreds of seals. Using hours of his own self-shot footage, let's take a look at how Romain prepares and performs these amazing wildlife surgeries. Director: Anna O'Donohue Director of Photography: Steven Cassidy Editor: Parker Dixon Expert: Romain Pizzi Producer: Katherine Wzorek Line Producer: Joseph Buscemi Associate Producer: Samantha Vélez Production Manager: Eric Martinez Production Coordinator: Fernando Davila Camera Operator: Aidan Black Audio: Simon Tomlinson Production Assistant: Charles Marks Post Production Supervisor: Alexa Deutsch Post Production Coordinator: Ian Bryant Supervising Editor: Doug Larsen Assistant Editor: Diego Rentsch

WIRED science writer Matt Simon guides us through several conversations focused on actionable solutions to problems in our communities, speaking first with Global Footprint Network chief science officer David Lin and president Mathis Wackernagel, who lead attendees through a “choose your own adventure” activity where everyone evaluates how much "Earth" they take up and what the impact of continued growth will be on our society.

A fiber laser can carve super intricate designs into any metal in just 10 seconds. The laser is getting so hot the metal is vaporizing away, yet it does nothing to our skin. As we play the video back and watch these lasers in slow motion, Alexander Sellite of "Laser Everything" breaks down everything we need to know about fiber lasers and how they function. See more of Alex here: https://www.youtube.com/LaserEverything

The Earth has had five extinction events and five long recoveries. Steve Palumbi, Professor of Biology, Stanford University, discusses what will happen after a sixth event and how human technology can speed up the process.

"Insects never lie. Insects are tiny witnesses," says forensic entomologist Dr. Paola Magni. On a crime scene, insects like maggots play a key role in determining time of death. Dr. Magni uses the learnings from these insects to give justice to victims. Director: Maya Dangerfield Director of Photography: Kyra Klaasen Editor: Ron Douglas Expert: Dr. Paola Magni Line Producer: Joseph Buscemi Associate Producer: Brandon White Production Manager: Eric Martinez Production Coordinator: Fernando Davila Post Production Supervisor: Alexa Deutsch Post Production Coordinator: Ian Bryant Supervising Editor: Doug Larsen Assistant Editor: Andy Morell

Imagine making a sculpture so tiny, your eyelash is the paintbrush. Dr. Willard Wigan MBE, does just that. He makes the world's smallest handmade sculptures and the results truly incredible. A tiny replica of the Mona Lisa, smaller than the top of a matchstick? Check. A realistic replica of heavyweight champion Tyson Fury standing on the head of a pin? Yes. What else? The rest has to be seen to be believed.Additional Photography by Paul WardDirector: Charlie JordanDirector of Photography: Jonathan YoungEditor: Parker DixonTalent: Willard Wigan, MBEProducers: Anna O'Donohue, Wendi JonassenLine Producer: Joseph BuscemiAssociate Producer: Melissa ChoProduction Manager: Eric MartinezProduction Coordinator: Fernando DavilaSound Recordist: Matt JonesCam Op/Gaffer: Christopher ChaddertonProduction Assistants: Mihail Caracas, Daniel StasiwPost Production Supervisor: Alexa DeutschPost Production Coordinator: Ian BryantSupervising Editor: Doug LarsenAssistant Editor: Andy MorellSpecial Thanks: John Bowden, Shoot Factory

"Only a bot would play that!" Sacrificing a Queen in chess is a move you're much more likely to see a bot make as opposed to a human, as humans want to protect the game's most valuable piece. In the wake of the recent chess cheating scandal, Levy Rozman from GothamChess explains how you actually cheat at chess. Using artificial intelligence, see how people use everything from bathroom cell phones to ear pieces to try to skirt the rules and gain an edge.

"Everything we think is real is, in some way, an illusion." Former NASA illustrator Kurt Wenner makes incredible, brain-busting chalk illusions. His works start with diligent planning, beginning with pencil and paper. Kurt even prototypes by using an iPhone's camera to mimic human sight. He then maps these prototypes onto large street canvases where his ephemeral art can be enjoyed by the public. Director: Charlie Jordan Director of Photography: Malcolm Cook Editor: Joshua Pullar Talent: Kurt Wenner Line Producer: Joseph Buscemi Associate Producer: Melissa Cho Production Manager: Eric Martinez Production Coordinator: Fernando Davila Audio: Will Miller Cam Op/Gaffer: Dominik Czaczyk Production Assistant: Devin Beckwith Post Production Supervisor: Alexa Deutsch Post Production Coordinator: Ian Bryant Supervising Editor: Doug Larsen Assistant Editor: Diego Rentsch Special Thanks: Additional festival footage by Alessio Cuomo and Sander de Nooij. Filmed at the Sarasota Chalk Festival, courtesy of Denise Kowal. Special audio thanks to Dylan Bergeson.

"People tend to do what they enjoy and not what they don't enjoy." Dr. Amanda Rebar, Associate Professor of Psychology, is here to help us make sense of New Year's resolutions. How does a resolution become a habit? Why are they so hard to stick to? How do we change our behaviors? Director: Maya Dangerfield Director of Photography: Brad Wickham Editor: Ron Douglas Expert: Dr. Amanda Rebar Line Producer: Joseph Buscemi Associate Producer: Samantha Vélez Production Manager: Eric Martinez Production Coordinator: Fernando Davila Camera Operator: Cloud Corredor Gaffer: Rebecca Van Der Meulen Audio: Brett Van Deusen Production Assistant: Rafael Vasquez Post Production Supervisor: Alexa Deutsch Post Production Coordinator: Ian Bryant Supervising Editor: Doug Larsen Assistant Editor: Diego Rentsch

Did you play with slinkys when you were younger? Josh Jacobs has taken a childhood toy and turned it into a visually stunning art form. Slinky manipulation is a fairly new practice, starting around 2010. Josh got into "slinking" eight years ago when watching an incredible Chinese performer do things he never thought possible with a slinky. Now, Josh is one of the best slinky manipulators in the world. Check out Josh's channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@SlinkyJosh Director: Charlie Jordan Director of Photography: Colin Witherill Editor: Richard Trammell Talent: Joshua "Slinky Josh" Jacobs Producer: Wendi Jonassen Line Producer: Joseph Buscemi Associate Producer: Melissa Cho Production Manager: Eric Martinez Production Coordinator: Fernando Davila Audio: Ted Thacker Cam Op/Gaffer: Alex Witkowicz Production Assistant: Daniel Ellis Post Production Supervisor: Alexa Deutsch Post Production Coordinator: Ian Bryant Supervising Editor: Doug Larsen Assistant Editor: Ben Harowitz

We visit Jack White's Third Man Records vinyl pressing plant in Detroit, Michigan to find out exactly what goes into the creation of a vinyl record; from cutting and pressing to making sure they sound great. Find out more here: https://thirdmanpressing.com https://www.instagram.com/thirdmanpressing/ Director: Katherine Wzorek Director of Photography: Kevin Hewitt Editor: Louis Lalire Talent: Broc Barnes, Warren Defever, Ed Gillis Line Producer: Joseph Buscemi Associate Producer: Samantha Vélez Production Manager: Eric Martinez Production Coordinator: Fernando Davila Camera Operator: Kevin Ward Audio: Frank Biondo Production Assistant: Ryan Hewitt Post Production Supervisor: Alexa Deutsch Post Production Coordinator: Ian Bryant Supervising Editor: Doug Larsen Assistant Editor: Justin Symonds

Puppeteer Barnaby Dixon takes inanimate objects and turns them into uncannily real characters. Barnaby's creations have brought joy to millions over the last decade. His unique take on puppetry is truly astounding, as he's mastered the ability to make his depictions of animals move like the real things. Check out Barnaby's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@barnabydixon Director: Charlie Jordan Director of Photography: Tim Attenburrow Editor: Shandor Garrison Talent: Barnaby Dixon Producers: Anna O'Donohue, Wendi Jonassen Line Producer: Joseph Buscemi Associate Producers: Melissa Cho, Brandon White Production Manager: Eric Martinez Production Coordinator: Fernando Davila Audio: Tim Stephens Cam Op/Gaffer: Alice Berkeley Production Assistant: Lesley Dean Post Production Supervisor: Alexa Deutsch Post Production Coordinator: Ian Bryant Supervising Editor: Doug Larsen Assistant Editor: Justin Symonds Junior Editor: Paul Tael

Ever wondered how they make the sound effects we hear in video games? Meet Joanna Fang, foley artist for PlayStation Studios and master at creating sounds for movies and video games like God of War: Ragnarok. We step inside Sony's foley studio to see Joanna at work, turning plungers into running horses and manicotti into broken bones. Director: Charlie Jordan Director of Photography: Will Pupa Editor: Matt Colby Expert: Joanna Fang Creative Producer: Wendi Jonassen Line Producer: Joseph Buscemi Associate Producer: Brandon White Production Manager: Eric Martinez Production Coordinator: Fernando Davila Casting Producer: Nick Sawyer Camera Operator: Darren Kawasaki Audio: Warren Wolfe Production Assistant: Jon Brun Post Production Supervisor: Alexa Deutsch Post Production Coordinator: Ian Bryant Supervising Editor: Doug Larsen Assistant Editor: Andy Morell Special Thanks: John Bowen

Every one of Rick Stanley's clocks is an inventive journey. He makes clocks using everything from bottles to bicycles; each one of them completely unique and accurate. "Even when I'm on vacation I think of different clocks to make," says Rick, talking about how he always has clocks on the brain. Rick gets inspiration from nearly everything, fueling his whimsical timekeeping inventions. Director: Charlie Jordan Director of Photography: Chad Jenkins Editor: Richard Trammell Expert: Rick Stanley Senior Producer: Efrat Kashai Creative Producer: Wendi Jonassen Line Producer: Joseph Buscemi Associate Producer: Brandon White Production Manager: Eric Martinez Production Coordinator: Fernando Davila Camera Operator: Pete Kuhn Audio: Michael Competielle Production Assistant: Bill Storms Post Production Supervisor: Alexa Deutsch Post Production Coordinator: Ian Bryant Supervising Editor: Doug Larsen Assistant Editor: Andy Morell Special thanks to: Elizabeth Gorbey Willow Springs Photography http://willowspringsphotography.com

Kurt Steiner is record holding champion stone skipper—and a master of the physics that underpin the sport. A labor of love that's evolved into a world-class passion, see where Kurt harvests his preferred rocks, the qualities he seeks in them, and each factor he considers in order to throw like a pro.

Inventing a skateboard trick is difficult enough but Matt Tomasello takes things a step further, creating custom boards that are part of the tricks themselves. Get to know the professional skateboarder (and amateur engineer) who’s reinventing the sport with his own wholly unique approach. Special thanks: Fancy Lad Skateboards

Meet Florian Kohler, better known in the pool community as “Venom.” One of the best trick shot artists in the world, Florian has developed over 10,000 new shots and techniques to unleash on unsuspecting billiard balls. Watch as he demonstrates a level of skill and precision that borders on the supernatural as he makes the balls spin, swerve and ricochet on demand.

It's not just you—in-flight turbulence really is getting worse. WIRED spoke with pilot Andrea Themely and atmospheric scientist Dr. Paul Williams about why conditions are becoming more severe and how the scientific and commercial aviation communities are approaching the future of air travel.