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Change was the constant in 2020 – we must ensure it’s for the better in 2021

AIR & SEA • From laser-guided missiles in combat, to VR simulations in training, the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm’s Wildcat and Merlin Mk2 helicopters are powered by cutting-edge tech on their maritime missions. It’s part of a wider push by the Ministry of Defence to modernise the UK’s armed forces in a rapidly changing era of hidden, hybrid warfare. Combined with these state-of-the-art aircraft, it’s anticipated that crews will one day be taught through VR headsets via a digital instructor and 3D environments repurposed from video games.

NOT PLAYING GAMES • Dead Man’s Phone is a new kind of immersive mystery that lets you take part in an investigation into an unexplained death – by trawling the victim’s social media feed and looking for clues…

AI AND THE CULTURE OF BALANCE • Artificial intelligence is increasingly at the heart of modern life – but it may still have lessons to learn from more traditional bodies of knowledge and thought systems. Scholars and ethics experts are wrestling with the non-western cultural and religious implications of leaving an algorithm to play god

COWS WILL SAVE THE PLANET • The fight against climate change gets a boost from a methane-busting mask

TIKTOKERS: UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT • TikTok’s biggest names have millions of followers, but even digital celebrities need help striking a deal. So, Timothy Armoo founded Fanbytes and Bytesized Talent, a social marketing agency with its own representation arm

MINDFUL EMPLOYERS • Fewer than 16 per cent of adults with autism find full-time work in the UK. CubeLynx, a financial consulting firm, recognises their skillsets and offers not only jobs, but lessons in neurodiverse recruitment

A NEW SPIN ON A ROCK CLASSIC • It’s more circular buzz-saw than axe, but this guitar could be revolutionary for music makers

SEEDS OF TRUST • A plague is ripping through Italy’s olive groves – but the response to the Xylella fastidiosa crisis is itself blighted by conspiracy theories and mistrust of scientists. The cure: information

NEW IDEAS ARE OF NO USE WITHOUT PROPER SUPPORT • Forget the myth of the go-italone founder shaking things up: successful innovation needs more institutional help

Meet your future robot coworkers • Easy to program and flexible for any sector, robots can spark productivity gains while making work better for everyone

THE LEADING LIGHT IN PHOTONICS • Carmen Palacios-Berraquero can harness the quantum capabilities of single particles of light to create next-level encryption

WIRED insider • Events, new products and promotions Compiled by Jake Pummintr

BITE-SIZED SECURITY • A group of designers and engineers are attempting to foil password thieves and create a wholly unique and safer login process – using your mouth cavity

Improving on the new normal with IoT • The Covid-19 pandemic has been a brutal stress test for many businesses. Digital transformation through the Internet of Things can build a better future

The return of the startup

Beyond the pandemic • 2020 HIT ENTREPRENEURS HARD, BUT GOOD IDEAS AND THE RIGHT EXECUTION WILL ALWAYS PAY DIVIDENDS

How to find a job in the middle of a pandemic • BEING SMART ABOUT RECRUITMENT CAN LAND YOUR DREAM POSITION

How to do workplace wellness the right way • Employee wellbeing is at the heart of every successful business – but what does it take to give today’s workers...