Jeff Wise Author Archive
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Jeff Wise

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Jeff Wise is a New York–based science journalist specializing in aviation, technology, and psychology who contributes frequently to New York Magazine. A co-host of the podcast Finding MH370he was widely seen in the Netflix documentary series MH370: The Plane That Disappeared and executive-produced the Showtime documentary feature Gringo: The Dangerous Life of John McAfee. He is the author of Extreme Fear: The Science of Your Mind in Danger as well as of the Kindle Singles The Plane That Wasn’t There: Why We Haven’t Found MH370 (named the Best Kindle Single of 2015) and Fatal Descent: Andreas Lubitz and the Crash of Germanwings 9525. A private pilot, he flies both light airplanes and gliders, and he is also a keen cyclist, runner, and kayaker who can often be found navigating the tidal channels of Hudson River marshlands.

  1. explainer
    There’s a Vaccine for Lyme Disease. So Why Can’t We Get It?It’s yet another frustrating aspect of this mysterious disease.
  2. ufos
    How to Decipher the Pentagon’s UFO ReportThe crucial, missing context for what pilots might actually be seeing — and why the military is okay with letting us think it might be aliens.
  3. aviation
    Why Belarus Grounding of Ryanair Flight Broke International LawThe country’s dictator tears a page from Vladimir Putin’s playbook to snatch a dissident.
  4. our climate
    How to Make Carbon-Neutral Gasoline Out of Thin AirOn a mass scale, it could be used to fly airplanes or power heavy machinery, replacing petroleum in some situations. It even has a catchy name: eFuel.
  5. the end
    The Pandemic’s Lethal TwilightCOVID isn’t done with us. The decisions we make now will have life-and-death consequences for millions.
  6. side effects
    Why the Second COVID Shot Makes You MiserableUnpleasant side effects are in part a consequence of lightning-quick vaccine development.
  7. covid-19
    How Soon Does the COVID Vaccine Work?Digging into the data, it’s not quite accurate to say two weeks.
  8. covid-19
    The Story of One DoseInside the sprawling operational puzzle of bringing the Johnson & Johnson COVID vaccine to the public.
  9. aviation
    Why Do Boeing 777 Engines Keep Exploding?The worrisome trend has prompted action from Japan’s transportation ministry, the FAA, and United Airlines.
  10. aviation
    Ancient Boeing 777 Strews Debris Over ColoradoUA328 suffered a catastrophic uncontained engine failure in an incident eerily similar to what happened to a sister aircraft in 2018.
  11. aviation
    Investigators Find Pilot at Fault in Crash That Killed Kobe BryantThe National Transportation Safety Board ruled that the pilot in Bryant’s helicopter crash defied his training while flying in whiteout conditions.
  12. covid-19
    Why Has America’s Vaccination Drive Suddenly Stalled?Just as Trump left, the U.S. started running out of vaccine, leading to canceled appointments and growing anger as the pandemic kills record numbers.
  13. aviation
    Two-Mile Nosedive by an Indonesian 737 Unexplained As of YetBlack box data should reveal why Sriwijaya Air Flight 182 plunged rapidly on Saturday, striking the Java Sea at nearly 500 miles per hour.
  14. shot in the arm
    The Vaccine Arsenal That Will Win the War on COVIDNot all shots are created equal. Here’s what the treacherous, hopeful road ahead looks like.
  15. just asking questions
    Michael Cohen on How ‘Monster’ Trump Will Undermine BidenThe onetime fixer, now out of prison, breaks down his ex-boss’s postelection tantrum.
  16. coronavirus
    For Trump, the Most Dangerous COVID Phase Lies AheadThe president is out of the hospital, but he’s not out of danger, according to experts.
  17. scenarios
    Trump’s COVID Case Could Be Mild or Fatal. Here Are Signs to Watch For.For every thousand people in their mid-70s or older who get COVID-19, 116 will die.
  18. what-ifs
    Times’ Trump Tax Scoop Doesn’t Prove Criminality. But Does It Point the Way?“What you have,” says a former IRS criminal investigator, “is a pattern of constantly pushing the envelope, exploiting every tax advantage.”
  19. politics
    Donald Trump Could Be on Trial Sooner Than You ThinkThe criminal case against him is already in the works.
  20. coronavirus
    Safe Exit: The Risk-Mitigation Guide to Life After QuarantineSome dos and don’ts for your return to semi-normalcy.
  21. coronavirus
    We Might Never Get a Good Coronavirus VaccineThere’s never been a vaccine for a member of this family of viruses, and even if one is found for COVID-19, it may be imperfect — like the flu shot.
  22. tomorrow
    The Story of a Coronavirus InfectionHow the novel coronavirus could take over your body before you ever felt it.
  23. aviation
    Kobe Bryant Pilot Deliberately Broke Flight RulesA new government report concludes that he made the fatal decision to fly into a cloud bank.
  24. aviation
    How Kobe Bryant’s Helicopter May Have CrashedLow visibility due to clouds and fog and rugged, rising terrain have killed many helicopter pilots in similar conditions over the years.
  25. unsolved mysteries
    Who’s Behind Those Mystery Drone Swarms? An InvestigationA deep dive into FAA records offers a short list of suspects who have acquired the needed permits.
  26. speculation
    It Sure Looks Like the Ukrainian Airliner May Have Been Accidentally Shot DownIt’s early, and new facts will emerge. But that scenario certainly fits better with what we now know than the official explanation of engine failure.
  27. ufos
    About Those Mystery Drone Swarms Over Colorado …It is ominous that so many robot planes can operate for so long, over so huge an area, without anyone — even the authorities — knowing what they are.
  28. hirings and firings
    Boeing Finally Ousts Hapless CEO for 737 MAX DebacleNow, an attitude of genuine contrition and transparency will be crucial to rebuilding Boeing’s century-old reputation for reliability.
  29. business
    Boeing’s 737 Max Was an Epic Error. So Why’s the Company’s Stock Still Going Up?The flawed airliner was one of the biggest business mistakes ever. But don’t underestimate the power of financial engineering.
  30. transportation
    How Yesterday’s Aeroflot Disaster Echoes the 737 Max CrashesA system malfunction highlighted a systemic vulnerability for passenger airlines.
  31. boeing
    6 Minutes of Terror: What Passengers Experienced on Ethiopian Airlines Fl. 302In a clear sign something is amiss, the autopilot turns itself off. In the cabin, people are now getting shaken as the plane rolls.
  32. business
    Is the Boeing 737 Max Worth Saving?Even when the Max does get FAA approval to fly again, its troubles won’t be over.
  33. business
    Could the 737 MAX Kill Boeing?The plane is the biggest profit center for America’s biggest exporter — and there’s no telling how bad this crisis will get.
  34. aviation
    The Recent Deadly Boeing Crash No One Is Talking AboutLast month a cargo jet abruptly nosedived to the ground near Houston – an accident even more disturbing in its implications than the one in Ethiopia.
  35. transportation
    After 2 Deadly Crashes, Is It Safe to Fly on a 737 Max?Many nations grounded the 737 Max after Sunday’s Ethiopian Airlines crash, but the FAA says it’s safe. Should U.S. travelers relax or switch flights?
  36. crypto
    Bath Salts to Bitcoin: John McAfee’s Bizarre Crypto HustleHow the early internet guru turned international fugitive became crypto’s spokesman.
  37. The Mysterious New Search for MH370Australia’s three-year effort to find the vanished jet was a bust. Now the previously unknown company Ocean Infinity is restarting the search.
  38. science of us
    How to Keep Your New Year’s Resolution and Achieve Your GoalsTo change your life, consider the easy route.
  39. What the New York Times UFO Report Actually RevealsThe takeaway appeared to be “flying saucers are real.” But a closer reading suggests a murkier proposition.
  40. self-control
    When Pleasure Makes Us Hate OurselvesFrom the viewpoint of classic conditioning theory, this kind of hedonic flip-flop doesn’t make much sense.
  41. self-control
    When Pleasure Makes Us Hate OurselvesFrom the viewpoint of classic conditioning theory, this kind of hedonic flip-flop doesn’t make much sense.
  42. how people change
    To Change Your Life, Learn How to Trust Your Future SelfHow to change for the better, for good.
  43. how people change
    To Change Your Life, Learn How to Trust Your Future SelfHow to change for the better, for good.
  44. Why We Love SpeedThe U.S. now churns out 211 tons of amphetamines every year. We’re hooked on the stuff, and the reason lies deep in our evolutionary roots.
  45. Supersonic Underwater Travel May Be Coming SoonThanks to the property of supercavitation, scientists say submarines will eventually be able to rocket through the ocean inside a gaseous bubble.
  46. mysteries
    The Search for MH370 Seems to Be Over. What Now?The two-year, $180 million investigation has failed, and despite the identification of a new search zone, the mystery may remain unsolved.
  47. What Is the Speed of Thought?It takes half a second for sensory information to be incorporated into conscious experience. So, in a sense, the future has already happened.
  48. Why Would a Pilot Let His Plane Run Out of Fuel?The “human factors” that may have played a role in the LaMia crash.
  49. Why Would a Pilot Let His Plane Run Out of Fuel?The “human factors” that may have played a role in the LaMia crash.
  50. FAA Issues Flight Restrictions Near Trump TowerThe directives are intended to protect locations that may be targeted by terrorists. This one is in effect until Inauguration Day.
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