Sean Captain has two decades of experience in many facets of journalism, including breaking news, longform, short features, and consumer reviews, tips, and buying advice. He has covered the tech industry and personal tech since the 2000s, but has also written on politics, art, entertainment, and health. His work has appeared in Fast Company, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Wired, Vox, Popular Science, CNET, Tom’s Guide, PC World, Gizmodo, and elsewhere.
Written Articles
View AllAndrew Steele Sees Aging as the Root of Disease
The scientist and longevity journalist wants to attack disease by slowing the deterioration that the years wreak—and thinks all methods are worth a look.
By Sean Captain
Apr 15, 2024160+ Philanthropists Are Demanding Charity Law Reform
A progressive campaign called Donor Revolt will push for legislation to make private foundations and donor-advised funds pay out more money, more quickly, with fewer strings.
By Sean Captain
Apr 4, 2024Overwhelmed Job Recruiters Getting Sloppy, per Survey
A survey by Harris Poll and jobs marketplace Indeed indicates that dwindling hiring departments are swamped and not very efficient. Indeed says its AI can help.
By Sean Captain
Apr 2, 2024Engineering a Way Out of Climate Change Is Looking Harder
On climate and consumption, we’ve long thought that tech would let us have our cake and eat it too. That’s looking less certain.
By Sean Captain
Mar 29, 2024Wealthy Heirs Rethink What Giving Back Means
Some Millennials and Gen Zers are looking more towards remaking business and society than writing checks to museums and alma maters.
By Sean Captain
Mar 26, 2024Donor-Advised Fund Philanthropy Under Fire
Progressive and conservative groups unite on a study claiming public disapproval of how the wealthy give, or don’t give, money away through “DAFs.”
By Sean Captain
Mar 6, 2024Aging is a Treatable Condition, says Dr. Nir Barzilai
Instead of attacking ailments individually, the researcher wants to target the entire aging process, using cheap drugs that can be prescribed right now.
By Sean Captain
Mar 5, 2024The Wild Science of Growing Younger
Reversing aging isn’t just a crazy-billionaire fever dream. From the mundane to the revolutionary, many ways exist, or may exist, to soften aging and extend healthy lives.
By Sean Captain
Mar 4, 2024The Challenge of Making Health Equitable
Efforts are afoot to extend healthy lives, but doing it in a way that benefits everyone equally is still a challenge.
By Sean Captain
Mar 1, 2024Peter Diamandis Embraces the Sci-Fi of Life Extension
Now in his 60s, the physician and entrepreneur is directing tens of millions of dollars at far-out tech to let him and others live twice as long, or longer.
By Sean Captain
Feb 29, 2024Preserving Humanity in Ukraine War’s Third Year
No end is in sight, and the politics are becoming more dire. But courageous people inside and outside Ukraine are striving to sustain the nation and its people.
By Sean Captain
Feb 26, 2024Two Clinical Trials Test Cheap Pills to Extend Life
Long speculated to slow or even reverse aging in off-label use, the generic drugs metformin and rapamycin are getting formal clinical trials this year.
By Sean Captain
Feb 23, 2024How Anti-Aging Hackers May Advance Serious Science
A study found healthy people taking organ-transplant drug rapamycin off-label showed signs of improved health, and even COVID resistance.
By Sean Captain
Feb 22, 2024How Natural Gas has Become the Climate Enemy
A one-time climate helper is becoming the biggest threat, due to runaway growth and climate-warming methane emissions.
By Sean Captain
Feb 16, 2024The Focus Shifts to Coping with Climate Change
The Paris Agreement has failed. But tech and innovation can soften the blow of a warming climate and still help prevent the worst-case scenarios.
By Sean Captain
Feb 9, 2024Techonomy’s New Home on Worth.com
We’ve changed our web address—and that’s it. Expect the same insightful writing and inspiring events as ever.
By Sean Captain
Jan 30, 2024Are UPS AI-aided Job Cuts Part of Bigger Trend?
Struggling delivery giant is cutting 12,000 jobs to deal with slacking demand and the potential of AI. What does this mean for DHL and FedEx?
By Sean Captain
Jan 30, 2024Must Everything be About AI These Days?
People seem to be looking for the AI angle on every topic. But from business efficiency to economic prosperity, to social inequality, it does seem to play a central role.
By Sean Captain
Jan 26, 2024AI Hopes and Economic Fears at Davos 2024
Easier access to artificial intelligence is setting an excited tone at the World Economic Forum, but economic and inequality worries are powerful counterpoints.
By Sean Captain
Jan 19, 2024John Kerry’s Lively Davos Legacy
Departing Special Presidential Envoy for Climate has been a central figure at the World Economic Forum for decades, especially on development and the environment.
By Sean Captain
Jan 14, 2024Young Billionaires Shift from Donating to Remaking Businesses
Traditional philanthropy appeals less to newer socially conscious generations, who focus on building sustainability into their businesses.
By Sean Captain
Nov 30, 2023Responsible AI is Good for Business, says Advocate Mutale Nkonde
Policy analyst says that AI companies can succeed, and the U.S. industry can lead, by making consent, fairness, and privacy selling points.
By Sean Captain
Nov 27, 2023AI-Generated Art Still Needs a Human Touch
Dall-E 2, Midjourney, and Stable Diffusion produce impressive images on command, but perfecting them requires patient, skilled tending.
By Sean Captain
Nov 13, 2023How AI Can Tackle 5 Global Challenges
AI is not a panacea. But it offers amazing power to supercharge human creativity and productivity in solving the world’s biggest problems.
By Sean Captain
Nov 2, 202312 Energy Dilemmas the World Needs to Address
While the goal of a cooler planet is clear, the trade-offs—and even some facts—are hotly contested. Six experts frame the debate.
By Sean Captain
Sep 7, 2023Can Air Travel Ever Be Sustainable?
Air travel is an especially tough form of transportation to clean up—but that doesn't mean it's impossible.
By Sean Captain
Jun 21, 2023Live Better by Building on the Six Pillars of Health
Getting healthy requires tending to six interconnected components of well-being: nutrition, exercise, sleep, stress, substance use, and personal connections.
By Sean Captain
Mar 9, 2023Events
Techonomy 23: The Promise and Peril of AI
Techonomy 23: is a three-day retreat dedicated to exploring the risks and rewards of the AI revolution. Join our live audience of 200 CEOs, CTOs, policymakers, academics, and thought leaders as we chart a course for practical, sustainable, and ethical AI development.
By Sean Captain
May 6, 2023Newsletter Subscriptions
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