Season 3 Trailer: Where What If Becomes What’s Next

The smiley face in your last text, the Kevlar protecting first responders, and the Wi-Fi signal connecting us all—where did they actually come from?

Welcome to Season 3 of Where What If Becomes What's Next, where we take you on a journey through 125 years of innovation at Carnegie Mellon University. To celebrate this milestone anniversary, we’re digging into the university archives to reveal the definitive stories behind 15 breakthroughs that didn't just advance technology—they redefined our world. From the spam saving benefits of CAPTCHAs, to the birth of artificial intelligence, to the pinch to zoom gesture on your smartphone—these are just some of the inventions you’ll learn about in Season 3.

This isn't a dry history lesson. It’s also a roadmap for the next century of innovation. With host Randy Scott, every other Thursday we’re going behind the scenes with the CMU makers and visionaries to bring you the stories you may know and the ones you won't believe.

The future is waiting. Let’s find out what’s next.

Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. For more, info visit: cmu.edu/whatsnextpodcast.