Field builder · Science policy · Est. 2020
Works in Progress is an online magazine and print publication focused on economic growth, scientific and technological progress, and the policy and institutional factors that shape whether progress happens. It publishes long-form essays and interviews across topics including economic growth, science/technology policy, cities and transport, energy, medical research, and adjacent subjects like history and aesthetics, and it also runs audio programming and a separate audio feed for magazine articles.
The organization is editorially focused on making “new and underrated ideas” legible and actionable, with a recurring design-forward, source-rich editorial style. In February 2022, it became part of Stripe, where it teamed up with Stripe Press while maintaining editorial independence.
The massively multiplayer online game was created in the 1980s.
All the microbes you can’t haveWe’ve invented microbes that can eat plastic, detect landmines, and extract rare metals. They’ve been swallowed by a black hole.
Just bury your trashWhat if everything we know about recycling is wrong?
A cop’s case for FlockPeople are right to want less police intrusion in their lives. The way to get there is more precision, not less.
The everything theory of mass transitWho benefits when we ask transit to pursue social goals?
The kill switch for harmful genesWhat if instead of editing a gene, or blocking the protein it produces, you could simply switch it off?
How Thailand resisted colonizationIts royal family used a charm offensive where military power failed.
Daycare pseudoscienceIf it had a clear effect on children we would know by now.
Will farm animals always suffer?Economic growth gives us cleaner air, healthier rivers, and safer workplaces. Happier animals could be next.
Every disease is a policy failureFew people know how much medicine has progressed in their lifetimes. Fewer know how much faster it could be progressing.
The ultimate horseSelective breeding has pushed horses to the limits of biology. But at what cost?
Beauty In My BackyardUgly architecture stops homes getting built.
Hard Drugs’ site lists a July 24, 2026 episode titled “Are miracle drugs hiding in plain sight?” with context about GLP-1 drugs and drug repurposing; this is an example of recent publishing via the Hard Drugs feed.
Hard Drugs trailer launch (coming soon)Works in Progress and its partners announced the creation of Hard Drugs, describing it as a new podcast about medical innovation and indicating a trailer episode for launch.
Works in Progress has joined Stripe (organization-level change)Works in Progress announced it would move to Stripe, teaming up with Stripe Press while stating that it would retain editorial independence.
Works in Progress is now part of Stripe (about-page statement)Works in Progress’ official About page states that the magazine was founded in 2020 and is now a part of Stripe.