The Abstract Podcast

Covid-19 changes the future of travel and cash as we know it

In this episode, we discuss what lies ahead in the wake of Covid-19.

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If the anxiety you felt while watching someone shake hands is any indication, Covid-19 has made what used to be everyday customs seem like dangerous, antiquated behavior. From exchanging cash to boarding a plane, many Americans are rethinking every facet of everyday life, and bracing themselves for the changes yet to come. Whether it’s upending the future of travel, opting for Apple or Google Pay instead of cash, Covid-19 continues to kickstart change and forecast the future.

In this episode of The Abstract, we discuss what lies ahead in the wake of Covid-19 with a look at what the future holds for spending and travel.

Our first story is about how Covid-19 has drastically transformed air travel, both logistically and emotionally. As pilots predict eerie skies ahead, some say the future of flying may never be the same — even after the virus is contained.

Our second story looks at the pandemic’s part in completing a slowly unrolling prophecy: the end of cash. While economists have been forecasting the death of the dollar for almost two decades, Covid-19 may have already changed one common American behavior forever.

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Right now, facts and science matter more than ever. That's part of the reason for The Abstract, this all-new podcast from the Inverse staff that focuses exclusively on science and innovation. Three new episodes are released a week, and each covers one theme via two related stories. Each features audio of original Inverse reporting, where the facts and context take center stage. It's hosted by the Tanya Bustos of WSJ Podcasts. Because we're Inverse, it's all true but slightly off-kilter. It's made for people who want to know the whole story. Nick Lucchesi, executive editor, Inverse

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