How It Works IRL

How It Works IRL

How It Works IRL breaks down how systems, products, and ideas really function in the real world—what works, what fails, and why it matters. Expect practical, plain‑English explainers with real‑world examples, trade‑offs, and field stories across tech, design, business, and everyday life. New episodes weekly with concise takeaways listeners can apply immediately. Subscribe to get clear answers, no bluff.

Episodes

September 18, 2025 6 mins

Host Shanna explains how GPS uses a constellation of satellites, precise timing, and signals measured by your phone to determine location. The episode covers how at least four satellites are used for accuracy and time synchronization, why atomic clocks matter, and what limits GPS—like buildings, tunnels, and water.

It also describes how phones combine GPS with cell towers, Wi‑Fi, and Bluetooth, lists real-world uses from farming to...

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Join Shana on How It Works IRL for a simple, no-jargon breakdown of how ChatGPT works — from predicting the next word like super-powered autocomplete to learning patterns from millions of texts and human feedback.

Understand why it sometimes makes things up, its limits (outdated info, no true understanding), and how to use it best for brainstorming, writing help, and learning — while always double-checking important facts.

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