The idea of the metaverse—a virtual world or reality—has been around for decades, but in 2021 it went mainstream. Opinions on the metaverse range from euphoric to dystopic, but what does the word really mean? What are its implications for society? How big is the technological gap that we need to close to make the metaverse a reality? And does it represent an opportunity to create a more functional, more productive, more person-focused internet?