When Facebook renamed itself Meta in October, CEO Mark Zuckerberg outlined his vision for the “next chapter of the Internet.” People would work, socialize, shop, and live much of their lives in an immersive digital world called the metaverse.

Other tech giants, including Microsoft, Google, and Apple, along with video game companies, fashion brands, entertainment companies, and numerous startups, have also invested billions in metaverse technology and applications.

In an effort to better understand what the next evolution of the Internet might be, “Marketplace” host Kai Ryssdal explored a virtual world with Rabindra “Robby” Ratan,…