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Showing posts from 2021

The Physics of Wile E. Coyote’s 10 Billion-Volt Electromagnet

The famous cartoon schemer has an ingenious plan to lure Bugs Bunny out of his hole—and it involves a giant magnet and an iron carrot. https://bit.ly/3sNC0Fu

Save Money on Subscriptions Thanks to This iOS Loophole

This is one weird trick, but when it works, it works well and can save you cash on apps. https://bit.ly/3EHFQCi

20 Movies We Can’t Wait to See in 2022

From Keanu Reeves to Batman, here's who you should line up to see at the multiplex—hopefully. https://bit.ly/3sQ8Plf

A Year In, Biden’s China Policy Looks a Lot Like Trump’s

The administration has toned down the anti-China rhetoric, but it has maintained and expanded economic sanctions—and plans a “diplomatic boycott” of the Olympics. https://bit.ly/3ezkqgb

This Was the Year When Finance Jumped the Doge

From GameStop to bored apes, weirdness abounded among meme-loving amateur investors. https://bit.ly/3z5SZUu

The Quest to Trap Carbon in Stone—and Beat Climate Change

On a barren lava plateau in Iceland, a new facility is sucking in air and stashing the carbon dioxide in rock. The next step: Build 10,000 more. https://bit.ly/3mFCObE

Face Recognition Is Being Banned—but It’s Still Everywhere

Two dozen cities and states prohibit use of the tech. But it’s on phones and is increasingly used in airports and in banks. https://bit.ly/3mCMGTf

A Clean Industrial Revolution Is the Only Way to Hit Net Zero

Governments and companies around the world are finally acting to create a green economy and avoid climate catastrophe. https://bit.ly/3esmsyn

Facebook Says Its New AI Can Identify More Problems Faster

The “Few-Shot Learner” system doesn’t need to see as many examples to identify troublesome posts, and it works in more than 100 languages. https://bit.ly/3ED8rcR

How to Opt Out of Verizon’s Custom Experience Tracking

Unless you manually opt out of the program, Verizon will store personal information and create user interest profiles. https://bit.ly/3oBb9dh

Our Favorite Hair Dryers and Diffusers

We tried blow dryers, brushes, diffusers, and one reverse air-dryer that sucks your hair up like a vacuum. These are our favorite hair drying tools. https://bit.ly/3pKCtVU

Renewable Energy Is Great—but the Grid Can Slow It Down

Many solar and wind projects face a problem: getting the energy from where it’s made to where it’s needed. https://bit.ly/3pAz37X

'Worker Data Science' Can Teach Us How to Fix the Gig Economy

Gig workers are asking to see the algorithms that govern their labor. Their fight has important lessons for creating equitable workplaces for all. https://bit.ly/3y1owXj

Snag Free Beans From Our Fave Coffee Subscription Service

WIRED readers can get their first bag from Atlas Coffee Club—and an additional sampler—for just the cost of shipping. https://bit.ly/3ItPX0O

DoorDash Joins the Instant Delivery Game—With Employees

For a new service in Manhattan, the couriers will cross paths with the company's traditional gig worker contractors, who generally aren't eligible for benefits. https://bit.ly/3lESprq

Why I Love to Scrounge in Video Games

It is so satisfying to ruffle the pockets of every dead body and poke around the library. https://bit.ly/3Isnw2W

Who Are We If Not Our Faces?

Undergoing dozens of operations to treat Crouzon syndrome made me look more “normal.” It also made me question my identity. https://bit.ly/3Gjse19

The Withings ScanWatch Is a Classy Everyday Fitness Tracker

This refined and elegant smartwatch boasts ECG and SpO2 sensors, fitness and sleep tracking, and stellar battery life. https://bit.ly/3Gi4Tgh

The Serial 1 Is a Ho-Hum Harley Ebike

With the just-adequate Serial 1, Harley-Davidson’s sub-brand missed an opportunity to make an ebike that stands out from the pack. https://bit.ly/31sakKZ

The Case of Tennis Star Peng Shuai Reveals the Real Purpose of China's Censorship

Censorship in China is about more than topics and keywords. It’s about destroying social resources. https://bit.ly/31DCqTq

The Best Laptop Backpacks for Work (and Life)

Whether you're riding a bike or schlepping a camera, a bag is your constant companion. These WIRED-reviewed packs do the job right. https://bit.ly/3xUq0lY

The Great Neutrino Mystery Could Point to Missing Particles

Years of conflicting measurements have led physicists to propose a “dark sector” of invisible particles that could explain dark matter and the universe’s expansion. https://bit.ly/3opigVS

Why Do People Make (and Watch) 5-Hour iCarly Analysis Videos?

Meet the obsessives creating extensive, multi-hour videos on YouTube examining long defunct Nickelodeon shows. https://bit.ly/301VURa

A Planned Parenthood LA Hack Affects 400,000 Patients

Plus: A Ubiquiti hack revelation, predictive policing, and more of the week's top security news. https://bit.ly/3Dt50nw

Can Gambia Turn the Tide to Save Its Shrinking Beaches?

In an economically developing country reliant on tourism, the rapidly eroding “smiling coast” shows the urgent need for action on climate change. https://bit.ly/31rJv9o

These Are Our Favorite Hair Straighteners

Curls and waves are beautiful. But when you want to smooth them out, these hot tools—irons, brushes, and combs—work wonders. https://bit.ly/2QD1KTH

It’s Never Been More Obvious That You Suck at Video Games

Comparing ourselves to professional gamers and checking online ranking systems can be humbling—and fun. https://bit.ly/3rBAvJK

NSO Group Spyware Hits at Least 9 US State Department Phones

The incident lays bare how hollow the surveillance company’s reassurances about the limits of its hacking tools have always been. https://bit.ly/31lc1tO

Web3 Is Silicon Valley’s Rosy Vision of the Future

This week, we imagine a new version of the web that takes the power from the platforms and puts it back into the hands of the people. https://bit.ly/3olGRLf

Meta’s Biggest Encryption Mistake Is What It Promised

The company’s decision to delay the rollout makes sense—because its initial plan never did. https://bit.ly/3DjTdrt

Why Buzz Lightyear’s Rocket Launch Looks Better Than Reality

We use video analysis to compare an animated liftoff to an actual one, proving that truth is more boring than fiction. https://bit.ly/3ElIwWY

18 Gifts for People Who Just Need a Good Night’s Sleep

Sweet dreams are made of these, from special lamps to noise machines. https://bit.ly/3ol88xp

Your Rooftop Garden Could Be a Solar-Powered Working Farm

A new scientific field proposes an idea that could help generate food and energy while reducing a building's cooling costs. https://bit.ly/3lxZYQm

This Is What It Will Take to End Deforestation by 2030

Nations around the world made a vital climate crisis declaration to save forests within the next decade. Can they actually do it? https://bit.ly/3xNcel2

Why Do Games Still Struggle With Trans Inclusion?

AAA titles often feel exploitative of trans people and trauma. But some indie games are getting it right. https://bit.ly/3Dg7R2X

David Attenborough’s Unending Mission to Save Our Planet

“We tend to think we are the be all and end all—but we’re not. The sooner we can realize that the natural world goes its way, not our way, the better.” https://bit.ly/3EkNCTl

The Movement to Hold AI Accountable Gains More Steam

A New York City law requires algorithms used in hiring to be “audited” for bias. It’s the first in the US—and part of a larger push toward regulation. https://bit.ly/31swhJi

The Twitter Wildfire Watcher Who Tracks California’s Blazes

When fire ignites, the race begins to alert the state’s residents of the path of destruction. One of the leading voices lives on the other side of the world. https://bit.ly/3lrgsd1

These Startups Deliver Groceries Fast—Without Gig Workers

Facing a tight labor market and even tighter schedules, some companies are hiring employees, with benefits. https://bit.ly/3I8LWi3

More Companies Offer Fertility Benefits. It’s Only the Beginning

Employer support for staff who wish to freeze their eggs has great potential—but broader support for parents still lags behind. https://bit.ly/3G5R44B

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II Is Ready to Blow Your Mind

The actor isn’t just the new Morpheus. He’s the future of Hollywood. https://bit.ly/3xGYDM6

It’s Time to Reimagine the Future of Cyberpunk

In the 20th century, the genre imagined the body modifications and protective streetwear that could save us from our own future. Now it needs to envision humanity anew. https://bit.ly/3IaC9b4

What The Matrix Got Wrong About Cities of the Future

Where the movie foresaw a distinction between digital and physical reality, modern cities are merging them, and not necessarily in a good way. https://bit.ly/3Ee81th

Europe Went Bananas for Gorillas. Then Its Workers Rose Up

The delivery app raced to a $1 billion valuation, promising to transform a problem-prone industry. Striking riders say it’s no different from its peers. https://bit.ly/3d2WPDN

Online Gaming Is the New Therapist’s Office

Plenty of us play to let off steam, but online multiplayer and single-player gaming can be healing in the hands of mental health professionals. https://bit.ly/2ZFA2L3

The Best Cyber Monday Deals on PC Components

You can get (nearly) everything you need to build your work station or gaming rig today. https://bit.ly/3d4Zlt3

A Hacking Spree Against Iran Spills Out Into the Real World

Hackers have targeted the country's trains, gas stations, and airline infrastructure, as cyber conflict with Israel continues to escalate. https://bit.ly/3Ed8jQQ

12 Cyber Monday Deals the WIRED Gear Team Snapped Up

From hoodies to vacuums, we did some shopping of our own. (We are gearheads, after all.) https://bit.ly/3E8YIdS

The Absolute Best Cyber Monday Deals Online Right Now

These are the very best discounts we've found at all the major tech retailers. There's a stellar pick here for everyone. https://bit.ly/3d3k7Jw

My Music App Knows Me Way Too Well. Am I Stuck in a Groove?

WIRED’s spiritual advice columnist on predictability, freedom—and the duality of rebellion. https://bit.ly/3CYVecE