Meta’s fact-checking partners claim they were “blindsided” by the company’s decision to abandon third-party fact checking on Facebook, Instagram and Threads in favor of a Community Notes model, and some say they are now scrambling to figure out if they can survive the hole this leaves in their funding. “We heard the news just like… Continue reading Meta’s Fact-Checking Partners Say They Were ‘Blindsided’ by Decision to Axe Them
Author: Wired Magazine
Human Metapneumovirus Is Finally Being Taken Seriously
Like many other respiratory viruses, Williams says that hMPV tends to impact those with chronic lung diseases or existing conditions such as asthma and cancer. But despite this, he has found that many doctors are unaware that it’s a threat, largely because until relatively recently, no one was testing for it outside of academic studies.… Continue reading Human Metapneumovirus Is Finally Being Taken Seriously
Robot Vacuums Are Now the Tiny Butlers of Your Dreams
The list of things that robot vacuums can do right now continues to grow. They can make an accurate map of your home so they don’t bump into things. They can empty themselves and recharge themselves. They can reach under your couch to clean up crud. Many have dual mopping-vacuuming functionalities to wipe up your… Continue reading Robot Vacuums Are Now the Tiny Butlers of Your Dreams
Pebble Flow EV Travel Trailer: Glamping Goes Electric
One of the great joys of camping is the silence. There’s nothing worse than getting out into the wilderness, away from society, and then hearing somebody one campsite over start up a loud, smelly gas generator. Pebble, a California-based company that is building a new travel trailer, is hoping that an electric RV is just… Continue reading Pebble Flow EV Travel Trailer: Glamping Goes Electric
A Book App Used AI to ‘Roast’ Its Users. It Went Anti-Woke Instead
Fable, a popular social media app that describes itself as a haven for “bookworms and bingewatchers,” created an AI-powered end-of-year summary feature recapping what books users read in 2024. It was meant to be playful and fun, but some of the recaps took on an oddly combative tone. Writer Danny Groves’ summary for example, asked… Continue reading A Book App Used AI to ‘Roast’ Its Users. It Went Anti-Woke Instead
Elon Musk Is Posting Nonstop Falsehoods About ‘Grooming Gangs’
The report that sparked Musk’s interest earlier this week claimed that safeguarding minister Jess Philips had rejected a request from a city council for a government-led inquiry into child sexual exploitation in Oldham, a town near Manchester in the north of England that was one one of the areas where allegations of abuse from grooming… Continue reading Elon Musk Is Posting Nonstop Falsehoods About ‘Grooming Gangs’
Californians Say X Blocked Them From Viewing Amber Alert About Missing 14-Year-Old
People in Missouri reported encountering a similar issue in July 2023, when the Missouri Highway Patrol sent out an Amber Alert push notification with a link to an X post. Local residents similarly spoke out about how they could not see the alert unless they logged on to the platform. “It was quite a change”… Continue reading Californians Say X Blocked Them From Viewing Amber Alert About Missing 14-Year-Old
The Death of Net Neutrality Is a Bad Omen
In the end, the return of net neutrality was short-lived: Today, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals struck down rules introduced by the Biden administration that would have prevented internet service providers from favoring some apps or websites over others. It’s the conclusion of a decades-long fight for a more equitable internet—and a harbinger of… Continue reading The Death of Net Neutrality Is a Bad Omen
Editors at Science Journal Resign En Masse Over Bad Use of AI, High Fees
Over the holiday weekend, all but one member of the editorial board of Elsevier’s Journal of Human Evolution (JHE) resigned “with heartfelt sadness and great regret,” according to Retraction Watch, which helpfully provided an online PDF of the editors’ full statement. It’s the 20th mass resignation from a science journal since 2023 over various points… Continue reading Editors at Science Journal Resign En Masse Over Bad Use of AI, High Fees
The Cumulus Machine Review: Fast and Frothy Cold Brew
But, a word on oxygen. The device essentially pumps pure air (79 percent nitrogen, 20 percent oxygen) into the coffee rather than fuss with nitro cartridges. This is cool, but oxygen exposure is the known enemy of fresh-tasting coffee. After the nitro evaporated, side-by-side taste tests did show more flabby oxidation flavors in the nitro… Continue reading The Cumulus Machine Review: Fast and Frothy Cold Brew