According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, almost all of us have at least trace amounts of methylmercury—the form of mercury we tend to encounter most—in our bodies due to its sheer prevalence in the environment. However, most of the time these levels are too low to result in any health problems. While some of… Continue reading How Not to Get Brain-Eating Worms and Mercury Poisoning
Author: Wired Magazine
Top FBI Official Urges Agents to Use Warrantless Wiretaps on US Soil
House Intelligence Committee chair Mike Turner and ranking member Jim Himes blasted out invitations announcing a “bipartisan celebration” of the 702 program’s continuation last week. The event, which the lawmakers have dubbed FISA Fest, is being held in a reception room in the US Capitol building Wednesday night. A House Intelligence Committee spokesperson did not… Continue reading Top FBI Official Urges Agents to Use Warrantless Wiretaps on US Soil
A Russian Influence Campaign Is Exploiting College Campus Protests
X did not respond to WIRED’s request for comment. The posts did not receive a huge amount of engagement, but unlike China’s disinformation campaigns, some seemingly authentic users did respond to the posts. One responded by writing “Fuck Palestine,” while another reacted with an image saying, “Free Palestine.” The covert Doppelganger campaign echoed narratives pushed… Continue reading A Russian Influence Campaign Is Exploiting College Campus Protests
FTX Creditors Say Payout Deal Is ‘an Insult’—and Plan to Revolt
Some creditors of the bankrupt crypto exchange FTX are preparing to reject a plan that would see them recover 118 percent of the money they lost. The proposal is far less generous than it might seem, they claim. Starting in January, the FTX creditors began to form a voting block, now made up of 1,600… Continue reading FTX Creditors Say Payout Deal Is ‘an Insult’—and Plan to Revolt
C’mon, Why Isn’t the New Apple Pencil Pro Backward Compatible?
But what’s grinding my gears is that the new Apple Pencil Pro works only with the new 2024 iPad Pro and iPad Air models. Yes, even if you spent $1,099 on the 2022 iPad Pro two years ago, you cannot use this new “Pro” stylus on that model. You’ll have to upgrade. This is probably… Continue reading C’mon, Why Isn’t the New Apple Pencil Pro Backward Compatible?
The Affordable Connectivity Program Has a Lifeline in the Senate
There’s a new plan to revive the Affordable Connectivity Program, a pandemic-era initiative that provides low-income households in the US with discounts on high-speed internet access. At the end of April, funding for the program was set to run out, affecting millions. But a bipartisan group of senators, led by Ben Ray Luján of New… Continue reading The Affordable Connectivity Program Has a Lifeline in the Senate
Inside the Climate Protests Hell-Bent on Stopping Tesla
Mara is sick. The 24-year-old has been living in a mosquito-infested forest near Tesla’s German gigafactory since March, and despite the 78 degrees Fahrenheit heat, a cold is spreading through the camp. Sitting on a makeshift bench, she tells me how she left Berlin to live among the pine trees, roughly an hour’s drive outside… Continue reading Inside the Climate Protests Hell-Bent on Stopping Tesla
Met Gala Deepfakes Are Flooding Social Media
This story originally appeared on WIRED Italia, and has been translated from Italian. The Met Gala is undoubtedly one of the most anticipated events of the year, but this time the music and entertainment celebrities who graced its red carpet had some competition for the public’s attention: generative AI deepfakes. In a post published on… Continue reading Met Gala Deepfakes Are Flooding Social Media
TikTok Sues the US Government to Stop a Potential Ban
TikTok sued the US federal government on Tuesday, arguing that the possible app ban violates the First Amendment. Last month, President Biden signed a bill that forces TikTok and its Chinese owner, ByteDance, to divest its ownership of the app or face a nationwide ban. At the time, TikTok said that it planned to sue,… Continue reading TikTok Sues the US Government to Stop a Potential Ban
Google Pixel 8A: News, Specs, Features, Price, Release Date
The Pixel 8A is powered by Google’s Tensor G3 chipset with 8 GB of RAM, just like the Pixel 8 series. That means it’ll be capable of much of the same software wizardry Google showed off last year with the debut of its flagship, including Audio Magic Eraser, which lets you erase unwanted sounds in… Continue reading Google Pixel 8A: News, Specs, Features, Price, Release Date