The First Crispr Medicine Is Now Approved in the US

Casgevy uses the Nobel Prize–winning technology Crispr to modify patients’ cells so that they produce healthy hemoglobin instead. The Crispr system has two parts: a protein that cuts genetic material and a guide molecule that tells it where in the genome to make the cut. To do this, a patient’s stem cells are taken out… Continue reading The First Crispr Medicine Is Now Approved in the US

Google’s NotebookLM Aims to Be the Ultimate Writing Assistant

Steven Johnson has written 13 books, on topics ranging from a London cholera outbreak to the value of video games. He’s been a television presenter and a podcast host. He’s a keynote speaker who doesn’t have to call himself that in his LinkedIn profile. And for over a year now, he’s been a full-time employee… Continue reading Google’s NotebookLM Aims to Be the Ultimate Writing Assistant

End-to-End Encrypted Instagram and Messenger Chats: Why It Took Meta 7 Years

Since 2016, the social behemoth now known as Meta has been working to deploy end-to-end encryption in its communication apps. CEO Mark Zuckerberg even promised in 2019 that the data privacy protection would roll out by default across all of the company’s chat apps. In practice, though, it was a wildly ambitious goal fraught with… Continue reading End-to-End Encrypted Instagram and Messenger Chats: Why It Took Meta 7 Years

Video Games That Encourage Human Interaction Can Build Better Vibes

Gamers have long been stigmatized as lonely weirdos. Some of that has been deserved—ask anyone who’s had a bunch of children shout horrible slurs at them during a match of Call Of Duty. But some leaders in the gaming industry want to push back against that narrative by creating games that encourage users to form… Continue reading Video Games That Encourage Human Interaction Can Build Better Vibes

Police Can Spy on Your iOS and Android Push Notifications

While Wyden’s letter says that governments outside the US have requested people’s push notification records, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has done so as well. A February 2021 search warrant application submitted by an FBI agent to the US District Court in Washington, DC, requested details for two accounts controlled by Meta (then Facebook),… Continue reading Police Can Spy on Your iOS and Android Push Notifications

9 Great Deals on Electric Kettles, Mugs, and Tumblers

The holidays are around the corner. These next few weeks might feel a little hectic, but sipping on a warm, cozy cup of tea is always the answer when you’re looking for a sense of peace amidst the madness. You’re in luck because we’ve found some great deals on our favorite electric kettles, plus WIRED-tested… Continue reading 9 Great Deals on Electric Kettles, Mugs, and Tumblers

Google Just Launched Gemini, Its Long-Awaited Answer to ChatGPT

Google says there are three versions of Gemini: Ultra, the largest and most capable; Nano, which is significantly smaller and more efficient; and Pro, of medium size and middling capabilities. From today, Google’s Bard, a chatbot similar to ChatGPT, will be powered by Gemini Pro, a change the company says will make it capable of… Continue reading Google Just Launched Gemini, Its Long-Awaited Answer to ChatGPT

The 23andMe Data Breach Keeps Spiraling

More details are emerging about a data breach the genetic testing company 23andMe first reported in October. But as the company shares more information, the situation is becoming even murkier and creating greater uncertainty for users attempting to understand the fallout. 23andMe said at the beginning of October that attackers had infiltrated some of its… Continue reading The 23andMe Data Breach Keeps Spiraling

Beeper Mini Turns Android’s Green Bubbles Into Blue Bubbles on iPhones

Earlier this year Gill had become intrigued by how Apple’s push notification service works, and how these bidirectional notifications might offer some clues into breaking open Messages. First, he had to better understand how the Apple ID worked, so he reverse engineered how Apple Music operated on a Windows computer. He noted the traffic and… Continue reading Beeper Mini Turns Android’s Green Bubbles Into Blue Bubbles on iPhones

Spotify Is Screwed

Just days after people gleefully posted their Spotify Wrapped, bad news came for the music streaming giant. Spotify announced today that it would cut 17 percent of its workforce, a chunk that equates to an estimated 1,500 people. It’s the third time the world’s largest music streamer has cut jobs this year. The news came… Continue reading Spotify Is Screwed