The Aztecs did not count time on an infinite scale, as we do, but in cyclical 52-year periods, and at the completion of each cycle, life and the world would begin anew. To initiate the start of a new cycle the New Fire ceremony was held, the most important Aztec ritual. Every 52 years the… Continue reading Explore the Ancient Aztec Capital in This Lifelike 3D Rendering
Author: Wired Magazine
The Auto Strike Threatens a Supply Chain Already Weakened by Covid
In addition to making everyone an epidemiologist, the Covid-19 pandemic schooled the public on the world-spanning network of manufacturers, assemblers, and shippers behind just about every consumer good that arrives on your doorstep. Or driveway. Car prices soared as automakers struggled with a supply chain jammed up by worker shortages, chip shortages, and shipping delays.… Continue reading The Auto Strike Threatens a Supply Chain Already Weakened by Covid
If Elon Musk Had Been a Happy Child, Would He Still Be Launching Rockets?
I meet with Walter Isaacson in a small conference room in the offices of book publisher Simon & Schuster. The walls are festooned with framed covers, including of course Isaacson’s mega-bestseller Steve Jobs. I’m sure somewhere else in the office are covers representing his other subjects—Albert Einstein, Leonardo da Vinci, Jennifer Doudna—which together have earned… Continue reading If Elon Musk Had Been a Happy Child, Would He Still Be Launching Rockets?
Why Is Everyone Asking Men About the Roman Empire?
If the question hasn’t hit your For You page or Twitter feed (or group chat) yet, it will: How often do you think about the Roman Empire? The provenance of the query is a little blurry, but it maybe started with this tweet (which also references an Instagram Reel) or possibly this TikTok. Or this… Continue reading Why Is Everyone Asking Men About the Roman Empire?
Radiation Is Everywhere. But It’s Not All Bad
For many of the sources you encounter in everyday life, the amount of radiation is so low that you don’t need to worry about it. But ionizing radiation can also be dangerous, because these free electrons interact with the molecules in the cells and tissues of the human body. Adding an extra electron can break… Continue reading Radiation Is Everywhere. But It’s Not All Bad
Inside the Senate’s Private AI Meeting With Tech’s Billionaire Elites
While all the CEOs, union bosses, and civil rights advocates were asked to raise their hands at points, one flaw with muzzling senators, according to critics on both sides of the proverbial aisle, is that lawmakers weren’t easily able to game out where their allies are in the Senate. And coalitions are key to compromise.… Continue reading Inside the Senate’s Private AI Meeting With Tech’s Billionaire Elites
Hyundai Kona Electric 2024 Review: Price, Specs, Release Date
Hyundai’s first-generation Kona Electric was something of a darling. It was efficient, looked good, and made electric motoring a little more accessible for those without Tesla money to play with. Now 2023’s new Kona Electric (2024 for US punters) aims to keep the good times rolling with a new look, fresh tech, and more luxury… Continue reading Hyundai Kona Electric 2024 Review: Price, Specs, Release Date
Libya’s Deadly Floods Show the Growing Threat of Medicanes
Storm Daniel, which has killed at least 5,000 people in Libya, with 10,000 more missing, was no normal weather. This rare, destructive, subtropical monster was supersized by unusually warm Mediterranean waters. When it slammed into the Libyan coast, it did so with such force that it caused two dams inland to collapse, releasing a tsunamic… Continue reading Libya’s Deadly Floods Show the Growing Threat of Medicanes
Don’t Count on Tesla’s Dojo Supercomputer to Jump-Start an AI Revolution
You’d have to be pretty brave to bet against the idea that applying more computing power and data to machine learning—a recipe that birthed ChatGPT—won’t lead to further advances of some kind in artificial intelligence. Even so, you’d be braver still to bet that combo will produce specific advances or breakthroughs on a specific timeline,… Continue reading Don’t Count on Tesla’s Dojo Supercomputer to Jump-Start an AI Revolution
Autoworkers Prepare to Strike for a Place in the EV Future
Like GM, Ford and Stellantis have launched their own joint EV battery ventures with South Korean electronics companies. The UAW says the new businesses are offering jobs with lower pay and safety protections than at established unionized auto plants. Last month, the recently unionized Ultium workers inked an interim agreement to raise wages by an… Continue reading Autoworkers Prepare to Strike for a Place in the EV Future