Author: Wired Magazine

I Never Want to Take Off the Garmin Instinct 2S Solar

When I first tested a solar-powered Garmin several years ago, the solar function extended the battery life by a few days. Now, every solar-powered Garmin I’ve tested has lasted more than two weeks. As I was about to leave on a two-week family beach trip for a long overdue vacation, I naturally donned Garmin’s new… Continue reading I Never Want to Take Off the Garmin Instinct 2S Solar

NASA is Crowdsourcing Cloud Research—on Mars

At the end of 2020, planetary scientist Marek Slipski found himself glued to his computer, spending countless hours—more than he’d like to admit, he says—poring over image after image of the Martian atmosphere: zooming in, adjusting the contrast, upping the brightness, and playing around with color. Slipski, a postdoctoral researcher at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory… Continue reading NASA is Crowdsourcing Cloud Research—on Mars

Step Away From Screens With the 20 Best Family Board Games

It’s good to take a break from screens every now and then. The great outdoors has plenty to offer, but there are times when you’re stuck inside for one reason or another. Board games are a fun way to gather everyone around the table to engage in some group escapism. My family has had a… Continue reading Step Away From Screens With the 20 Best Family Board Games

Is Beyoncé’s Renaissance a Sign of the Apocalypse?

This week, Beyoncé released her seventh studio album, Renaissance. Soon—if the hidden messages in the album’s various promotional images are correct—the end days foretold in Revelation will come. Or, at least, that’s what some folks believe. Social media has told us for years that Beyoncé is a member of the Illuminati. Now, the internet is… Continue reading Is Beyoncé’s Renaissance a Sign of the Apocalypse?

Big Tech Can’t Stop Obsessing Over Apple and TikTok

Every three months, Wall Street watches with anticipation for bumper results from Big Tech companies. Over the course of a little more than a week, Snap, Alphabet, Microsoft, Meta, Spotify, Amazon, and Apple all announce to investors how well they’ve performed. For years, it’s been a tale of untrammeled success, with earnings, profits, and user… Continue reading Big Tech Can’t Stop Obsessing Over Apple and TikTok

The CHIPS Act Passes Congress to Boost US Semiconductor Production

“There is a really deep interconnection between the chip industry and the US defense industry,” says Chris Miller, an assistant professor at Tufts University and the author of Chip War: The Fight for the World’s Most Critical Technology, a forthcoming book about the race between the US and China to dominate chips. “Both countries have… Continue reading The CHIPS Act Passes Congress to Boost US Semiconductor Production

This Stamp-Sized Ultrasound Patch Can Image Internal Organs

When a patient goes into a clinic for an ultrasound of their stomach, they lie down on crinkly paper atop an exam table. A clinician spreads a thick goo on their abdomen, then presses a small probe into it to send acoustic waves into the patient’s body. These waves bounce off their soft tissues and… Continue reading This Stamp-Sized Ultrasound Patch Can Image Internal Organs

Comic-Con 2022: The Most Wildly Creative Cosplay Masks

Comic-Con wouldn’t be Comic-Con without cosplay. As much a part of the event as Hall H panels and comics themselves, getting decked out in elaborate costumes—or looking at people decked out in elaborate costumes—is one of the main reasons people attend. This year, cosplay felt even more crucial. Due to health concerns over the spread… Continue reading Comic-Con 2022: The Most Wildly Creative Cosplay Masks

How Tor Is Fighting—and Beating—Russian Censorship

For years, the anonymity service Tor has been the best way to stay private online and dodge web censorship. Much to the ire of governments and law enforcement agencies, Tor encrypts your web traffic and sends it through a chain of computers, making it very hard for people to track you online. Authoritarian governments see… Continue reading How Tor Is Fighting—and Beating—Russian Censorship