On June 20, Microsoft-owned Mojang announced that NFTs and blockchain technology would no longer be allowed to “integrate” with Minecraft. That was bad news for NFT Worlds, which has spent months building an entire crypto-economy on top of a collection of the randomized seeds needed to make specific Minecraft maps. Now, the team behind NFT… Continue reading No NFTs in Minecraft? This Crypto Group Will Make Its Own Game
Author: Wired Magazine
Am I an Idiot for Wanting a Dumber Phone?
“I waste way too much time on my phone and am attracted by the idea of simplifying my digital life. So I found several apps and tutorials designed to make my smartphone ‘dumb,’ but I’ve hesitated to take the plunge. Am I just trying to escape modern life?” —Dumbstruck Dear Dumbstruck, As more and more… Continue reading Am I an Idiot for Wanting a Dumber Phone?
Wildfire Smoke Is Terrible for You. But What Does It Do to Cows?
Other animals on the farm, too, may be vulnerable to wildfire smoke. Horses have massive lungs—the animals are born to run and suck in loads of air in the process. “We don’t know for sure, but horses could be one of the most sensitive species to smoke of all mammals,” says Kent E. Pinkerton, director… Continue reading Wildfire Smoke Is Terrible for You. But What Does It Do to Cows?
These Vaccines Will Take Aim at Covid—and Its Entire SARS Lineage
Even though the researchers only used a RBD from one version of Covid, their vaccine generated a robust polyclonal response—meaning it created multiple antibody types, rather than just one. To Saunders, this is part of the approach’s charm: Creating many antibody types is beneficial, he says, because one that is extremely effective against a certain… Continue reading These Vaccines Will Take Aim at Covid—and Its Entire SARS Lineage
The Chip Shortage Is Easing—but Only for Some
But the turnaround is far from uniform. Everstream’s data shows that lead times for some advanced chips needed for medical devices, telecommunications, and cybersecurity systems is around 52 weeks, compared to a prior average of 27 weeks. Automotive companies that were badly affected by the pandemic because they initially canceled orders for components were then… Continue reading The Chip Shortage Is Easing—but Only for Some
A New Time-Travel App, Reviewed
“Car après la mort le Temps se retire du corps … ” —Proust We all know by now that the time-reversal invariance governing statistical mechanics at the microlevel maps by a simple equation onto the macroworld, making “time travel” a wholly unsurprising possibility … but damn! The first time you go back there’s just nothing… Continue reading A New Time-Travel App, Reviewed
How Electronic Arts Tries to Make Diverse Video Games
Tülay McNally, director of inclusive design at Electronic Arts, chooses her words carefully as we chat about creating diverse characters for video games. Raised in Germany, McNally is no stranger to the international video game industry. She worked at Square Enix, Sega, and Bioware before joining EA. McNally’s team at EA assists with the development… Continue reading How Electronic Arts Tries to Make Diverse Video Games
The Best Accessories and Tech Essentials for Your Dog
AT WIRED, WE really love our dogs. We also love each other’s dogs, whether they’re adorable little nuggets in New York City apartments, pit mixes in the country, or loyal heelers that spend all day, every day, within 6 inches of my left foot. For the past few years, my colleagues and I have been… Continue reading The Best Accessories and Tech Essentials for Your Dog
The January 6 Secret Service Text Scandal Turns Criminal
As the United States midterm elections near, lawmakers and law enforcement officials are on high alert about violent threats targeted at election officials across the country—domestic threats that have taken first billing over foreign influence operations and meddling as the primary concern for the 2022 elections. In another arena, though, Congress is making progress on… Continue reading The January 6 Secret Service Text Scandal Turns Criminal
Google Wallet Is Back, for Some Reason
Surprise, Google’s got a new app. OK, you’re probably not all that surprised. Google has always had an on-again, off-again relationship with the housemade apps that Android phones use to access its services. Specifically, Google often likes to make big changes to them, rebrand them, or just suddenly kill them dead with little explanation. The… Continue reading Google Wallet Is Back, for Some Reason