The United States Federal Bureau of Investigation has acknowledged for the first time that it purchased US location data rather than obtaining a warrant. While the practice of buying people’s location data has grown increasingly common since the US Supreme Court reined in the government’s ability to warrantlessly track Americans’ phones nearly five years ago,… Continue reading The FBI Just Admitted It Bought US Location Data
Author: Wired Magazine
Microplastics Are Polluting the Ocean at a Shocking Rate
If you throw a polyester sweatshirt in the washing machine, it doesn’t emerge as quite its former self. All that agitation breaks loose plastic microfibers, which your machine flushes to a wastewater treatment facility. Any particles that aren’t filtered out get pumped to sea. Like other forms of microplastic—broken-down bottles and bags, paint chips, and… Continue reading Microplastics Are Polluting the Ocean at a Shocking Rate
The US Air Force Is Moving Fast on AI-Piloted Fighter Jets
During testing in December, a pair of AI programs were fed into the system: the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Autonomous Air Combat Operations (AACO) and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s (DARPA) Air Combat Evolution (ACE). AACO’s AI agents focused on combat with a single adversary beyond visual range (BVR), while ACE focused on dogfight-style… Continue reading The US Air Force Is Moving Fast on AI-Piloted Fighter Jets
Doctor Unions Are Good for Your Health
To move between hospital buildings and see her patients, Dr. Carmen Kilpatrick had to be pushed around in a wheelchair by her colleagues. Kilpatrick, a second-year psychiatry resident at UC San Francisco and a first-time mom-to-be, was expecting twins. The twins’ position put Kilpatrick at risk of premature labor, and her obstetrician advised against standing… Continue reading Doctor Unions Are Good for Your Health
Weatherman’s Umbrellas Are on Sale Right Now
Spring is almost upon us, which means we’re about to see a lot of rain. “April showers bring May flowers,” after all. It’s time to stock up on rainy-weather gear—most importantly, umbrellas. Good news! WIRED-tested umbrella brand Weatherman is offering 25 percent off on select styles and colors until April 1. Below, we’ve highlighted the… Continue reading Weatherman’s Umbrellas Are on Sale Right Now
MoonSwatch Mission to Moonshine Gold Is Limited in Every Way
Last year, after sparking the biggest hype frenzy the watch market has seen with the release of the MoonSwatch, a bioplastic Swatch version of Omega’s legendary Speedmaster Moonwatch, Swatch president Nick Hayek Jr. said that “positive provocation” was a key part of the brand’s mission. Which perhaps explains the first follow-up to the original 11-strong… Continue reading MoonSwatch Mission to Moonshine Gold Is Limited in Every Way
The Food System Is Awful for the Climate. It Doesn’t Have to Be
As people’s incomes rise, they tend to switch from “starchy staples” like grains, potatoes, and roots to meat and dairy products. “You’d think there would be big cultural differences across human populations in these patterns,” says Thomas Tomich, a food systems economist at the University of California, Davis, who wasn’t involved in the new paper.… Continue reading The Food System Is Awful for the Climate. It Doesn’t Have to Be
Focal Bathys Review: The Ultimate
Headphone nerds are a tough crowd, especially when you take away their precious cables. Ask anyone who regularly browses the r/headphones subreddit whether noise-canceling or wireless headphones are any good, and you’re likely to get a lot of folks telling you that they’re fine for reducing outside sound, but can’t approach what wired headphones can… Continue reading Focal Bathys Review: The Ultimate
Nemo Dagger Osmo 3P Tent Review (2023): Lightweight, Roomy, and Ecofriendly
At a campground last week I watched someone set up what looked like an old-school canvas tent, complete with a wood-burning stove in it (it is winter), and I thought: See, you don’t really need all that expensive high-tech gear. Army tents still work. When I got home, I looked up that tent and realized… Continue reading Nemo Dagger Osmo 3P Tent Review (2023): Lightweight, Roomy, and Ecofriendly
21 Best Vinyl Accessories (2023): Cleaning Gear, Mats, Displays, and More
Whether you’ve just started spinning analog audio or you’ve been building a collection for years, good vinyl accessories can take your enjoyment—and your records’ longevity—to the next level. I’ve spent the better part of the past decade messing with some of the most lauded tools for cleaning, setting up, and maintaining record players, and these… Continue reading 21 Best Vinyl Accessories (2023): Cleaning Gear, Mats, Displays, and More