The Comedy Club at the End of the Metaverse
A VR comedy club in Horizon Worlds has become an unexpected lens on platform risk, creator resilience, and the changing priorities of Big Tech. Here’s what the moment says about the future of social VR and the metaverse dream.
Bernie Sanders Pushes National Pause on New AI Data Facilities: Context, Consequences, and What Comes Next
Senator Bernie Sanders has unveiled legislation seeking a temporary nationwide freeze on building new AI-oriented data facilities. Here’s the context, what’s at stake, who’s for and against it, and how it could work in practice.
From mash to megafarads: Turning bourbon waste into supercapacitors
Chemists have shown that the sloppy leftovers from distilling bourbon can be transformed—without energy-gobbling drying—into high‑performance carbons for supercapacitors. Here’s how the trick works, why it matters, and what comes next.
Vizio’s smart TVs now ask for a Walmart account: what changed, why it matters, and how to respond
New Vizio TVs reportedly require a Walmart account to activate smart features. Here’s the context behind Walmart’s retail-media strategy, what this means for your data and living room, and practical options if you don’t want to sign in.
What the 2025 Iberian Blackout Teaches Us: When “Normal” Settings Aren’t Safe
A final investigation into the 2025 Iberian blackout concludes that policy choices and permissive device settings left Spain unusually exposed—allowing thousands of inverters, drives, and protection relays to drop offline right at the edge of normal conditions.
NASA axes lunar orbital station, pivots to a boots-on-the-Moon base: What the rethink really means
NASA has shelved its lunar space station concept and is redirecting money, people, and political capital toward a permanent base at the Moon’s south pole. Here’s why the agency made the call, what changes in the Artemis playbook, and what to watch as partners and contractors regroup.
Spelunking to Save a Pup: Kentucky Firefighters Pull Off a 40-Foot Cave Rescue
A dog tumbled into a Kentucky cave and ended up roughly 40 feet below ground. Local firefighters—trained in rope and cave techniques—mounted a technical rescue that shows how public safety crews increasingly prepare for unusual, high-risk animal saves.
The Home Gadget That Turns Crinkly Chaos Into Bricks: A Deep Look at Clear Drop’s Soft Plastic Compactor
A countertop machine promises to tame grocery bags and snack wrappers by compressing them into tidy blocks. It is clever, oddly satisfying, and very 2026. But is it a step toward better recycling or just a neat way to shrink trash?
Design Within Reach Promo Codes: 30% Off | March 2026
WIRED flagged rare, stack-smart savings on authentic modern icons at Design Within Reach. Here’s the context, the fine print, and how to actually get a deal that lasts.
Trump's MAHA pick for surgeon general flounders amid GOP doubts
A wellness-branded nominee for America’s top public-health messenger hit a wall after Republicans joined Democrats in questioning anti-vaccine rhetoric, promotion of unproven therapies, and thin medical credentials.
A mission NASA might kill is still returning fascinating science from Jupiter
NASA’s Juno spacecraft keeps uncovering fresh secrets about Jupiter’s atmosphere, auroras, rings, and volcanic moon Io—just as budget pressures raise the prospect of ending the mission early. Here’s what’s at stake, why this keeps happening, and what to watch next.
Inside the Plan to Grow “Organ Sacks” and Retire Lab Animals
A new startup wants to grow brainless, genetically engineered bundles of organs—“organ sacks”—to stand in for mice and pigs in drug and toxicity testing. If it works, it could accelerate research, cut costs, and avoid animal suffering. If it fails, it will highlight the scientific, ethical, and regulatory knots tied up with building near-organisms in the lab.
Three Kittens Pulled From a Car Engine in Los Angeles County: Why It Happens and How to Help
Los Angeles County animal care officers safely removed three kittens from a vehicle’s engine compartment—an increasingly common springtime rescue that highlights “kitten season,” urban wildlife behavior, and what drivers should do before starting their cars.
Best Laptops in 2026: Candid Advice From Years of Hands‑On Testing
The laptop market changed fast: AI-ready chips, better screens, and new port standards. Here’s straight-talk guidance to help you buy the right machine in 2026 without overspending.
Which Instax Camera Should You Buy? The 2026 Guide to Fujifilm’s Instant Ecosystem
Instax cameras and printers aren’t one-size-fits-all. Here’s a clear, context-rich guide to Mini, Square, and Wide formats—and the best models for kids, creators, party hosts, and anyone who wants a tactile photo they can hold in seconds.
How to Back Up Your Android Phone (2026): A Practical, Private, and Restorable Plan
A complete 2026-ready guide to safeguarding your Android photos, messages, apps, and files—with step-by-step options for Google One, local/NAS, and privacy-first setups, plus restore drills and a 3-2-1 plan.
Airlines Are Bracing for a Fuel Shock — And Signaling Trouble for the Wider Economy
A sudden surge in oil prices tied to conflict in the Middle East is forcing airlines to slash costs, tweak routes, and rethink growth. Their fast‑twitch response is an early warning for consumers, policymakers, and anyone exposed to energy prices.
Why mosquitoes always find you and how they decide to attack
New research shows mosquitoes don’t home in by copying each other—they independently combine visual contrast with carbon dioxide plumes to lock onto people. That simple rule explains swarming, points to better traps, and offers practical ways to make yourself harder to find.
There can (still) be only one: Highlander at 40 and why its strange, specific myth keeps winning
Highlander turns 40, and its oddball blend of immortal swordfighters, MTV-era style, and ironclad rules still reads like a protocol spec for myth. Here’s why the legend refuses to die—and what to watch next.
Best Merino Wool Clothing (2026): Base Layers, Hoodies, Jackets & More — A Practical Field Guide
Merino isn’t just for mountaineers anymore. From travel tees to commuter hoodies, here’s how to choose the right weight, blend, and build—and how to care for it so it lasts.
I tried DoorDash’s Tasks app—here’s what it reveals about the next wave of AI gig work
DoorDash’s new Tasks app pays people to film everyday chores and label data for AI. It’s a glimpse into a growing labor market that blends content creation, data labeling, and precarious gig economics.
A vast body of hidden freshwater lies beneath the Great Salt Lake — and it could reshape the region’s water future
New helicopter-based geophysical mapping reveals an unexpectedly extensive zone of fresh groundwater beneath Utah’s Great Salt Lake—reaching several kilometers deep and extending well past the shore. The find opens scientific, ecological, and policy questions, including whether it can help tame toxic dust blowing off the drying lakebed.
Asteroids keep serving up DNA ingredients. Here’s what that really tells us.
From meteorites to pristine asteroid samples, scientists keep finding nucleobases and other life’s building blocks. That doesn’t mean life began in space—but it does reshape how we think about life’s raw ingredients and Earth’s earliest chemistry.
Aiper Scuba V3 Pool Robot Review: Vision That Hunts Debris
Aiper’s Scuba V3 adds computer vision to the humble pool bot, shifting from random wandering to targeted debris hunting. Here’s what that means, why it matters, and what to consider before buying.