IndyCar’s Aeroscreen gets first real test, saves lives at Iowa race by Jonathan M. Gitlin on 2020-07-18 16:00 (#55WBX) The mix of ballistic polycarbonate and titanium is a big step in driver protection.
Scientists unlocked the secret of how these ultrablack fish absorb light by Jennifer Ouellette on 2020-07-18 14:00 (#55W94) The fish skin absorbs more than 99.5% of light thanks to pigment-packed granules.
Solar+battery in one device sets new efficiency standard by John Timmer on 2020-07-18 13:00 (#55W80) A combination of standard photovoltaics linked up with flow-battery tech.
NASA chief says he’s “very confident” in a 2021 launch date for SLS, but… by Eric Berger on 2020-07-17 22:20 (#55VQD) The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is flaring up around several NASA centers.
The 2020 Hyundai Ioniq: A connected car service saves the day by Jonathan M. Gitlin on 2020-07-17 20:10 (#55VKF) We really enjoyed this 55mpg hybrid—until it was stolen over a long weekend.
CBP does end run around warrants, simply buys license plate-reader data by Kate Cox on 2020-07-17 19:46 (#55VHQ) How does "unreasonable search" work when any agency can buy data from anywhere?
By the sword: Cursed is an inventive remix of classic Arthurian legend by Jennifer Ouellette on 2020-07-17 18:35 (#55VFV) Frank Miller and Tom Wheeler on bringing a fresh angle to a well-trod mythology.
FCC: Phone carriers that profit from robocalls could have all calls blocked by Jon Brodkin on 2020-07-17 17:43 (#55VCH) Safe harbor lets phone companies block all calls from “bad-actor” telecoms.
Can Xbox One continue on as gaming’s “low-end” console option? by Kyle Orland on 2020-07-17 17:06 (#55VCJ) Support for 2013-era gaming PCs suggests Microsoft’s old console isn’t dead yet.
CDC delays new school-reopening guidance prompted by flak from Trump by Beth Mole on 2020-07-17 15:49 (#55V7D) It’s still unclear what kind of information the documents will even contain.
Apple has finally embraced key-based 2FA. So should you by Dan Goodin on 2020-07-17 12:00 (#55V0F) Hardware keys are more secure—and finally ready for the masses.
Iranian state hackers caught with their pants down in intercepted videos by Dan Goodin on 2020-07-17 11:30 (#55TYG) IBM researchers steal 40GB of data from group targeting presidential campaigns.
Rocket Report: Another Chinese launch failure, Minotaur IV soars by Eric Berger on 2020-07-17 11:00 (#55TYH) “We cannot at this moment precisely quantify the delay.”
Siberia’s hot 2020 “effectively impossible” without global warming by Scott K. Johnson on 2020-07-17 10:45 (#55TWJ) Rapid analysis shows this event is hard to explain without climate change.
Beyond antibodies, the immune response to coronavirus is complicated by John Timmer on 2020-07-16 23:54 (#55TFA) T-cell-based immunity may offer longer protection, but initial results are confusing.
With morgues brimming, Texas and Arizona turn to refrigerator trucks by Beth Mole on 2020-07-16 21:50 (#55TBQ) Every disaster has its symbols, "for COVID-19, it might just be the refrigerator truck."
Webb space telescope launch delayed seven more months to late 2021 by Eric Berger on 2020-07-16 21:36 (#55TBR) "We have high confidence in that date."
Xbox Series X won’t support Kinect hardware, games by Kyle Orland on 2020-07-16 20:59 (#55TBS) Microsoft sends its unique control accessory down the final memory hole.
US-EU Privacy Shield data sharing agreement struck down by court by Kate Cox on 2020-07-16 20:29 (#55T8Y) Much as in 2015, US surveillance practices and EU privacy law don't mesh well.
New Pine64 phones with upgraded hardware begin shipping in August by Jim Salter on 2020-07-16 19:39 (#55T6S) The new "convergence package" offers more RAM and storage as well as a USB-C dock.
Xbox One minus two: Microsoft kills console versions before Series X launch by Sam Machkovech on 2020-07-16 18:59 (#55T6T) Xbox One S will still exist; adds fuel to fire about a possible "Lockhart" launch.
Georgia’s Republican governor orders cities to stop requiring masks by Jon Brodkin on 2020-07-16 18:37 (#55T40) Update: Governor sues Atlanta to stop rule requiring masks during pandemic.
A handful of top Fitbit fitness trackers is on sale today by Ars Staff on 2020-07-16 18:24 (#55T41) Dealmaster also has AMD Ryzen processors, Switch accessories, and more.
Russia-linked hackers accused of targeting COVID-19 vaccine developers by Financial Times on 2020-07-16 17:42 (#55T0K) UK, US, and Canada attribute attacks to group “almost certainly” working for Moscow.
Please insert disc: Microsoft Flight Simulator will spread across ten DVDs by Kyle Orland on 2020-07-16 17:01 (#55T0M) 90GB package is a drop in the bucket compared to the game's cloud-streamed data.
NASA’s inspector general report roasts Lockheed Martin for Orion fees by Eric Berger on 2020-07-16 15:15 (#55SV2) So far NASA has spent $16.7 billion to develop Orion.
The painstaking, hyper-granular process behind Amazon’s artful Undone by Nathan Mattise on 2020-07-16 13:48 (#55SM6) Director/production designer Hisko Hulsing pulls back the mystery on rotoscoping magic.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate gets free xCloud game streaming in September by Kyle Orland on 2020-07-16 13:30 (#55SM7) Microsoft promises “over 100” of Game Pass’ 200+ titles will be streamable.
Western Digital releases new 18TB, 20TB EAMR drives by Jim Salter on 2020-07-16 10:45 (#55SD1) EAMR offers similar density gains to HAMR and MAMR, with less exotic tech.
Twitter lost control of its internal systems to Bitcoin-scamming hackers by Dan Goodin on 2020-07-16 05:48 (#55S59) Celebrity accountholders weren't the only targets. Late hacker Adrian Lamo was, too.
Musk, Obama, Biden, Bezos, Gates—bitcoin scam hits Twitter in coordinated blitz by Dan Goodin on 2020-07-15 22:27 (#55RWT) The simultaneous hijacking of so many accounts is extraordinary.
Apple releases iOS and iPadOS 13.6, macOS 10.15.6, and watchOS 6.2.8 by Samuel Axon on 2020-07-15 21:45 (#55RTC) A few new features have arrived as we wait for iOS 14.
Here’s Nissan’s next electric crossover, on sale in 2021 for $40,000 by Jonathan M. Gitlin on 2020-07-15 21:17 (#55RTD) There are both front- and all-wheel-drive options, and 63kWh and 87kWh batteries.
Gmail redesign turns it into a one-stop productivity suite [Update: It’s official] by Ron Amadeo on 2020-07-15 20:50 (#55RCG) See how Gmail is merging with most of the other G Suite apps.
Details on SpaceX Starlink beta emerge along with photos of user terminals by Jon Brodkin on 2020-07-15 20:42 (#55RQD) Starlink beta trials will start in Northern US and parts of Canada, new FAQ says.
Trump admin undercuts CDC, seizes control of national COVID-19 data by Kate Cox on 2020-07-15 19:47 (#55RMY) New directive is White House's latest attempt to cut the CDC out of the loop.
Solar panel recycling has a long way to go, and silicon may be the key by Scott K. Johnson on 2020-07-15 19:15 (#55RJC) A group of researchers evaluates the way forward.
Verizon’s 5G network is tiny—Verizon ads “falsely implied” it’s nationwide by Jon Brodkin on 2020-07-15 17:46 (#55RFZ) Watchdog: Verizon ads falsely implied US-wide coverage for sporadic 5G network.
How ancient cats lived on the brink of domestication by Kiona N. Smith on 2020-07-15 17:30 (#55RG0) Chemical analysis says Neolithic cats mostly ate crop pests but still lived wild.
Sleek, sexy Brave New World is the crown jewel in Peacock’s launch offerings by Jennifer Ouellette on 2020-07-15 16:46 (#55RCH) Series creators chat with Ars about challenges of adapting 1932 novel for today's world.
White supremacist pleads guilty to multiple “swatting” incidents by Timothy B. Lee on 2020-07-15 16:07 (#55R9Z) Atomwaffen Division “preaches hatred of minorities, gays, and Jews.”
Climate laws correlate with lower emissions per GDP by John Timmer on 2020-07-15 14:36 (#55R6K) Correlation suggests we’re now avoiding the equivalent of the US’ annual emissions.
Paper Mario: The Origami King folds the usual RPG tropes into knots by Kyle Orland on 2020-07-15 13:00 (#55QZW) Family-friendly quest is a great introduction to puzzle-filled adventure.
NASA’s first lunar habitat may be an RV-like rover built by Toyota by Eric Berger on 2020-07-15 12:48 (#55QZX) “NASA’s budget is stretched pretty thin.”
As pandemic rages out of control, CDC head warns of darker times this fall by Beth Mole on 2020-07-15 02:06 (#55QEY) CDC director is worried but says it's not too late to turn things around.
Jail time for polluters in Biden’s $2T climate plan by Kate Cox on 2020-07-14 22:13 (#55Q9T) Biden calls for massive investment to hit climate change, jobs crisis at same time.
Microsoft urges patching severe-impact, wormable server vulnerability by Dan Goodin on 2020-07-14 21:49 (#55Q80) 17-year-old DNS flaw requires no user interaction and may be exploited soon.
Microsoft details how Xbox Series X will load 4.8GB/s from memory by Kyle Orland on 2020-07-14 21:36 (#55Q81) NVMe SSDs, APIs, and texture slicing help make up the “Velocity Architecture.”
Trump admin caves to Harvard and MIT, won’t deport online-only students by Jon Brodkin on 2020-07-14 21:09 (#55Q82) ICE policy withdrawn after lawsuit, letting international students remain in US.
It’s modular, it’s cheap, it runs Windows—it’s the $300 Kano tablet PC by Jim Salter on 2020-07-14 20:43 (#55Q5F) Microsoft and Kano teamed up to battle ChromeOS with a cheap Windows 10 tablet.