In the Netflix show The Mitchells vs. the Machines, robots are planning to blast all of humanity into outer space. How much time and energy will that take?

Before you think this is about trading one unhealthy habit for another, it’s not like that. Here’s why.

Copilot is pitched as a helpful aid to developers. But some programmers object to the blind copying of blocks of code used to train the algorithm.

A new music creation plug-in uses machine intelligence to compose songs on the fly that match the visual tone and rhythm of creators’ videos.

The pandemic ushered in a new wave of pet owners—and unleashed business opportunities for companies that cater to them.

Using a novel device made from carbon atoms and a laser, researchers captured real-time electrical signals from muscle tissue.

Shannon Appelcline's Designers and Dragons books offer a detailed look at the history of tabletop roleplaying games.

The historic flight is only the second time that the rocket plane has carried people.

Action genre veterans may struggle with the pace and complexity of modern games, but they have no intention of hanging up their controllers.

After 72 years and billions of interlocking polymer toy bricks, the company finally has an eco-friendly alternative.

The FCC won't be able to do most of the things the president encouraged in his executive order until he nominates a fifth commissioner.

At critical moments, rotational invariance is a universal property across many physical systems.

Search Atlas displays three sets of links—or images—from different countries for any search.

Use simple commands to have Amazon's voice assistant trigger actions like dimming the bedroom lights or reading the headlines.

There are 150 child sexual abuse laws around the world. Now, metadata is making it easier for countries to work together.

Plus: A failed takedown in Russia, details on an FBI-sting encrypted phone, and more of the week's top security news.

From two-day battery life to reliable cameras, this Android smartphone is the renaissance gadget in a world of cheap phones.

A new report details global warming’s effect on the national park and its surroundings, including everything from its forests to the Old Faithful geyser.

Between marathons on Twitch and the annual Games Done Quick event, watching people rush to complete games in minutes rather than hours is a compelling pastime.

Diplomats hurl insults and mock enemies in screeds that often appear aimed at a domestic audience, even though the social media service is blocked in China.

It's hot outside. Cool off indoors and pass the time with these discounted Switch games, wireless earbuds, and more.

Not ready for an all-out island vacation just yet? Hit the road instead.

The company released a patch this week, but security researchers say the root of the problem is beyond its control—and symptomatic of a larger issue.

Catch up on the most important updates from this week.

They’re treated as cannon fodder. “Amara Kel’s Rules for TIE Fighter Pilot Survival (Probably)” gives them a different life.

A sweeping new presidential directive includes, among other things, an initiative to secure consumers’ right to repair their own devices.

Companies are racing to track everything about you. It could be a convenient way to reduce fraud—or seriously creepy and discriminatory.

Plus: The biggest idea of 2016, the ethics of synthetic data, and a blaze on the Gulf of Mexico.

Yes, Covid-19 delayed the film, but the movie should have come out years ago.

This week we discuss the proliferation of ebikes in bike-share networks, as well as the explosive growth of private ebike ownership.

This robot can help a human assemble a bookcase by predicting what part they’ll want next and handing it over.

Google, Nvidia, and others are training algorithms in the dark arts of designing semiconductors—some of which will be used to run artificial intelligence programs.

B-list reality stars. Sex workers. A shirtless cooking show. Programming on the renegade platform finds comfort among the uncomfortable.

For the second time in a month, the company issued an update that doesn't fully address a severe security vulnerability in Windows.

Security researchers warned Kaseya about its IT management software in April, but the patches didn't come fast enough to avert last week's disaster.

With the three-pack, you can get internet connectivity in every corner of your home at a startlingly low price.

The Coway Airmega 400 is a WIRED-tested top pick, and it’s ideal for bigger spaces. It hasn't dipped this low since the start of 2020.

A new study finds that making contraceptives and reproductive care accessible through a state-funded program in Colorado reduced the dropout rate for young women.

The conspiracists might have been deplatformed, but their movement is shifting into local elections and events.

Show me DLC and I will pay good money to spend, uh, quality time with characters.

Prisoners are suing for their right to hormone therapy and gender confirmation surgery—if deemed necessary. Meet the psychiatrist who almost always says it's not.

The company’s latest video, “Spot’s on It,” signals its deepening, complexifying relationship with dance.

Stretching a few more years out of your PS4 console? Try some of these lovely extras.

Amidst a wave of media consolidation, the retail giant’s moves feel like they come from an old playbook.

The discovery could have a profound effect on cell research for many species of plants and animals, as well as the future of crops.

Before authoritarians pollute the 2022 midterms, the US and EU must build a blueprint for democratic internet governance.

Last month saw some record-breaking temperatures. If you’re going for a run, be sure to wear the right clothes and stay hydrated.

Yadea's electric KS5 Pro has quite a few quirks, but it offers up a decently comfortable ride, enough speed, and average range to make up for it.

Members of Congress from Western states are pushing for $750 million to turn wastewater into pure water. Here’s how that works.

For years, the megacorporation has churned out sci-fi—Electric Dreams, Upload, Solos—that ranges from obnoxious to just plain noxious.