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Sachi Kitajima MulkeyScienceAug 8, 2026 5:00 AMSpokane Shows What the New Era of Wildfires Looks LikeWith rising temperatures and drier conditions, fires are more likely to explode. And with more people living next to forests, the results can be catastrophic.Utility workers help clear obstacles at a home burned during the Old Trails Fire in Spokane,…
Jorge GarayScienceAug 8, 2026 9:00 AMThe Sharpest Image Ever Taken of the Sun Reveals a Beautiful Hidden PhenomenonThe photograph, taken in visible light, made it possible to observe for the first time the tiny plasma vortices that had been predicted for more than a century.Courtesy of NSF/NSO/AURA/MPS/Inouye TelFor decades, scientists had theorized that the sun’s…
Dell CameronDhruv MehrotraSecurityAug 8, 2026 6:30 AMSecurity News This Week: Flock’s Plans for Rideshare Dashcams and Coaching Police, RevealedPlus: A judge rules cell tower dumps unconstitutional, water utility hacks spread to a dozen states, a phishing email opens a missile-parts supplier’s inbox, and a ransomware boss gets 16 years.Photo-Illustration: WIRED Staff; Getty ImagesIt’s Black Hat…
Luke LarsenGearAug 8, 2026 7:01 AMThe Best Gaming LaptopsYou don’t want any old gaming laptop. Here’s my take on which to get, based on hundreds of hours of testing.Courtesy of RazerI’ve been testing gaming laptops for more than a decade, and I’ve observed an evolution of sorts during those years. Gaming laptops were once expensive,…
Luke LarsenGearAug 8, 2026 7:34 AMMy Favorite Budget Laptop Is $550 Off Its Retail Price TodayThe HP OmniBook 5 has a beautiful OLED screen and gets great battery life, despite being just $750 right now.Courtesy of HPLaptops keep getting more expensive. Many of my favorite laptops to recommend for budget-conscious shoppers are hundreds more today…
Megan Tomos GearAug 8, 2026 5:00 AMWhatsApp Gets a Handy @all Feature for Group ChatsA new software update builds on WhatsApp’s group chat chops by adding anonymous polls and introducing an easier way to start a smaller private chat away from the larger group.Courtesy of WhatsApp.The group chat is the last truly heavyweight institution of…
Justin PotGearAug 8, 2026 6:00 AMHow to Disable the AI Features in Gmail and Google DocsNew AI toolbars and prompts are showing up in Google Docs and Gmail. If you don’t want Gemini’s help in writing documents and emails, here’s how to turn that stuff off.Photo-Illustration: Wired Staff; Getty ImagesHave you noticed how desperate tech…
Jorge GarayScienceAug 8, 2026 8:00 AMHere Are the First Images of the Crater Left on the Moon by SpaceX’s RocketThe Korea Aerospace Research Institute shared images that show the gash on the surface. It’s pretty small.This is the clearest photo to date of the collision involving a part of the Falcon 9 rocket. On the…
Vittoria ElliottPoliticsAug 8, 2026 10:03 AMCensus Proposal Would Stop Counting Undocumented Immigrants—and Ignore Race and Sexual OrientationA draft rule reviewed by WIRED would prevent the census from counting undocumented immigrants. To protect against “distortions,” it would also bar questions about race and sexual orientation.Photo-Illustration: Jobanny Cabrera; Getty ImagesThe US Department of Commerce, which oversees the…
Matt BurgessSecurityAug 8, 2026 6:00 AMSensitive Info Goes Into ‘No Reply’ Emails Constantly. This Guy Sees It AllTwo security researchers bought cheap domains—including noreply.net and deleteduser.com—and set up email listening services. Hundreds of companies are sending them corporate secrets.Photo-Illustration: Jobanny Cabrera; Getty ImagesCory Solovewicz receives more unwanted emails than you. Seriously—it’s a lot more. Since…