How to Reboot Your Burnt-Out Brain

This week, we round up tips for staying organized, energized, and mostly sane as we all ride out the rest of the pandemic.

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President Biden, Please Don't Get Into Carbon Farming

This is not the solution to our climate problems; it's a sweetheart deal for Big Ag.

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The Swashbuckling Escapism of Sid Meier’s Pirates!

The legendary developer’s new memoir brought back poignant memories of one of his most famous games—and of the hours I played with my dad.

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An Internet Without Trump

With Donald Trump no longer the heart of online discourse, there's room for a powerful shift.

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The Art and Science of Boarding an Airplane in a Pandemic

Researchers and airlines that obsessed over efficiency have spent the past year worrying about safety too.

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Alphabet Is Grounding Loon—but Won't Call It a Failure

Plus: The moonshot’s launch, health care for the mask-less, and a new era’s inaugural meme.

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He Made a Viral Bernie Meme Site. Now He Has to Keep It Going

Nick Sawhney's “Bernie Sits" puts Sanders anywhere on Google Street View.

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Facebook's Oversight Board to Decide on Trump Ban

Facebook has to decide whether to give the ex-president his bullhorn back. It won't make that call by itself.

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Is This a Fossilized Lair of the Dreaded Bobbit Worm?

Scientists say they've got 20-million-year-old evidence of giant worms that hunted in pretty much the most nightmarish way possible.

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Cheaper Yet Refined, Samsung’s Latest Galaxy Phones Are Great

The price tag might still make you blink, but Samsung’s new flagship has one of the best cameras in a smartphone.

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The Best Phones With an Actual Headphone Jack

3.5-millimeter audio jacks are endangered, but they’re not extinct. Here are some of our favorite smartphones that still let you plug in.

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These Recharge Rooms Are Helping Health Care Workers Cope

Using voice-activation tech and nature-inspired soundscapes, these space are designed to give medical workers some respite from the Covid-19 front lines.

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How One Rabbi Uses Roleplaying Games to Build Community

Spirituality is only one tool in this community leader's toolkit for bringing people closer together. Character sheets are another.

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This Chinese Lab Is Aiming for Big AI Breakthroughs

China produces as many artificial intelligence researchers as the US, but it lags in key fields like machine learning. The government hopes to make up ground.

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The US Rejoins the Paris Climate Accord. Will It Matter?

Biden’s first-day actions signal that he’s serious about global warming. But he’s got to make up for four years of lost time.

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The US Rejoins the Paris Climate Accord. Will It Matter?

Biden’s first-day actions signal that he’s serious about global warming. But he’s got to make up for four years of lost time.

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Parler Finds a Reprieve in Russia—but Not a Solution

The far-right platform still hasn't found a US-based home. Where it lands could have serious consequences for its users' privacy.

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The Strange Theater of Watching the Inauguration Online

Few people could witness Joe Biden and Kamala Harris get sworn in in person. Instead, we watched (and tried to make sense of it all) online.

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A Site Published Every Face from Parler's Capitol Riot Videos

Faces of the Riot used open source software to detect, extract, and deduplicate every face from the 827 videos taken from the insurrection on January 6.

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Social Media Bans Are Really, Actually, Shockingly Common

Booting Trump didn’t set a precedent. From Yelp to Uber to Airbnb, platforms regularly ban users and content, but too often behind the scenes.

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WIRED’s Picks for the 10 Books You Have to Read This Winter

It’s cold and you’re probably still quarantined. Time to get reading. Start with these tales of reimagined histories and cloned partners.

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Looking for a Tablet? These Are Our Absolute Favorites

We’ve tested all the top slates, from Apple’s iPads to Android and Windows devices.

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How to Get Great Tech Support—From Home

If you're in your home office for the long haul,  you can still get the TLC you need for your IT. Here are some options.

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Vaping Won't Keep Young People From Smoking Cigarettes Later

It won't prevent teens from later becoming smokers. But some health experts say that focusing on the risk of addicting new smokers cuts off a chance to help adults quit.

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Biden’s Covid Plan Will Define His Presidency

It’s not just about the pandemic. How the new administration handles Covid-19 will be a test of every one of its policies—and its values.

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Palantir’s God’s-Eye View of Afghanistan

The company’s software can sift through enormous amounts of data, and those metrics can be used to make life-or-death decisions.

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14 Best Weekend Deals on TVs, Laptops, and More

It’s a long weekend. These discounted picks will help you sit down, tune out, and tune in to your screens to while away the time.

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Virtual CES Was As Surreal As We All Suspected It Would Be

Should it have happened at all?

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How to Bust Your Spotify Feedback Loop and Find New Music

Does the algorithm know you too well? Here’s how to shake up your recommendations for a more varied listening experience.

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It’s Not Just You: Everyone’s Mental Health Is Suffering

If you’re thinking, “Oh, I just need to suck it up,” stop. What you’re feeling is real. Here’s how to cope.

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Share Streaming Accounts? Set Up Separate User Profiles

Here's how to keep your recommendations and history at least semi-private. No one needs to know how much Bridgerton you watched.

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Former DOD Head: The US Needs a New Plan to Beat China on AI

In an interview with WIRED, former secretary of defense Ash Carter discussed how to build morality into AI—and make sure other countries do too.

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What Hades Can Teach Us About Ancient Greek Masculinity

Everyone in the game may be hot, but some of the characterizations we see aren't as subversive as you might think.

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The Bygone Glory of Blockbuster's 'Pokémon Snap' Station

Nintendo is releasing a new version of the game in April. But nothing can replace the magic of the rental store's printed-out pocket monsters.

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Watch Highlights From WIRED's CES Conversations

Check out the replays of our talks with former US defense secretary Ash Carter, Nobel laureate Jennifer A. Doudna, Slack CEO Scott Butterfield, and more.

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Robot Toilets, Vibrating Headbands, and Other Oddities at CES

This week, we recap the news, trends, and stand-out gadgets from the first-ever virtual CES.

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How to Preorder the Samsung Galaxy S21—and Which One to Get

Should you go Ultra or snag the S21+? We break down the differences between the company’s new phones and round up the best deals.

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I Am Not a Soldier, but I Have Been Trained to Kill

A sprawling tactical industry is teaching American civilians how to fight like Special Ops forces. By preparing for violence at home, are they calling it into being?

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CES 2021 Highlights: 79 Gadgets and Glimpses Into the Future

The consumer electronics show was virtual this year, and the WIRED Gear crew watched all the Zooms to bring you this list of nearly 80 products, trends, musings, and photos.

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The Autonomous Saildrone Surveyor Preps for Its Sea Voyage

The robo-vessel will map the ocean floor, and its solar-powered sensors will sample fish DNA and collect climate data.

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Big Tech Can’t Ban Its Way Out of This

Platforms are scrambling to avoid being used by right-wing extremists targeting the inauguration. But the seeds of this crisis were sown long ago.

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Facebook Can’t Fix What It Won’t Admit To

Plus: Zuckerberg’s community manifesto, how to hold platforms accountable, and an accidental admission in Congress.

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AI-Powered Text From This Program Could Fool the Government

A Harvard medical student submitted auto-generated comments to Medicaid; volunteers couldn’t distinguish them from those penned by humans.

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Wikipedia Is Basically a Massive RPG

Sure, the metaphor is imperfect. But as the encyclopedia enters its 20th year, it's worth reflecting on the "rules of the game"—and how they might change.

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The DC Riot Is the Sandy Hook of the Disinformation Crisis

After the 2012 mass shooting, many asked: If this doesn’t lead to change, can we ever expect change? We should be asking the same of the insurrection.

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Adorable Fish Bots Get Schooled in How to Swarm

Meet Bluebot, a friendly swimming robot with big camera eyes. Put a few in a tank together and they’ll collaborate to complete surprisingly complex tasks.

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The Future of Phone Design: Flexible Screens That Roll Up

At CES 2021, two companies showed off concepts for a rollable phone. This year, expect this new category of devices to greatly expand.

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How Law Enforcement Gets Around Your Smartphone's Encryption

New research has dug into the openings that iOS and Android security provide for anyone with the right tools.

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Scientists Have Sequenced Dire Wolf DNA. Thanks, Science!

The creatures made famous by Game of Thrones went extinct some 13,000 years ago. Now geneticists know a little more about where they come from.

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How to Bust Your Spotify Feedback Loop and Find New Music

Does the algorithm know you too well? Here’s how to shake up your recommendations for a more varied listening experience.

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The 7 Best Drones for Every Budget

Whether you want to battle Star Wars spaceships or shoot a cinematic masterpiece, one of these picks is going to be perfect for you.

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It’s Not Just You: Everyone’s Mental Health Is Suffering

If you’re thinking, “Oh, I just need to suck it up,” stop. What you’re feeling is real. Here’s how to cope.

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The Autonomous Saildrone Surveyor Preps for Its Sea Voyage

The robo-vessel will map the ocean floor, and its solar-powered sensors will sample fish DNA and collect climate data.

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What You Lose When You Turn Into an Animal

In Pixar’s new film, Soul, the protagonist wakes up in the body of a cat. It’s a common enough trope—but it gets messier the more you think about it.

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Trump’s Worst, Most Bizarre Statements About ‘the Cyber’

Over the course of his presidency, he managed to be consistently wrong, outrageous, and dangerous in equal measure. We look back at his most notorious remarks.

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Covid, Schools, and the High-Stakes Experiment No One Wanted

Reopening in the fall was a massive gamble. At one high-poverty elementary school, navigating the risks paid off.

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Why Do Exploding Barrels Make Video Games So Much More Fun?

Elemental reactions, like shooting a dynamite-filled barrel or using an ice spell to cross a stream, are an important way for designers to bring worlds to life.

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Virgin Orbit Just Launched a Rocket From a 747

Launching rockets from planes is a decades-old concept that never really took off. Billionaire Richard Branson thinks its time has come.

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The US Government Needs to Invest in Digital Design

Our nation’s failure to invest in information technology has severely limited our Covid response. A federal chief experience officer could change that.

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17 Bags, Backpacks, Cubes, and Straps to Protect Your Camera

There are dozens of ways to tote around your photo and video gear. We’ve reviewed our favorites.

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Want to Write a Book This Year? These Tools Can Help

We spoke to two award-winning authors for their tips on how to make it from start to finish. Here's how they take notes, organize chapters, and—yes—get comfy.

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The Crooked, Complex Geometry of Round Trips

Imagine if we lived on a cube-shaped Earth. How would you find the shortest path around the world?

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Share Streaming Accounts? Set Up Separate User Profiles

Here's how to keep your recommendations and history at least semi-private. No one needs to know how much Bridgerton you watched.

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Former DOD Head: The US Needs a New Plan to Beat China on AI

In an interview with WIRED, former secretary of defense Ash Carter discussed how to build morality into AI—and make sure other countries do too.

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Climate Change Needs an Operation Warp Speed

If the Covid vaccine push has proved anything, it’s that big government works.

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If Covid-19 Did Start With a Lab Leak, Would We Ever Know?

The two major investigations into the origins of the pandemic are compromised by potential conflicts of interest. Those problems need to be fixed—fast.

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The FBI Has Made Over 100 Arrests Related to the Capitol Riot

Plus: A dark web takedown, a bitcoin scam, and more of the week's top security news.

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What Hades Can Teach Us About Ancient Greek Masculinity

Everyone in the game may be hot, but some of the characterizations we see aren't as subversive as you might think.

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DJI's Latest Compact Drone Is a Blast to Fly

The Mini 2 is still lightweight yet has enough flying power for some windy conditions, and it comes equipped with a better camera.

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The Physics of Reddit's Spinning Solar System Icon

If the dots on the loading screen were planets, is their motion realistic? And can we actually model it?

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The Race Is On to Identify and Stop Inauguration Rioters

As tech companies scramble to tackle the extreme far-right, police and law enforcement are encasing Washington, DC, in a ring of steel.

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Can This Group Revive the Finicky Corpse Flower?

In botanic gardens around the world, the reproductive future of the famously smelly plant is threatened. A new collaborative program wants to save it.

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Big Tech Can’t Ban Its Way Out of This

Platforms are scrambling to avoid being used by right-wing extremists targeting the inauguration. But the seeds of this crisis were sown long ago.

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The Bygone Glory of Blockbuster's 'Pokémon Snap' Station

Nintendo is releasing a new version of the game in April. But nothing can replace the magic of the rental store's printed-out pocket monsters.

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14 Best Weekend Deals on TVs, Laptops, and More

It’s a long weekend. These discounted picks will help you sit down, tune out, and tune in to your screens to while away the time.

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Virtual CES Was As Surreal As We All Suspected It Would Be

Should it have happened at all?

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Faster Vaccinations, New Mutations, and More Coronavirus News

Catch up on the most important updates from this week.

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Watch Highlights From WIRED's CES Conversations

Check out the replays of our talks with former US defense secretary Ash Carter, Nobel laureate Jennifer A. Doudna, Slack CEO Scott Butterfield, and more.

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Ex-CISA Head Chris Krebs: ‘Impeachment Is the Right Mechanism’

In an interview with WIRED, the famously fired DHS official shared insights on election security, disinformation, SolarWinds—and what to do about Trump.

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With Discovery, Star Trek Is Finally Moving Forward

The show's third season jumps forward 1,000 years into the future. It helped the show not stay mired in old ideas.

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Facebook Can’t Fix What It Won’t Admit To

Plus: Zuckerberg’s community manifesto, how to hold platforms accountable, and an accidental admission in Congress.

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Hackers Used Zero-Days to Infect Windows and Android Devices

Google researchers say the campaign, which booby-trapped sites to ensnare targets, was carried out by a “highly sophisticated actor.”

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Robot Toilets, Vibrating Headbands, and Other Oddities at CES

This week, we recap the news, trends, and stand-out gadgets from the first-ever virtual CES.

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2020 Was the One of the Hottest Years on Record

Officials from NASA and NOAA say the warming of both the planet’s air and water are driving weather disasters.

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AI-Powered Text From This Program Could Fool the Government

A Harvard medical student submitted auto-generated comments to Medicaid; volunteers couldn’t distinguish them from those penned by humans.

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Wikipedia Is Basically a Massive RPG

Sure, the metaphor is imperfect. But as the encyclopedia enters its 20th year, it's worth reflecting on the "rules of the game"—and how they might change.

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How to Preorder the Samsung Galaxy S21—and Which One to Get

Should you go Ultra or snag the S21+? We break down the differences between the company’s new phones and round up the best deals.

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Everything We Know Now About Schools, Kids, and Covid-19

Researchers are finally getting good data on how severely SARS-CoV-2 affects children and how they transmit it. What does it mean for reopening classrooms?

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I Am Not a Soldier, but I Have Been Trained to Kill

A sprawling tactical industry is teaching American civilians how to fight like Special Ops forces. By preparing for violence at home, are they calling it into being?

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Why TikTok (and Everyone Else) Is Singing Sea Chanteys

It has a lot to do with unity—and a little something to do with earworms.

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Can an AI Predict the Language of Viral Mutation?

Computational biologists used an algorithm meant to model human language to instead predict how viruses could evolve to evade the immune system.

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Samsung Has New Galaxy Phones (and New Earbuds Too)

A trio of new Android phones—the S21, S21+, and S21 Ultra—are joined by new Bluetooth earbuds and a Tile-like tracker.

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The DC Riot Is the Sandy Hook of the Disinformation Crisis

After the 2012 mass shooting, many asked: If this doesn’t lead to change, can we ever expect change? We should be asking the same of the insurrection.

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How Old-School Text Adventures Inspired Our Virtual Spaces

MMORPGs and even social media can trace their roots to games that used simple text commands to construct vivid, fantastical worlds.

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An Algorithm Is Helping a Community Detect Lead Pipes

The model had shown promise in Flint before officials rebelled. Now Toledo is using it, while incorporating more public input.

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Crime Rates Dropped in 2020—Just as They Did in 1918

An economist looks at public safety during the Covid lockdowns and also at the time of Spanish Flu.

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The Next Gen Console Games You Should Actually Care About

The Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 have some great games coming this year—assuming schedules hold. Here's a quick rundown of some great ones.

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The 15 Best Devices From CES That You Can Buy Now

Much of the trade show’s flashy tech will never hit store shelves, but here are a few gadgets that are already available.

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The Local Politics of Airbnb’s Ban on DC Rentals

Residents and city officials traumatized by last week’s unrest fear a repeat for Biden’s inauguration.

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These Adorable Fish Robots Form Schools Like the Real Thing

Meet Bluebot, a friendly swimming robot with big camera eyes. Put a few in a tank together and they’ll collaborate to complete surprisingly complex tasks.

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