Nature Makes Wood. Could a Lab Make It Better?

For millennia, humans have been chopping down trees and harvesting plants. Lab-grown plant material might change that.

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How to Avoid Phishing Emails and Scams

It's is a bigger threat than ever. Here are some ways you can defend yourself.

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If Work Is Going Remote, Why Is Big Tech Still Building?

Google, Facebook, and others promise more flexibility to work from home. But they’re charging ahead with plans for more offices.

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2034, Part IV: The Spratly Islands Ambush

“In a thousand years America won’t be remembered as a country, but simply as a fleeting moment.”

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New From Lego: AR Llamas That Dance to Katy Perry

The company's latest learning platform incorporates coding elements, augmented reality, and a selection of kid-friendly pop tunes.

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France Ties Russia's Sandworm to a Multiyear Hacking Spree

A French security agency warns that the destructively minded group has exploited an IT monitoring tool from Centreon.

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How to Calculate the String Angle of a Kite vs. a Balloon

It's a beautiful day to go outside with a kite or a balloon, and compute how wind speed alters their flight.

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How to Use Your PS5 or Xbox Controller Everywhere Else

Want to play games on your phone, desktop, laptop, or tablet? If you own a console, you probably don't need a separate controller.

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Billionaires See VR as a Way to Avoid Radical Social Change

Tech oligarchs are encouraging the creation of virtual worlds as a cheap way to avoid problems in the real one.

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Underwater Meditation and the Therapeutic Benefits of VR

Virtual reality can be a supportive tool for people with disabilities or anxiety, or who just need help getting up and moving.

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A Case Against the Peeping Tom Theory of Privacy

Yes, it's creepy when companies can track your every move. But that's not the only problem.

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How Covid Gums Up the Court System

Videofeeds sometimes fail, defense attorneys can’t confer with clients, and witnesses have a hard time reviewing documents.

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Scientists Find Strange Critters Under a Half Mile of Ice

Researchers only drilled through an Antarctic ice shelf to sample sediment. Instead, they found animals that weren't supposed to be there.

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What Happens When You Swap a Human Gene With a Neanderthal’s?

Now that we’ve gotten a look at the genomes of archaic humans, researchers are trying to determine whether our differences are due to genetics.

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Authoritarian Regimes Could Exploit Cries of ‘Deepfake’

Identifying doctored videos is essential. But assuming everything is faked allows autocrats to cast doubt on real videos of their violence.

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Don’t Tell Einstein, but Black Holes Might Have ‘Hair’

The general theory of relativity states that black holes have only three observable properties; additional ones, or “hair,” do not exist. Or do they?

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How to Level Up Your At-Home Recording Studio

Ready to upgrade your USB microphone or headset to something better? Here’s how to make sense of pro(ish) audio gear.

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The Untold History of America’s Zero-Day Market

The lucrative business of dealing in code vulnerabilities is central to espionage and war planning, which is why brokers never spoke about it—until now.

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A Billion-Dollar Dark Web Crime Lord Calls It Quits

The “big hack” redux, riot planning on Facebook, and more of the week's top security news.

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Scientists Can Literally Become Allergic to Their Research

Researchers spend long periods of time around the organisms they study. Sometimes, that exposure has unintended—and potentially deadly—effects.

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19 Face Masks We Actually Like to Wear

Plus, updated tips on how to wear them most effectively—whether you're running, going to work, or just trying to stay safe and stylish.

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The Best Presidents' Day Deals for the Home, Phones, and More

Take advantage of the many sales going on this weekend and save on gear you might need.

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We Need a Global Outbreak Investigation Team—Now

The WHO’s fact-finding mission into the origins of Covid-19 was limited and late. But there are models to help prepare for the next crisis.

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A New Artificial Intelligence Makes Mistakes—on Purpose

A chess program that learns from human error might be better at working with people or negotiating with them.

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How to Have a Meaningful Video Chat … With Your Dog

Has the pandemic separated you from your four-legged friend? These tips will help you stay in touch.

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The Rot of Riot Games Culture Starts at the Top

CEO Nicolo Laurent continues to employ multiple top executives who have been accused of sexism and harassment—and is himself the subject of a complaint.

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Researchers Levitated a Small Tray Using Nothing but Light

One day a “magic carpet” based on this light-induced flow technology could carry climate sensors high in the atmosphere—wind permitting.

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Vaccine Progress, New Mask Guidelines, and More News

Catch up on the most important updates from this week.

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Mrs. Coulter Is One of the Best Villains on TV

Ruth Wilson's character is the highlight of HBO's His Dark Materials.

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The Crushing Disappointment of Fandom

Gina Carano, Joss Whedon—this week has been full of dispiriting news about people many fans admire.

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New York City’s Surveillance Battle Offers National Lessons

A lack of police transparency highlights how citizens need to remain vigilant to take back control over their privacy.

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Optimizely’s Founder Wants to Augment Your Memories

Plus: The Obama campaign’s data wiz, the limits of content moderation, and a video filter gone awry.

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Samsung's Galaxy Buds Pro Are the Best Premium Earbuds

Samsung's AirPods Pro competitors have better battery life, better sound, and a more comfortable fit than Apple's buds.

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Hackers, Mason Jars, and the Science of DIY Shrooms

The history of home cultivation methods of Psilocybe is more connected to early internet culture than you'd think.

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Carjackings Are Up—and Gig Workers Are Getting Victimized

Drivers, often unfamiliar with a neighborhood, leave cars running while dropping off food. Opportunistic thieves lie in wait.

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The Wanting Mare Is the Most Visual Fantasy in Recent Memory

It asks you to dig into your past—with the help of some magic horses.

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This Cryptocurrency Is Really Burning a Hole in My Pocket

This week, we discuss crypto’s role in the future of shopping. When can we to use it to buy everything from Nikes to Teslas?

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If You Can Learn Twitch-Speak, You Can Learn a Language

If I could come to understand forsenCD and poggers, then teaching myself Mandarin Chinese didn't seem too far-fetched.

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Microsoft’s Big Win in Quantum Computing Was an ‘Error’

In a 2018 paper, researchers said they found evidence of an elusive theorized particle. A closer look now suggests otherwise.

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Our Picks From Outdoor Winter Clearance Sales Going on Now

The best time to buy is when the season is winding down. It's not just cold-weather picks, but backpacks, headlamps, sporks, and more.

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The Hollywood Tech Tricks Getting Film Crews Back On Set

Filmmakers really can’t WFH during a pandemic. These innovations help them shoot from a safe distance.

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The CDC Now Recommends Double-Masking. Here's How to Do It

The CDC has released a report showing that two masks are better than one for curbing transmission of the coronavirus. Here's the proper way to double up.

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Aurora Partners With Toyota on Self-Driving Sienna Taxis

The autonomous vehicle startup purchased Uber’s struggling self-driving technology division in December.

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As More Women Enter Science, It’s Time to Redefine Mentorship

In STEM fields, female students often can’t find an adviser who looks like them. It’s important to talk about what they need from a mentor.

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A Windows Defender Flaw Lurked Undetected for 12 Years

Microsoft has finally patched the bug in its antivirus program after researchers spotted it last fall.

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The Best Base Layers to Keep You Warm

Strip down to basics with our favorite blended, merino wool, and synthetic tops.

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NASA Wants to Set a New Radiation Limit for Astronauts

As the agency considers sending people to the moon and Mars, it’s taking a fresh look at the research on cancer risk and recalculating acceptable thresholds.

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WandaVision Brought the Multiverse to Marvel

And just like at DC, and maybe even at Star Wars, I promise you it will end in tears.

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Games Don’t Judge You for Expressing Your True Self

Players in Stardew Valley and other titles are experiencing a kind of gender euphoria—and it’s helping them be themselves.

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Premature Babies and the Lonely Terror of a Pandemic NICU

Baby Olivia weighed 1 pound, 10 ounces. Her doctors faced a stressful paradox: giving her the healing power of a parent's touch, while keeping the virus out.

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16 Valentine's Day Deals for Your Sweetheart (or Yourself)

From a bouquet of flowers to sex tech, you can save on gifts for your special someone.

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Listen to an 18,000-Year-Old Instrument Sing Once More

Long, long ago, a human modified a conch shell to belt out a tune. Here's how scientists resurrected its triumphant sound.

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The Case for Launching an Easy Mode for Difficult Games

Balancing a studio’s desire to create a challenging game and casual players’ demands for something lighter can be tough. Control did it very well.

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The Best Mirrorless Cameras to Level Up Your Photos

Want the image quality of a DSLR without the bulk? These mirrorless cameras do more with less.

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A Barcode Scanner App With Millions of Downloads Goes Rogue

After an update in December, the app began infecting Android devices, bombarding users with ads on their default browser.

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Game Subscriptions Are On the Rise. Indies Could Suffer

Curated video game ecosystems pose an uncertain future for those outside the blockbuster bubble.

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The Digital Divide Is Giving American Churches Hell

Covid-19 has upended churchgoing in the US. Like so much else with the pandemic, the impacts are not felt equally.

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Beijing’s Ban on Clubhouse Won't Deter Some Listeners

The audio app hosted discussions on sensitive topics such as Taiwan and Uighurs before it was removed from the App Store. Some users have found workarounds.

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How to Make Your Music Streaming a Little More Social

Share playlists, listen with friends remotely, and stay connected with these tips.

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Cyberpunk 2077 Maker Was Hit With Ransomware—and Won't Pay Up

CD Projekt Red's list of woes gets longer, as hackers claim to have stolen the source code for their most popular games.

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Covid-19 Vaccine Scams Spread Under Facebook's Watch

Don’t use an iTunes gift card to purchase doses of the vaccine online.

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The Best Running Gear for Your Long and Chilly Winter

Your gym might be closed, but the roads and parks are full. Get started running with our favorite cold-weather picks.

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How to Keep Kids Engaged in School—With Games

Teaching my high school class remotely hasn't been easy. But it has taught me a lot about how to use interactive tools to keep their attention.

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How This Teeny-Tiny Sea Critter Punches Like Mike Tyson

Using a camera shooting 300,000 frames per second, researchers catch the amphipod snapping its extraordinarily powerful claw.

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Artists Reimagine How Covid-19 Will Shape the Art World

When galleries and museums closed, artists found new ways to present their work. Now they're looking ahead to what their craft will look like after the pandemic.

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Would You Trade a Bitcoin for a Tesla?

The maker of electric vehicles said it had invested $1.5 billion in bitcoin and plans to accept the cryptocurrency as payment for its cars.

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2034, Part III: One Left to Tell the Tale

“When the planes didn't attack, a silence fell over the crew. Why didn't they finish the job?”

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The AirPods Max Are Insanely Great—and Insanely Expensive

Apple’s flagship noise-canceling headphones have a premium build and a premium price tag, but they also sound better than the rest.

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A Hacker Tried to Poison a Florida City's Water Supply

The attacker upped sodium hydroxide levels in the Oldsmar, Florida, water supply to extremely dangerous levels.

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Everyone on Twitter Needs an Etiquette Manual

After a year of quarantine, we could all use help relearning how to connect to people in a healthy way.

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How Did They Find the Secret Space Lab in Captain Marvel?

They talk about something called state vectors. What the heck are those, and would it really work?

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Forget Blood—Your Skin Might Know If You’re Sick

This glowing microneedle test could catalyze a transition from blood-based diagnostics to a stick-on patch.

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Tips on How to Snag a PlayStation 5 (Good Luck!)

Months after launch, Sony's latest console is proving difficult to find for many. We've got some tips on how to score one.

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Films of the Era Will Be as Unbalanced as the Pandemic Itself

What will films look like because of Covid-19? The same as during any other traumatic event. Some good, some bad, some brilliant.

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The Secret, Essential Geography of the Office

A workplace has its own informal cardinal directions: elevatorward, kitchenward, bathroomward. It's a map we share.

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A Historic Union Vote Gets Underway at Amazon

A warehouse in Bessemer, Alabama, could become the first Amazon union in the US. But it won’t happen overnight.

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All These Mutant Virus Strains Need New Code Names

As potentially more dangerous variants of Covid-19 spread, scientists are taking a crack at giving them clearer names that’ll help in the fight.

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How Choreography Can Help Robots Come Alive

Dance and robotics rarely overlap. But if they did, it could make robots seem less like industrial contrivances, and more like empathetic beings.

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A Silicon Chip Shortage Is Causing Big Issues for Automakers

Car companies have had to reduce output, pause production, and even idle shifts and entire factories.

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What Dust From Space Tells Us About Ourselves

Micrometeorites fill every corner of our planet. Matthew Genge is using these shards of interplanetary space to understand Earth and its place in the solar system.

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These Are the 11 Android Phones Worth Buying

Shopping for a new phone can be an ordeal. Let us take some of the pain out of it with these picks and tips.

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How to Free Up Space on Your Laptop

Running out of storage for that new game or work files you need to download? Here’s how to make some room.

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How to Stream the Super Bowl, Kitten Bowl, and Puppy Bowl

It's a day of Bowls and we'll tell you how to watch every one of them online, for free.

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Sad QAnon Followers Are at a Precarious Pivot Point

Disillusioned after Biden was sworn in, conspiracy theorists could now be swayed back to reality by conservatives and family members—or toward darker fringes.

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How to Find a Better Cell Phone Carrier

Everyone has an opinion on their wireless carrier, but the “best” option for you isn’t the best option for someone else. Here’s how to decide.

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Government Demands for Amazon User Data Exploded in 2020

Plus: Smartmatic lawsuits, a fake WhatsApp, and more of the week’s top security news.

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The Best Electric Toothbrushes for Your Pearly Whites

Yes, you have to recharge a toothbrush, but these can actually make brushing a little easier. Here are our favorites.

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How Steel Might Finally Kick Its Coal Habit

In order to curb the industry's prolific carbon emissions, the sector will have to transform how the material is traditionally made.

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Finally, an Interesting Proposal for Section 230 Reform

A new bill directly targets the most egregious excesses of online platform immunity.

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A New Vaccine, Protection Against Strains, and More News

Catch up on the most important updates from this week.

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Bliss Is the Worst Kind of Open-Ended Sci-Fi Movie

The director Mike Cahill loves ambiguity—and he used to be good at it.

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'Thoughts and Prayers' Is Clever Sci-Fi About Internet Trolls

Ken Liu's new short story is about a mother and father who get harassed online when they advocate for gun control following their daughter's murder.

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Screw It, Give 'The Mandalorian' a Golden Globe

It’s ridiculous that I May Destroy You wasn’t nominated. But if Michaela Coel won't get an award, at least give one to Baby Yoda.

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The Best Cheap Phones for (Almost) Every Budget

There’s little reason to pay top dollar for a phone these days. These are our favorite Android devices and iPhones for $200 to $500.

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Jeff Bezos Doesn’t Have Time to Be CEO of Amazon

Plus: The shelf life of a tech executive, innovation in the Covid era, and a green new emailer.

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Stunning Images of Starlings in Flight

For this Danish photographer, documenting the birds’ migration through the autumn dusk takes patience—and a fast shutter speed.

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Clubhouse Goes Mainstream—Where Does It Go Next?

This week, we discuss Elon Musk's drop-in and how the platform is weathering its growing pains.

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Why This Year’s Super Bowl Will Look Like Madden IRL

Sunday’s matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers might make TV viewers feel like they should have a controller in their hand.

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More Covid Vaccine Choices Mean New Equity Challenges

Johnson and Johnson’s vaccine can be delivered in a single dose, but it’s also slightly less effective. Who should get it?

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Everything You Need to Know About the Coronavirus

Here's all the WIRED coverage in one place, from how to keep your children entertained to how this outbreak is affecting the economy.

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