Space Force Is Planning a Military Exercise in Orbit
Two satellites will engage in a “realistic threat response scenario” when Victus Haze gets underway.
https://www.wired.com/story/space-force-military-exercise-satellite/
Toronto Wants to Manage Storms and Floods—With a Rain Tax
Outcry reached such a crescendo last week that the city canceled public hearings on the tax, which is intended to help offset the hundreds of millions spent managing stormwater and basement flooding.
https://www.wired.com/story/rain-tax-toronto-canada-climate-change-weather/
Can You Really Run on Top of a Train, Like in the Movies?
To pull off this classic Hollywood stunt, you gotta know your physics!
https://www.wired.com/story/can-you-really-run-on-top-of-a-train/
Bird Flu Is Spreading in Alarming New Ways
H5N1 has infected cattle across the US and jumped from a mammal to a human for the first time. Experts fear it may someday evolve to spread among humans.
https://www.wired.com/story/bird-flu-is-spreading-in-new-ways-h5n1-cattle-usa/
This Woman Will Decide Which Babies Are Born
Noor Siddiqui founded Orchid so people could “have healthy babies.” Now she’s using the company’s gene technology on herself—and talking about it for the first time.
https://www.wired.com/story/this-woman-will-decide-which-babies-are-born-noor-siddiqui-orchid/
Mexico City’s Metro System Is Sinking Fast. Yours Could Be Next
Subsidence is causing parts of Mexico City to sink, and it’s happening at an uneven rate. That’s bad news for its sprawling public transportation system.
https://www.wired.com/story/mexico-city-metro-sinking-subsidence/
The Honeybees Versus the Murder Hornets
Under threat from murder hornets, climate change, and habitat loss, UK honeybees are getting help from AI-enabled apiculturists tracking everything from foraging patterns to foreign invaders.
https://www.wired.com/story/bees-hornets-pollenize-invasive-species-united-kingdom/
Elon Musk’s Latest Mars Pitch Has Potential
SpaceX has made significant progress toward what once seemed an unattainable goal.
Europe Rules That Insufficient Climate Change Action Is a Human Rights Violation
In a landmark ruling, the European Court of Human Rights found that Switzerland had not done enough to protect its citizens from climate change—blowing open the door for further cases against governments.
https://www.wired.com/story/climate-change-action-human-rights-violation-europe/
The Best Total Solar Eclipse Photos (2024)
Whether you’re in the path of the totality or keeping track from afar, these are the best total solar eclipse photos we’ve found.
https://www.wired.com/story/total-solar-eclipse-best-photos/
Total Solar Eclipse of April 8, 2024: Watch Online, What Time, Path of Totality
Here’s how to view the total solar eclipse on April 8 as the moon casts a slender shadow across Mexico, the United States, and eastern Canada.
https://www.wired.com/story/total-solar-eclipse-2024-watch-online/
A Popular Alien-Hunting Technique Is Increasingly in Doubt
Recent controversies bode ill for the effort to detect life on other planets by analyzing the gases in their atmospheres.
https://www.wired.com/story/search-for-alien-life-biosignatures-gas-atmosphere/
Searching for 'Forever Chemicals' From an Endless Landfill Fire
Alabama residents are considering blood or urine tests to see if “forever chemicals” have resulted from a nearby landfill fire that has burned since 2022.
https://www.wired.com/story/moody-landfill-fire-pfas-forever-chemicals/
How Will the Solar Eclipse Affect Animals? NASA Needs Your Help to Find Out
NASA’s Eclipse Soundscapes project will collect observations and soundscapes recorded by the public during the April 8 total solar eclipse.
https://www.wired.com/story/solar-eclipse-nasa-soundscapes-citizen-science/
He Got a Pig Kidney Transplant. Now Doctors Need to Keep It Working
Researchers think a combination of genetic edits and an experimental immunosuppressive drug could make the first pig kidney transplant a long-term success.
https://www.wired.com/story/pig-kidney-transplant-discharge-ongoing-care/
Why the East Coast Earthquake Covered So Much Ground
Friday morning's earthquake was felt from New York City all the way to Washington, DC. Blame ancient fault lines and bedrock for the jolt.
https://www.wired.com/story/why-the-east-coast-earthquake-covered-so-much-ground/
Can You View a Round Solar Eclipse Through a Square Hole?
Here’s a cool way to watch the eclipse on Monday—and learn about the weird physics of light while you’re at it.
https://www.wired.com/story/a-round-eclipse-in-a-square-hole/
These Women Came to Antarctica for Science. Then the Predators Emerged
Jane Willenbring was the first to blow the whistle on sexual harassment and assault in Antarctica. Years later, women are still coming forward with tales of horror as a government investigation unfolds.
https://www.wired.com/story/women-antarctica-science-predators-whistleblower/
‘In 24 Hours, You’ll Have Your Pills:’ American Women Are Traveling to Mexico for Abortions
Since the US Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, more women have been crossing the border to Mexico for abortion medications and procedures.
https://www.wired.com/story/american-women-abortions-mexico/
International Space Station Trash May Have Hit This Florida House
The object tore through the roof and both floors of a two-story home. NASA will investigate whether it’s space junk.
https://www.wired.com/story/house-hit-by-international-space-station-trash-iss/