How Amazon Paid Unwitting Civilians to Make Alexa Smarter

In 2011, Jeff Bezos dreamt up a talking device. But making the virtual assistant sound intelligent proved far more difficult than anyone could have imagined.

DarkSide Hit Colonial Pipeline—and Created an Unholy Mess

As the White House gets involved in the response, the group behind the malware is scrambling.

US Teens Can Get Their Covid Shot. What’s Next for Schools?

Kids as young as 12 are now authorized for Pfizer’s shot. That could make it easier for campuses to reopen this fall—but it introduces a whole new set of decisions.

Black and Queer AI Groups Say They'll Spurn Google Funding

The move is the latest fallout following the departures of the heads of the company's ethical AI research team and a recruiter.

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.

One Thing Covid Didn’t Smash to Pieces? Monster Movies

If you liked Godzilla vs. Kong, there’s more—and better—where that stupid mindless clobberfest came from.

The Pentagon Inches Toward Letting AI Control Weapons

Drills involving swarms of drones raise questions about whether machines could outperform a human operator in complex scenarios.

Bad Weather Forecasts Are a Climate Crisis Disaster

Predicting the output of solar panels is tricky—but getting it right could slash carbon emissions.

The Best Chef’s Knives to Sharpen Your Home Cooking Skills

It's the indispensable multi-tool of the kitchen. We sliced and diced our way through meats and veggies to find today's best blades.

4 Rugged French Presses for Your Coffee-Fueled Summer Escape

Whether you're an avid camper or vacation home–renter, try one of these glass-free French presses made for traveling.

Hitting the Road This Winter? Take Your Kitchen With You

The Best Camping Gear to Jump-Start Your Adventures

Enjoy nature with WIRED’s favorite outdoor products and essentials.

The Colonial Pipeline Hack Is a New Extreme for Ransomware

An attack has crippled the company’s operations—and cut off a large portion of the East Coast’s fuel supply—in an ominous development for critical infrastructure.

ISPs Funded 8.5 Million Fake Comments Opposing Net Neutrality

The secret campaign, backed by major broadband companies, used real people’s names without their consent.

Microsoft’s 15-Inch Surface Laptop 4 Is a Battery Champion

This fourth-gen notebook lacks Thunderbolt and has a spongy keyboard, but it delivers where it matters most.

ISPs Funded 8.5 Million Fake Comments Opposing Net Neutrality

The secret campaign, backed by major broadband companies, used real people’s names without their consent.

What’s the Point of Wasps, Anyway?

A new study says the reviled stinging insects play a critical ecological role—and their venom might even be useful to people.

Trump Abused the System. Facebook Created It

The company's oversight board failed to mention one thing in its ruling this week: Facebook's responsibility for making the tools to wield undue influence and power.

22 Last-Minute Mother’s Day Gifts on Sale Now

Mom deserves breakfast in bed, but she may like these discounts on WIRED-Recommended gear, too.

Twitter's Tip Jar Privacy Fiasco Was Entirely Avoidable

Sending its users to PayPal has created all sorts of problems that Twitter should have caught ahead of time.

Pfizer's FDA Request, Vaccine Diplomacy, and More News

Catch up on the most important updates from this week.