Ars Technica
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How the US energy mix has changed since 2007 in four maps
Nuclear got a boost in several states as coal was retired.<p>The US Energy Information Agency (EIA) recently published two interesting sets of maps to …
Natural GasIn most cases, online microtask work can be a raw deal, UN study finds
UN questions whether this work has any benefits for society.<p>Microtask platforms recruit humans to do the rating, tagging, review-writing, and …
Fake ReviewsSolar panels replaced tarmac on a motorway. Here are the results.
Several factors work against this oddly popular idea.<p>Four years ago a viral campaign wooed the world with a promise of fighting climate change and …
Solar PanelsThe OnePlus 6 gets its official Android 9 Pie update
The OnePlus 5T took five months, but now the company has cut down to 45 days.<p>OnePlus continues its trend of getting better and better at updates. …
OnePlus 5T“Rainbow” weevil could hold the secret to generating nature’s colors in the lab
Similar mechanism might be used to make cosmetics and paints with more vivid hues.<p>There are many insects that boast one or two bright colors on their …
CrystalsCody Wilson arrives back in the States, enters US Marshals custody
Wilson will initially be booked into the Harris County Jail located in Houston.<p>In a late evening press release on Saturday, September 22, US Marshals …
Cody WilsonThrustmaster TPR is the king of mass-market flight sim pedals
High quality, high precision, and mod-friendly—even if they look a little odd.<p>Specs at a glance: Thrustmaster Pendular Rudder …
AI learns to decipher images based on spoken words—almost like a toddler
Neural networks keep getting better at unsupervised learning.<p>Babies learn words by matching images to sounds. A mother says "dog" and points to a …
MITReview: Founders of Gloomhaven groans beneath its own weight
There's a good board game buried deep beneath this finicky city-builder.<p>Welcome to Ars Cardboard, our weekend look at tabletop games! Check out our …
Post-Cody Wilson’s arrest, few know what’s up with his company or legal efforts
Filmmaker who got to know Cody Wilson says his company “can’t last” without him.<p>AUSTIN, Texas—On the surface, everything appears to be normal at …
Defense DistributedEcuador wanted to make Julian Assange a diplomat and send him to Moscow
Reuters: UK's Foreign Office did not accept diplomatic status, so plan was scuttled.<p>Last year, Ecuador attempted to deputize WikiLeaks founder Julian …
Julian AssangeHistorians find long-lost Galileo letter hiding in plain site at Royal Society
Letter shows Galileo lightly edited his original words to appease Catholic Church<p>Renowned astronomer Galileo has been lauded for centuries for his …
Royal SocietyTelltale Games begins wave of layoffs, cancels Stranger Things game
Branching-narrative Walking Dead studio may close, or may keep a skeleton crew of 25.<p>A wave of layoffs has apparently hit the video game studio …
The Walking DeadPotential buyers for largest coal plant in the Western US back out
Owner of supplying coal mine had been courting buyers.<p>Two investment companies that had been negotiating a purchase of the Navajo Generating Station …
U.S. Dept. of the InteriorSkype support coming to Alexa later this year
Microsoft and Amazon's partnership continues.<p>Later this year you'll be able to say "Alexa, call Mom on Skype" and have Amazon's digital assistant do …
SkypePayPal bans Alex Jones, saying he “promoted hate”
Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Apple, and Spotify have also banned Jones.<p>Payment processing giant PayPal has cut off the account of Alex Jones—the …
Alex JonesiFixit’s iPhone XS and XS Max teardown: Like the iPhone X with a couple surprises
The iPhone XS has a wild new battery design.<p>When we went hands-on with the iPhone XS and XS Max, we were mainly struck by how similar they felt to …
NYT sues FCC, says it hid evidence of Russia meddling in net neutrality repeal
FCC broke law by hiding net neutrality comment records, lawsuit alleges.<p><i>The New York Times</i> has sued the Federal Communications Commission over the …
JudiciaryDrugged puppies blamed for spreading diarrhea superbugs in multi-state outbreak
Officials were stunned by the amount of antibiotics the puppies had been given.<p>Puppies given a startling amount of antibiotics have spurred a …
PuppiesTaiwanese authorities arrest Cody Wilson, intend to deport him
Local reports: Wilson had no contraband and was calm when approached by authorities.<p>Defense Distributed founder Cody Wilson was arrested at a hotel …
Cody WilsonValkyria Chronicles 4 review: Same as it ever was
Alt-history real-time tactics feel familiar, right down to the difficulty spikes.<p>Turn-based tactics with an action game twist. That’s the simple, …
SequelsGet ready for a flood of new exoplanets: TESS has already spotted two
We look at the design of NASA's latest planet hunter and why it was made that way.<p>NASA's successor to the Kepler mission, the Transiting Exoplanet …
ExoplanetsMatt Murdock is back and darker than ever in new trailer for Daredevil season 3
"Let the devil out": the third season starts streaming on Netflix on October 19.<p>Man, Marvel is on a roll these days. Season two of <i>Iron Fist</i> just …
TrailersTwo Japanese robots are now happily hopping on an asteroid [Updated]
Each rover weighs about a kilogram and will bounce across the asteroid's surface.<p><b>Saturday update</b>: More than 24 hours after they were released by the …
AsteroidsFCC angers cities and towns with $2 billion giveaway to wireless carriers
Cities will get less revenue, and carriers won't face any new requirements.<p>The Federal Communications Commission's plan for spurring 5G wireless …
WirelessInside the eight desperate weeks that saved SpaceX from ruin
The company's meteoric rise can be traced to a critical launch from a Pacific isle.<p>They bunked in a double-wide trailer, cramming inside on cots and …
SpaceXRocket Report: Delta II done, Ariane 5 goes for 100, and BFR finds a customer
"I want want people in this audience to know how committed we are to this."<p>Welcome to Edition 1.18 of the Rocket Report! Lots of news on medium- and …
Jeff BezosCult classic TV show Veronica Mars is Hulu’s latest resurrection
A long time ago, we used to be friends.<p>Hulu, Amazon, and Netflix seem to have all settled on one recipe for success: rebooting cult classic TV series …
Veronica MarsWyoming proposes making cleanup funding rules stricter for coal companies
Legislators are eager to avoid financial disaster if coal companies default again.<p>On Wednesday, Wyoming's Land Quality Advisory Board voted to limit …
MiningCody Wilson reportedly trying to rent an apartment in Taiwan, per local media
USMS: "What is his income? And who may foster him while he’s a fugitive?"<p>After skipping his flight back to the US in the wake of accusations of …
Cody Wilson