Researchers from the Leonardo da Vinci DNA Project (LDVP) report that by analyzing the drawing of Holy Child and other Renaissance artifacts, such as letters written by a da Vinci relative, they have recovered some Y chromosome DNA sequences that appear to belong to a genetic group of people with common ancestors in Tuscany, where…
These lightweight tools (most weigh under 10 pounds) are much more powerful than they used to be. But their cleaning prowess still can’t match an upright or canister (especially on carpet), so they’re better for targeted tasks. They’re good enough that if you live in a small space with mostly hard-surface floors, a top model…
Before 2008, there was no requirement for pacifiers—or any children’s products—to be tested for safety, according to Nancy Cowles, product safety advocate and former executive director of the nonprofit Kids in Danger. “I think that consumers can trust that pacifiers sold at major retailers have been tested,” Cowles says. “It might be harder to tell…
Ready for a quick experiment? Here’s how to test whether your child’s coat is too bulky for their car seat. Step 1: Put the coat on your child, sit them in the car seat, and fasten the harness. Tighten the harness until you can no longer pinch any of the webbing with your thumb and…
Watch Duty, the wildfire alert app, is introducing flood alerts to its popular disaster-awareness service. This is the second disaster type to be broadly included, after wildfires; it’s available as a free update. If you have the app, allow it to track your location, and happen to be near a flood zone, Watch Duty will…
If you’ve been dreaming all year of saving serious cash on a new mattress, this is the moment you’ve been waiting for. From the best mattresses for back pain to our favorite cooling options, these are the top deals on mattresses the WIRED Reviews team has tested in their own homes. We also track prices…
As a side sleeper who struggles with chronic illness, I require support and pressure relief in a mattress. This is where I like the Saatva Rx as a specialty option for those dealing with literal pain points. The Rx, if you couldn’t already infer from the name, was designed for more medically inclined situations where…
Top Tier gasoline was developed in 2004 to go beyond the minimum standard for detergent additives to better protect increasingly sophisticated engines from carbon buildup and deposits on the intake valves, which can result in a rough idle, acceleration hesitation, knocking/pinging, and reduced fuel economy. Over the past 20 years, engines have become far more precise,…
The name “Cleancult” is a play on words; it’s a cleaning product brand, yes, but it also implies that the products themselves are “clean”—i.e., made without, nor producing, harmful substances or chemicals. The brand aims to “help more people switch from a bad plastic habit to a cleaner ritual” by encouraging consumers to refill their…
If your current TV speakers aren’t impressing you, the easiest way to upgrade your movie night is with a sound bar. Our favorite compact option, where you might have limited space or a smaller room, is the Bose Smart Soundbar. It’s currently marked down to $400 at retailers like Amazon and Best Buy, a discount…