For additional protection, look for a space heater equipped with an appliance leakage current interrupter (ALCI) plug, says Samantha Ostrander, who oversees CR’s space heater tests. These bulky plugs—similar to those seen on hair dryers—safeguard against differences in current and can also protect against a dangerous electrical shock. Like GFCI outlets, ALCI plugs typically feature…
The latest addition to China’s Tiangong space station is an AI chatbot with expertise in navigation and tactical planning. Named Wukong AI—after the protagonist of the “Monkey King” legend in Chinese mythology, Sun Wukong—the chatbot was introduced on the space station in mid-July, and has already completed its first mission: supporting three taikonauts during a…
We rate refrigerators based on their thermostat performance, temperature uniformity, noise output, ease of use, energy efficiency, crisper performance, and icemaker performance (if they have one). Every refrigerator we test gets wired with 15 temperature sensors. We then monitor those thermocouples for more than a month in one of three temperature-controlled chambers, collecting more than…
After-Christmas deals are an excellent way to redeem any gift cards or cash you got for Christmas. You can purchase something you actually want, and you can do it for less money than usual. I’ve scoured the Internet for truly good after-Christmas deals on the gear that we’ve hand-tested on the WIRED Reviews team. Many…
“213a is major progress for child passenger safety in the U.S.,” Thomas says, noting that similar side-impact protections already exist in European car seats because of car seat regulations in the European Union. Under the new regulations, manufacturers are required to test car seats for children up to 40 pounds for side-impact protection using an…
Varicella-zoster, the virus responsible for chickenpox, may lie dormant and reactivate later in life, causing shingles. This can bring a painful, blistering rash and lead to chronic nerve pain, pneumonia, temporary or permanent vision loss, hearing problems, and brain inflammation. Is it effective? The two-dose vaccine prevents shingles in 97 percent of people ages 50…
The most recent recall concerns approximately 18,000 bags of cooked frozen shrimp sold under Kroger’s Mercado brand at grocery chains including Baker’s, Gerbes, Jay C, Kroger, Mariano’s, Metro Market, Pay Less Supermarkets, and Pick ’n Save. The affected products are marked with lot codes 10662 5139 or 10662 5140 and have “best by” dates of…
4. Stay on the SubjectNever allow a salesperson to change the direction of the conversation to matters other than car buying. Salespeople often gloss over important questions, such as vehicle history and price, by changing the subject. 5. Don’t Be RushedA salesperson’s favorite customer is one who seems to be in a hurry, because they…
Many of our favorite TVs and monitors feature displays with high refresh rates, promising smoother on-screen action and a sharper picture. The same is true for the best Android phones and all of Apple’s iPhone Pro models (since the 13 Pro and onward). Today, every iPhone 17 model can reach a 120-Hz refresh rate. It…
“The biggest challenge is how to make this egg extrude half of its chromosomes—and the correct half,” Amato says. “We’re not quite there yet.” The team dubbed their technique “mitomeiosis” and is trying to better understand how chromosomes like to pair and how they segregate in order to find a way to experimentally induce those…