Breaking: The legal saga of Uber’s fatal self-driving car crash is over

PLUS: I Looked Into Sam Altman's Orb and All I Got Was This Lousy Crypto, and more

View this email in your browser  |  Manage newsletter subscriptions  07.28.23 EYE TO EYE | 7-MINUTE READ I Looked Into Sam Altman's Orb and All I Got Was This Lousy Crypto BY JOEL KHALILI Tools for Humanity has an iris-scanning Orb that decides whether you're human or a robot—and then gives you crypto. But is Worldcoin worth the price? DOT PHYSICS | 5-MINUTE READ When You Drop a Rock Overboard, What Happens to the Water Level? BY RHETT ALLAIN In the physics of water displacement, the answer isn't always intuitive. THE MONITOR | 2-MINUTE READ The Shocking Success of Barbie BY ANGELA WATERCUTTER Together with Oppenheimer, the so-called Barbenheimer opening weekend topped $244 million domestically. But that's not its most astonishing achievement. PLEA DEAL | 5-MINUTE READ The Legal Saga of Uber's Fatal Self-Driving Car Crash Is Over BY LAUREN SMILEY After five years of purgatory, Rafaela Vasquez, the operator of a self-driving Uber that killed a pedestrian in 2018, pleaded guilty to endangerment. SPONSORED CONTENT The riveting account of the greatest scam of our time "A smart, savvy road map through the mayhem of the cryptocurrency madness… A wry and knowing saga." -Ron Chernow, author of Alexander Hamilton GET WIRED Get 1 year of WIRED for less than $1 per month. That includes Steven Levy's exclusive newsletter and a free tote! Subscribe now. DATA DUMP | 3-MINUTE READ Meta's Election Research Opens More Questions Than It Answers BY VITTORIA ELLIOTT AND PARESH DAVE Researchers were given unprecedented access to Meta's data during the 2020 elections. Meta says their results show its platforms don't cause political polarization. That's not entirely true. BUYING GUIDE | 17-MINUTE READ The 14 Best Electric Bikes for Every Kind of Ride BY ADRIENNE SO A battery-powered motor lets you enjoy most of the benefits of biking, minus the sweat. IDEAS | 7-MINUTE READ They Didn't Ask to Go Viral. Posting on Social Media Without Consent Is Immoral BY MARK HILL It's typical to ask friends for permission to share pictures of them. Yet people don't extend this courtesy to strangers, either because they think nothing of it or they need to go viral at all costs. BUYING GUIDE | 6-MINUTE READ The Best Google Assistant Speakers for Your Home BY NENA FARRELL AND MEDEA GIORDANO From smart displays to soundbars, Google's voice assistant comes in all shapes and sizes. Here are our favorites. Looking for a new job? Check out these featured listings and search for openings all over the world on jobs.wired.com Decision Scientist Cash App Location: San Francisco, CA, USA APPLY NOW Executive Assistant Netflix Location: Los Angeles, CA, USA APPLY NOW Have questions or comments? Reply to this email.   This email was sent to you by WIRED. To ensure delivery to your inbox (not bulk or junk folders), please add our email address, wired@newsletters.wired.com, to your address book.   View our Privacy Policy Unsubscribe or Manage your newsletter subscriptions   Copyright © Condé Nast 2023. One World Trade Center, New York, NY 10007. All rights reserved.