To study tornadoes, it helps to wear a skirt—and rocket launchers ~ Amazing News 2020

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08.04.24

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LOOK UP! | 4-MINUTE READ

See the Perseids and Southern Delta Aquariids in a Stunning Double Meteor Shower

BY GRETCHEN RUNDORFF

Across the Northern Hemisphere, August will see beautiful displays of meteors. Here's everything you need to know to enjoy them.

Journalist Evan Gershkovich arrives at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, US, on Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024. Russia freed Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich as well as jailed Kremlin critics in the largest prisoner exchange with the West in decades, in return for a prized assassin sought by President Vladimir Putin. Photographer: Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images

SECURITY ROUNDUP | 4-MINUTE READ

US Hands Over Russian Cybercriminals in WSJ Reporter Prisoner Swap

BY DHRUV MEHROTRA AND ANDREW COUTS

Plus: Meta pays $1.4 million in a historic privacy settlement, Microsoft blames a cyberattack for a major Azure outage, and an artist creates a face recognition system to reveal your NYPD "coppelganger."

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LEGAL MANEUVERS | 2-MINUTE READ

TikTok Sued by US Justice Department for Alleged Violations of Kids' Privacy

BY PARESH DAVE

The social media company, already fighting for its existence in the US, now has to contend with a potentially expensive penalty stemming from its policies toward users under 13.

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PHOTO ESSAY | 1-MINUTE READ

To Study Tornadoes, it Helps to Wear a Skirt (and Rocket Launchers)

BY MATT GILES AND RETO STERCHI

A day of chasing storms with Reed Timmer's Dominator 3, the latest in extreme twister tech.

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AUDIO ALCHEMY | 11-MINUTE READ

How the 'Slamming Door' Sound Became Embedded in Hip-Hop History

BY ASHWIN RODRIGUES

If you've listened to any rap or pop music made in the 21st century, you've heard John Lehmkuhl's most famous creation, a thwacking metallic percussion sample named "Tribe."

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EXCEPTIONS TO THE RULE | 6-MINUTE READ

'Gem' of a Proof Breaks 80-Year-Old Record, Offers New Insights Into Prime Numbers

BY JORDANA CEPELEWICZ

The proof creates stricter limits on potential exceptions to the famous Riemann hypothesis.

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CAR TALK | 3-MINUTE READ

Control Android Auto or Apple CarPlay With Your Voice While Driving

BY DAVID NIELD

Both smartphone platforms offer a number of ways to interact with your phone while keeping both hands on the wheel. Follow these tips to get the most out of in-car voice commands.