23andMe Is Under Fire. Its Founder Remains ‘Optimistic’

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02.14.24

Your weekly roundup of the best stories on health care, the climate crisis, genetic engineering, robotics, space, and more.

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23andMe Is Under Fire. Its Founder Remains 'Optimistic'

Person smiling while sitting on a stage and holding a microphone

GENOMICS | 8-MINUTE READ

23andMe's CEO Anne Wojcicki has saved the genetics company from the brink of failure before. She sat down with WIRED to talk about where it goes from here.

By Emily Mullin

The Feds Just Bet Even Bigger on American-Made Heat Pumps

PUMP IT UP | 3-MINUTE READ

The US Department of Energy is announcing another $63 million to supercharge domestic manufacturing of the devices—in the name of national, energy, and climate security.

By Matt Simon

Countries Are Building Giant 'Sand Motors' to Protect Their Coasts From Erosion

aerial of construction on beach in benin

ADAPTATION | 6-MINUTE READ

As sea levels rise, engineers are using massive Dutch-inspired sand sculptures to protect shorefront settlements.

By Jake Bittle

A Celebrated Cryptography-Breaking Algorithm Just Got an Upgrade

LEVEL UP | 4-MINUTE READ

Two researchers have improved a well-known technique for lattice basis reduction, opening up new avenues for practical experiments in cryptography and mathematics.

By Madison Goldberg

This Small Wearable Device Reduces Parkinson's Symptoms

GOOD VIBRATIONS | 2-MINUTE READ

People with Parkinson's have fewer tremors when they receive rhythmic physical stimulation—so a UK startup has created a coin-sized vibrating device to help patients move more easily.

By Amit Katwala

More from WIRED Science

NASA Engineers Are Racing to Fix Voyager 1

A computer glitch has put the future of humanity's farthest-flung space probe in doubt.

Farming Prioritizes Cows and Cars—Not People

Farmers and scientists are getting better at growing more crops on less land, but they're not focusing on plants that people eat.

The City of Tomorrow Will Run on Your Toilet Water

Researchers are finding better ways to extract drinking water, compost, and even energy from wastewater. It's not gross. It's science.

Did Climate Change Help This Skier Achieve the Impossible?

A slalom skier just achieved a remarkable result in the Alpine Ski World Cup—coming from last place to win. As mountains get warmer and conditions less predictable, expect more freak occurrences like this.

Trending on WIRED

Animation of a rotating key and a keyhole rotating in the opposite direction

BYE, ABC123 | 6-MINUTE READ
I Stopped Using Passwords. It's Great—and a Total Mess

By Matt Burgess

Passkeys are here to replace passwords. When they work, it's a seamless vision of the future. But don't ditch your old logins just yet.

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Gaming mourns loss of Yoshitaka Murayama, creator of Suikoden

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Gaming mourns loss of Yoshitaka Murayama, creator of Suikoden

Aiden

February 14

Renowned game creator Yoshitaka Murayama, best known for his work on the iconic Suikoden franchise, has passed away due to complications from an ongoing illness. Murayama, who also served as the director and scenario writer for Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes, leaves behind a profound legacy in the gaming industry. His contributions to the world of […]

Pokemon World Championship seemingly taking place in San Francisco in 2026

Sickr

February 14

The San Francisco Business Times is reporting that the Pokemon World Championships 2026 will be taking place in San Francisco. The last time the prestigious gaming event was held in San Francisco was back in 2016. This year's event will take place in Hawaii, which will host its fourth event with the 2024 Pokemon World Championship. […]

23andMe Is Under Fire. Its Founder Remains ‘Optimistic’