iFixit, a longtime supporter of the right to repair, has released a new portable soldering iron, the Hub Soldering Iron, to help individuals develop basic repair skills. The company has thousands of tutorials online to aid in the repair process. The soldering iron is designed to facilitate hands-on repair and maintenance.

Source: https://www.wired.com/

Game designer Jason Rohrer hid a gold trophy in the woods as part of a treasure hunt. The hunt was designed by Rohrer and musician Tom Bailey. The location of the treasure was not supposed to be known for a few weeks.

Source: https://www.wired.com/

On National Voter Registration Day, celebrities like Stephen Curry, Olivia Rodrigo, and Kerry Washington used their social media platforms to encourage Americans to sign up to vote. Meanwhile, a group of MAGA influencers, including Danielle D'Souza Gill, a daughter of election conspiracist Dinesh D'Souza, spread a different message, claiming that 'millions of illegals' are crossing the southern border and potentially voting illegally.

Source: https://www.wired.com/

Greenland's ice sheet contains around 6.5 percent of the world's fresh water, with over 350 trillion liters estimated to run into the ocean annually. Climate change is accelerating Arctic melting, leading to more water flowing off the island every year. A startup has been partially approved by the Greenland government to harvest glacier meltwater and ship it abroad, potentially providing fresh water to countries facing shortages.

Source: https://www.wired.com/

Thousands of employees of Evolution, an online gambling company, have been on strike in Tbilisi, Georgia, protesting over pay, allegations of harassment, and unsafe working conditions. The strike began on July 12 and escalated in August. Giorgi Diasamidze, head of the employee union LABOR, alleges that non-uniformed private security people hired by the company beat the strikers in mid-August.

Source: https://www.wired.com/

A group of sex industry professionals and advocates, including erotic filmmaker Erika Lust's company and the European Sex Workers' Rights Alliance, issued an open letter to EU regulators urging them to include their views in discussions on policing AI technology. The group, signed by the Open Mind AI initiative, claims that their views are being overlooked despite being implicated in AI's rise. They aim to alert the commission of a 'critical gap' in discussions.

Source: https://www.wired.com/

The United Nations has released a report proposing the creation of a body to monitor and govern artificial intelligence. The report, produced by the UN secretary general's High Level Advisory Body on AI, recommends the creation of a new policy dialog on AI and empowering poorer nations to benefit from AI and contribute to its governance.

Source: https://www.wired.com/

Palmer Luckey, co-founder of Anduril, is bringing his company's software to a US Army head-mounted display developed by Microsoft. The goal is to enhance soldiers' visual and audible perception, making them more lethal. Luckey sold Oculus VR to Facebook for $2 billion in 2017 and founded Anduril to challenge incumbent defense companies.

Source: https://www.wired.com/

Top officials from Google, Apple, and Meta testified before the US Senate Intelligence Committee about their efforts to identify and disrupt foreign influence campaigns ahead of the November elections. The hearing, chaired by Senator Mark Warner, emphasized the need for more extensive safeguards against disinformation campaigns funded by foreign entities. The committee urged the companies to take action to alert the public that these campaigns have not gone away.

Source: https://www.wired.com/

Lionsgate, a Hollywood studio, has partnered with Runway, an artificial intelligence firm, to create a custom AI tool for preproduction and postproduction on its film and TV shows. The tool will help augment the work of filmmakers, directors, and creative talent, and generate cinematic video that can be further iterated using Runway's suite of controllable tools.

Source: https://www.wired.com/