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Four-minute miles are almost routine. Middle schoolers are beating college runners. Inside the youth track boom that’s turning kids and teens into speed machines.
A new toolkit for attorneys in Massachusetts targets the technologies police use—and conceal—to build criminal cases, from facial recognition to AI-written police reports.
A first-of-its-kind analysis found more than one in eight apps built for US service members carried foreign code—some from firms in nations the Pentagon designates as adversaries.
Several Chinese businesses associated with the ebike brand Aipas settled a lawsuit with Amazon and the safety certification company UL in July.
Organizers want the show to be the most-viewed halftime show in history. Having Shakira, Justin Bieber, Coldplay, and BTS will surely help—but do soccer fans want it?
World Cup 2026How to Watch the 2026 World Cup Finals
The end of the FIFA Men’s World Cup is nigh. Here’s how to watch the final games and the first ever World Cup halftime show.
Red Flag CardFIFA Doesn’t Have a Plan to Deal With Climate Change
This year’s World Cup has faced sweltering heat and humidity. Now it may need to deal with wildfire smoke.
World Cup 2026Lionel Messi’s Final World Cup—and the Death of Early Retirement
Argentina’s Lionel Messi was supposed to be done years ago. Now, sports science is helping soccer’s biggest stars rewrite the rules of aging.
World Cup 2026The Problem With VAR at the 2026 World Cup Isn’t the Technology—It’s Who Interprets It
The video assistant referee system, or VAR, has led to some controversial calls at the 2026 World Cup. Here’s why.- World Cup 2026
What Watching a Soccer Final Does to Your Body, According to Science
A recent study tracked hundreds of soccer fans until their favorite team reached the final of a tournament. Their stress levels skyrocketed, and their heart rates jumped too. 
World Cup Warm UpSunshine and Saharan Dust Make Miami’s World Cup Quarter-Final a Dangerous Game
England and Norway players will face off under extreme and dangerous levels of heat stress, scientists say, thanks to a wet-bulb index of nearly 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
World Cup 2026Why Do Some Soccer Players Cut the Heels Off Their Cleats?
An image of Portugal forward Pedro Neto’s cleats at the World Cup has reignited a practice among some soccer players: modifying their cleats to relieve heel discomfort.
World Cup 2026Messi and Ronaldo Are Building Tech Portfolios. Mo Salah Is Playing a Different Game
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are betting on AI, health tech, and startups. Mohamed Salah is taking a more traditional route beyond football.
World Cup 2026Erling Haaland Is Everywhere at the World Cup. Most of It Is AI
Norwegian striker Erling Haaland isn’t just a footballer anymore. He’s become an internet character perpetuated by fans and AI.
World Cup 2026The Science Behind Why Soccer Players at the 2026 World Cup Are Cutting Their Socks
Holes in socks have become a curious sight at this year’s World Cup. The reasons why are a weird mix of biomechanics, perception, and player habits.
Thousands of new fossil-fuel power sources are quietly firing up across the state to power the AI boom, thanks to a regulatory loophole, leaving residents feeling blindsided.
The company endorsed landmark AI transparency laws in California and New York last year, but its head of US state and local policy says they may already be outdated.
Meet the Battery Startup Taking on China’s Giants
- Special Edition
The Truth About Kids These Days
The youngs are facing problems that didn’t exist half a generation ago. They’re handling it better than you think. 
Special EditionThe Future of Home
How we live now is defined by unprecedented forces. In this special issue, WIRED and Architectural Digest help you understand what home will look like tomorrow—and beyond.
Special EditionEveryone Is Watching the World Cup. The World Cup Is Also Watching You
Much of the 2026 FIFA World Cup is happening in Donald Trump’s America. Will the US’s immigration crackdown, surveillance systems, and political turmoil interfere with soccer’s tentpole tournament?
Special EditionThings Fall Apart
It's not enough to build things. You also have to tear them down. WIRED commissioned five stories about decommissioning, from EVs and internet cables to supercomputers and space stations.
OlympicsThe WIRED Guide to the 2026 Winter Olympic Games
Ice hockey, curling, influencers—the 2026 Winter Olympics promise to be the most talked about Games in recent memory. WIRED has all the news you need coming out of Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo.
The China Issue23 Ways You’re Already Living in the Chinese Century
The robotics explosion. The energy revolution. The cultural takeover. It’s everything you wanted for the United States—but done better in China.
Originally published December 2011: Video game designer Ian Bogost meant Cow Clicker to be a satire with a short shelf life. Instead, the hit game enslaved him for more than a year.
Reality TV Saved Me
