TBT: This chemical is so hot it destroy nerve endings—in a good way

PLUS: The best WIRED stories from this month a year ago.

PLUS: The best WIRED stories from this month a year ago. View this email in your browser  11.14.19 In Morocco there grows a cactus-like plant that's 10,000 times hotter than the Carolina reaper, the world's spiciest pepper, 45,000 times hotter than the habanero, and 4.5 million times hotter than an average jalapeno. And while chewing on a piece of it would lay you up, injecting some of it into an aching joint won't hurt and can actually destroy the nerve endings that signal pain. Say hello to the new tool helping to free us from the grasp of opioids. Read more about this nerve-destroying chemical, plus the best WIRED stories from this month a year ago below.   This Chemical Is So Hot It Destroys Nerve Fibers—in a Good Way Resiniferatoxin is 10,000 times hotter than the hottest pepper, and has features that make it promising as a painkiller of last resort. The Best Stories From This Month, Last Year The Secret Tools Magicians Use to Fool You Louis De Belle photographed 32 gimmicks for his new book "Disappearing Objects." You Can Pry My Air Fryer Out of My Cold, Greasy Hands Do air-fried foods taste as good as their fat-bathed analogues? No. But an air fryer can provide comfort food on demand. The Pink Tax Means Women Spend More Than Men to Get Around NYC New research suggests women in New York spend up to $50 a month more than men do on transportation, largely to feel safe and avoid harassment. Quantum Physicists Found a New, Safer Way to Navigate GPS can be hacked, so airplanes and ships need a backup system. These quantum physicists think they have an answer. How to Control What Websites Can Do on Your Computer If you're not careful, websites can grab all kinds of permissions you don't realize or intend. Take back control in your browser. How to Teach Artificial Intelligence Some Common Sense We've spent years teaching neural nets to think like human brains. They're crazy-smart, but what if we've been doing it all wrong? GET WIRED Get 1 year of WIRED access for just $10.   When information is cheap, context is more valuable than ever.   Subscribe now     This e-mail was sent to you by WIRED. To ensure delivery to your inbox (not bulk or junk folders), please add our e-mail address, wired@newsletters.wired.com, to your address book.   View our Privacy Policy Unsubscribe or manage your newsletter subscriptions