WWIII memes, oddly, prove there's hope for the internet

PLUS: Orange presidents, CES GIFs, and whale snot. View this email in your browser  01.11.20   SHIFT WORK A New Law for Gig Workers Reaches Beyond Ride-Hail Drivers BY AARIAN MARSHALL AB 5 was designed to support Uber and Lyft contractors. But it also leaves therapists, truckers, and psychologists struggling to understand their new role.   DECOUPLING Export Controls Threaten the Future of AI Outposts in China BY WILL KNIGHT As restrictions intensify, it will become more difficult for American companies to maintain labs in the talent-rich country.   DOT-PHYSICS Do LEDs Cause Orange Presidents? BY RHETT ALLAIN It's true that different light sources can alter colors. But Trump's science is off on this one.   DIGITAL CULTURE WWIII Memes, Oddly, Prove There's Hope for the Internet BY EMMA GREY ELLIS Jokes about World War III aren't really funny—but they're also evidence of an engaged global debate. GET WIRED   Get 1 year of WIRED access for less than $1 a month.   Tech news and analysis you won't find anywhere else.   Subscribe now   PHOTOS CES 2020 in 10 GIFS BY WIRED STAFF Yes, CES is over. But these looping GIFs will help you stay there forever.   WIRED VIDEO Why Scientists Are Flying Drones Into Clouds of Whale Snot BY MATT SIMON Researcher Iain Kerr was on a boat, covered in whale snot, when the idea hit him: Why not hack a drone to fly into whale snot instead?   NO HANDS Feds Are Content to Let Cars Drive, and Regulate, Themselves BY AARIAN MARSHALL  A new Transportation Department policy on self-driving cars is long on boosting the industry and short on ensuring its safety.   THE MONITOR Christian Bale Might Be Joining Thor: Love and Thunder BY ANGELA WATERCUTTER Also, artificial intelligence could bring your next favorite movie to the big screen.   Get Our Longreads Newsletter Investigations? We have those. Deep dives? Check. Things that turn you into the smartest of all your friends? Bingo. And all you have to do is sign up.     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