The pandemic is propelling a new wave of automation

PLUS: Closing down coal plants, Covid Q&A, and bubble people. View this email in your browser  |  Manage newsletter subscriptions 06.13.20   LAMPHONE Spies Can Eavesdrop by Watching a Light Bulb's Vibrations BY ANDY GREENBERG The so-called lamphone technique allows for real-time listening in on a room that's hundreds of feet away.   ICE WIDE OPEN The Hunt Is On for Elusive Ghost Particles in Antarctica BY DANIEL OBERHAUS Ultrahigh-energy neutrinos could help scientists unravel some of the biggest mysteries in astrophysics—and the best place to find them may be the South Pole.   POWER SUPPLY The Covid-19 Economic Slump Is Closing Down Coal Plants BY ERIC NIILER This year, coal usage has dropped in the US and renewables now generate more electricity. To some experts, the financial crisis is a clean energy opportunity.   COPY AND PASTE The Pandemic Is Propelling a New Wave of Automation BY WILL KNIGHT Software programs adopted during the Covid-19 crisis make it easier to complete forms and track requests. It saves work, but it could cost jobs.   GADGET LAB PODCAST Your Most Vexing New Coronavirus Questions, Answered BY WIRED STAFF In some ways things are getting harder, not easier, as shelter-in-place orders lift worldwide. On this week's episode, we tackle tough new corona questions.   BACKCHANNEL The Country Is Reopening. I'm Still on Lockdown BY MARIA STRESHINSKY For those of us with vulnerable loved ones, the risks of Covid-19 seem more dangerous than ever—with no end in sight.   OPINION A Council of Citizens Should Regulate Algorithms BY FEDERICA CARUGATI To ensure a more equitable, AI-driven future, we should borrow from ancient Athens.   VIDEOGAMES Last of Us Part II Is Great, but Can't Escape Its Father's Shadow BY JULIE MUNCY The Last of Us was the quintessential dad game. Its sequel is destined to be the archetype of something else: the daughter game.   CHALLENGE Deepfakes Aren't Very Good. Nor Are the Tools to Detect Them BY WILL KNIGHT The winning detection algorithm from a Facebook-led challenge could spot about two-thirds of the altered videos, highlighting the need for improvement.     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