How an algorithm defeated an F-16 pilot 5-0 in a simulation

PLUS: Police reports, Colgate's smart toothbrush, and gender stereotypes in math. View this email in your browser  |  Manage newsletter subscriptions  08.25.20   PUBLIC HEALTH A Huge Covid-19 Natural Experiment Is Underway—in Classrooms BY ERIC NIILER As K-12 students head back to school, epidemiologists are watching for clues about how kids spread the virus, and what can stop it.   PRODUCT REVIEW Bring the Backroads Indoors With This Bike Trainer BY STEPHANIE PEARSON The latest update to Wahoo's Kickr gives the cycling trainer a better on-bike feel. It also makes it easier to connect with your virtual riding buddies.   OPINION Is Your Chart a Detective Story? Or a Police Report? BY ANDREW GELMAN AND JESSICA HULLMAN Every data visualization is a story, a plot to be unraveled—but some are more approachable than others.   WAR AND PEACE A Dogfight Renews Concerns About AI's Lethal Potential BY WILL KNIGHT Alphabet's DeepMind pioneered reinforcement learning. A California company used it to create an algorithm that defeated an F-16 pilot in a simulation.   SPONSORED CONTENT SimpliSafe Home Security Blankets Your Home With 24/7 Protection It feels good to fear less. SimpliSafe stands up to the unexpected, from burglars to burst pipes. As more than 3 million customers already know, fear has no place in a place like home.   PRODUCT REVIEW Colgate's Smart Toothbrush Finally Nails App-Guided Brushing BY MEDEA GIORDANO The smart toothbrush perfects connected brushing tech—and costs a fraction of the price of its competitors.   BACKCHANNEL How to Undo Gender Stereotypes in Math—With Math! BY EUGENIA CHENG A mathematician uses her craft to unravel arguments about differences between men and women.   ROLLING Amazon and FedEx Push to Put Delivery Robots on Your Sidewalk BY AARIAN MARSHALL The companies are backing bills in more than a dozen states that would legalize the devices. Some bills would block cities from regulating them at all.   POWER TRIP This Wireless Charger Imitates Apple's AirPower Tech—Almost BY JULIAN CHOKKATTU Nomad's Base Station Pro can charge multiple devices at once, without needing to place them just so on the mat.     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