One of the quietest revolutions of our current century has been the entry of quantum mechanics into our everyday technology. It used to be that quantum effects were confined to physics laboratories and delicate experiments. But modern technology increasingly relies on quantum mechanics for its basic operation, and the importance of quantum effects will only […]
Enlarge / Director Maurice Dwyer leads the cast and crew in his production of “Cop Block,” which prominently featured the Chrysler PT Cruiser, at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival. (credit: George Pimentel/WireImage/Getty Images) Odds are you probably never liked the Chrysler PT Cruiser, a retro-style five-door hatchback sold from 2001 through 2010. In fact, you […]
Jared Mauch installed about five miles’ worth of this fiber cable. [credit: Jared Mauch ] The old saying “if you want something done right, do it yourself” usually isn’t helpful when your problem is not having good Internet service. But for one man in rural Michigan named Jared Mauch, who happens to be a network […]
Enlarge / Quantum mechanics is complex, fold-your-brain stuff. But it can be explained. (credit: Aurich Lawson / Getty Images) Some technical revolutions enter with drama and a bang, others wriggle unnoticed into our everyday experience. And one of the quietest revolutions of our current century has been the entry of quantum mechanics into our everyday […]
Enlarge / You’re going down, Diane… (credit: Collage by Aurich Lawson) Friday, January 8, 2021, marks the end of an era for American television. That’s when TV stations around the country air the final episode of Jeopardy! featuring Alex Trebek as host. Since relaunching Jeopardy! as a syndicated game show in 1984, Trebek emceed thousands […]
Enlarge / In this illustration of its descent to Mars, the spacecraft containing the Perseverance rover slows down using the drag generated by plunging through the Martian atmosphere. (credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech) Writing about the space industry kept me sane during the tumultuous and trying times of 2020. While the pandemic swept around the world and America […]
Enlarge (credit: Aurich Lawson / Getty Images) A few years ago I started writing regularly about electric cars and the batteries that power them—technologies that are helping humanity transition away from reliance on fossil fuels. And as bad news continued to pile up about the harms caused by climate change, I started to think harder […]
Enlarge (credit: Aurich Lawson) Here at Ars Technica, we would like to formally congratulate you for surviving the year that was 2020. COVID-19 may have changed everything about normal life in the last 12 months, but things are looking up for 2021. A vaccine is currently rolling out, a more science-friendly US administration will take office […]
Enlarge / Belkin’s 3-in-1 MagSafe charging stand is elegant, and capable, charging three Apple devices at once. (credit: Corey Gaskin) The new iPhone 12 lineup has more options than ever, with three new models at a variety of sizes. All of these are equipped with the new MagSafe technology, which means faster-than-usual wireless charging and […]
Enlarge (credit: Collage by Aurich Lawson) Like most of us, 2020 turned out quite differently than we might have expected back in January. By the end of February, it was clear that COVID-19 was going to be a serious problem as auto shows and drive events started being cancelled en masse. But our local press […]