The ‘Forever Chemicals’ You Eat, a $200 Spy Setup, and More News
Chemicals in microwave popcorn are in your bloodstream, researchers discovered a $200 way to spy on you, and you can now make your own vinyl records. Here’s the news you need to know, in two minutes or less.
Want to receive this two-minute roundup as an email every weekday? Sign up here!
Today’s Headlines
PFAS, known as “forever chemicals” are in your popcorn—and your blood
Ever wondered why, when you microwave popcorn, the oil doesn’t ooze out and the paper doesn’t light on fire? It’s because of the same stuff that makes carpets stain-resistant: a group of 4,700 chemicals called PFAS. Virtually all Americans have detectable levels of PFAS in their blood, and they have been linked to immune, thyroid, kidney, and reproductive problems, and can persist for two to eight years inside your body, not to mention lifetimes in the environment. And lest you think you’re safe because you don’t eat popcorn, it’s in all kinds of other things, like frozen pizza and takeout burgers. Another good reason to cook at home.
Planting tiny chips in hardware can cost as little as $200
A year ago, Apple and Amazon scoffed at a report from Bloomberg Businessweek that claimed that chips the size of a grain of rice had been implanted in their servers to allow Chinese hackers to spy on them. Now researchers have shown how easy it truly is to do it. All it takes is a motivated hacker, and just $200 worth of equipment.
Fast Fact: 1.5 Million
That’s how many electric cars California hopes to have on its roads by 2025, and given the current power outages in the state, it raises the question: Could electric cars power homes? The short answer is no, at least for now.
WIRED Recommends: Phonocut
You know it’s hip to have a record player, but do you know anyone with a record-maker? This at-home vinyl lathe is the first consumer device capable of making custom records immediately—it can turn any digital file into a 10-inch record. All you need is a cool $1,100 to buy it.
News You Can Use
Have a PlayStation 4? Here are the best accessories you can buy for it.
This daily roundup is available as a newsletter. You can sign up right here to make sure you get the news delivered fresh to your inbox every weekday!
