Gallery: The Lovely British Scenery Where the Plague and Anthrax Once Rained
Dara McGrath01McGrath-002.jpg
Gruniard Island, Scotland. Former military testing site for anthrax.
Dara McGrath02McGrath-004.jpg
Harpur Hill, Derbyshire, England. Former mine explosion test quarry where mustard gas was stored and assembled.
Dara McGrath03McGrath-014.jpg
Hullavington, Wiltshire, England. Former Royal Air Force Base and testing site for zinc cadmium sulfide. Today it's a go-kart center.
Dara McGrath04McGrath-009.jpg
Sandown Bay, Isle of Wight, England. Testing site for simulates of pneumonic and bubonic plague.
Dara McGrath05McGrath-016.jpg
Kimbolton, Cambridgeshire, England. Former military depot where mustard and lewisite gas were stored. Today, the land is used for cattle grazing.
Dara McGrath06McGrath-006.jpg
Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, Scotland. Farming land where pneumonic and bubonic plague were sprayed.
Dara McGrath07McGrath-007.jpg
Yatesbury, Wiltshire, England. Former Royal Air Force Base where zinc cadmium sulfide was sprayed.
Dara McGrath08McGrath-001.jpg
Avonmouth, Bristol, England. Former National Smelting Works and chemical factory where precursor of chlorine gas was made. Today, it's a supermarket distribution center.
Dara McGrath09McGrath-013.jpg
Grangemouth, Falkirk, Scotland. Former Royal Air Force Base where mustard gas was stored. Today, it's a petrochemical processing facility.
Dara McGrath10McGrath-008.jpg
Whipton, Devon, England. Former chemical weapons decontamination center. Now it's a housing estate.
Dara McGrath11McGrath-010.jpg
Wigg Island, England. Former chemical industry facility where mustard gas was produced. It's now a public park.
Dara McGrath12McGrath-012.jpg
Woodside, Flintshire, Wales. Former chemical weapons underground facility storing mustard gas. Today, farmers raise grouse here.
What’s Worse Than Romance Scams? Adoption Scams
This week in WIRED Book Club, we recap the final chapters of The Yahoo Boys.
Kate Knibbs
Beatbot’s New Pool Robot Cleans Itself (Mostly)
The AquaSense X brings self-cleaning technology to pool robots for the first time, but is it worth nearly twice the price of Beatbot’s flagship cleaner?
Christopher Null
Skylight’s Touchscreen Calendar Got my Whole Family on the Same Page
The Skylight has become the informational and organizational hub of my household. My touchscreen-native kids have also gained more agency over our family activities.
Jaclyn Greenberg
The Samsung Micro RGB R95H Is a Good, Not Great TV
There’s a new fleet of TVs using new mini and micro RBG display tech, and Samsung’s R95H model isn’t as impressive as it should be.
John Brandon
AI Found a Root Bug in Linux That Everyone Missed for 15 Years
Plus: The Pentagon is training amateurs to become part of its hacker army, a Flock license plate reader error led to cops surrounding a car reviewer, and more.
Dell Cameron
We Make Lovely Home-Cooked Meals for Ourselves. Why Not Do the Same for Our Dogs?
More dog owners have begun cooking for their canine companions in recent years. When my own dog fell ill, I became part of this growing group.
Alicia Kennedy
The Best Hiking Boots and Shoes for Any Adventure
From strenuous hikes and serious summits to weekend rambles in the park, these boots help you make the most of your time outdoors.
Chris Haslam
China’s Tianwen-2 Space Probe Has Rendezvoused With Earth’s Quasi-Moon
The probe sent back the first pictures of the asteroid Kamo’oalewa. Next step: landing on the surface and collecting samples to send back to Earth.
Ritsuko Kawai
El Niño Is Already Wreaking Havoc on Pacific Fisheries
As the climate phenomenon sends warm water surging across the eastern Pacific, some parts of the fishing industry are suffering—but other regions are seeing a windfall.
Joseph Winters
Exclusive: How Jay-Z Pulled Off a Surprise-Filled Show During New York’s Wildest Summer
Summer 2026 marks the 30th anniversary of Jay-Z’s debut Reasonable Doubt. To honor it, he put on a massive concert at Yankee Stadium—complete with performances from Beyoncé, Nas, and Alicia Keys.
Angela Watercutter
OpenAI’s Head of Safety Is Leaving the Company
Johannes Heidecke’s departure comes as OpenAI tries to further integrate its research and safety teams.
Maxwell Zeff
Microsoft Reports a Massive 25 Percent Jump in Emissions
Data centers are driving up the company’s use of electricity—and carbon pollution.
Molly Taft