This story was produced by WIRED Brand Lab for H&M.
Why Do Some Soccer Players Cut the Heels Off Their Cleats?
An image of Portugal forward Pedro Neto’s cleats at the World Cup has reignited a practice among some soccer players: modifying their cleats to relieve heel discomfort.
Jorge Garay
Meet the Battery Startup Taking on China’s Giants
Solid-state batteries are safer and more capable—but harder to mass-produce. They also represent an opportunity for non-Chinese companies to get back in the game.
Zeyi Yang
The 1X Neo Robot Has Freaky Fast Fingers
The soft, oddly intimate home-chore robot has been given some very tactile hands.
Boone Ashworth
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
Madison Square Garden Kept a List of Gay Celebrities
An MSG database tracked and categorized hundreds of celebs, famous Knicks superfans, and even some of Taylor Swift’s wedding guests. Labels included “LGBTQIA,” “DO NOT HOST,” and low to high “risk.”
Noah Shachtman
Meta’s Pursuit of the Careless People Author Is Relentless and Self-Defeating
Yes, Sarah Wynn-Williams violated her deal to stay silent. But the power disparity bolsters the view that Meta is a heartless bully.
Steven Levy
DoorDash Promo Code: 50% Off for July 2026
Explore today’s top DoorDash promo codes for $25 off your first order, free delivery, and 50% off DashPass for students and select users.
Molly Higgins
The Science Behind Why Soccer Players at the 2026 World Cup Are Cutting Their Socks
Holes in socks have become a curious sight at this year’s World Cup. The reasons why are a weird mix of biomechanics, perception, and player habits.
Jorge Garay
Leak Exposes Members of Peter Thiel’s Secretive ‘Dialog’ Society
More than 200 of the world's elites registered for a retreat whose agenda runs from panels on cult-building and sex to prepping for World War III. An associated app offers matchmaking.
Dell Cameron
OnlyFans Models Are Accidentally Making Hacked Government Websites Disappear
Scammers are hijacking government websites to upload ads for “leaked” OnlyFans content. Thousands of copyright complaints from adult creators are helping people avoid malicious links.
Matt Burgess
Meta Now Lets Anyone Use Your Instagram Photos in AI Images—Unless You Opt Out
As part of Meta’s Muse Image model rollout, Instagram users with public accounts need to opt out to block AI generations of their content.
Reece Rogers
Free Waymo Rides in California? You Can Thank a Regulatory Quirk
A key delay from a state agency means robotaxi rides in the company’s new Ojai vehicle might be free for a few more months.
Aarian Marshall