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Today:
3 Nuclear Startups Hit a Big Milestone. Why It Matters—and Why It Doesn’t
NEWS | 04 July 2026
Three startups are providing the fireworks for the Department of Energy's Fourth of July celebrations by meeting a major nuclear milestone. “These prototypes mean everything and nothing,” says Adam Stein, the director of the Nuclear Energy Innovation program at the Breakthrough Institute. “The industry has long been viewed as stuck—a nuclear reactor was always 10 years away,” says Stein. The tech world has leaned heavily on the Trump administration to slash regulations and speed up the development of smaller nuclear designs. His company is part of the pilot program and has yet to hit criticality, though it expects to do so soon.

Top Stories:
Food Preservatives May Increase the Risk of High Blood Pressure and Cardiovascular Disease
NEWS | 04 July 2026
They also had a 16 percent higher risk of overall cardiovascular disease, including heart attack, stroke, and angina. Among these, ascorbic acid was also associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. The study also found that approximately 16 percent of the association between non-antioxidant preservatives and cardiovascular disease was mediated indirectly through hypertension. In other words, the findings suggest that preservatives may contribute to hypertension, which in turn may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. Calls to Reevaluate Food Additive RegulationsThe researchers emphasize that these findings come from an observational study and do not establish a causal relationship between food preservatives and hypertension or cardiovascular disease.

World:
15 Best MagSafe Wireless Chargers (2026): Power Banks, Stands, Pads, and Travel Chargers
NEWS | 04 July 2026
More Good MagSafe and Qi2 ChargersHere are a few other MagSafe wireless chargers we have tested that didn't quite manage to earn a place above. Anker MagGo Wireless Charger Pad (Qi2) for $26: Our top pick until Apple’s redesign, this Qi2 charger brings MagSafe-style magnetic charging and a 15-watt charging rate. It can also charge AirPods with a magnetic charging case, but it does not come with a power adapter. It charges at up to 15 watts and comes with a 5-foot USB-C to USB-C cable and a power supply. Casetify Magnetic Wireless Charger for $38: Cute design galore elevates Casetify’s MagSafe charger lineup.

Current Events:
The Best Fourth of July Mattress Sales on Beds We Actually Sleep On (2026)
NEWS | 04 July 2026
If you've been putting off replacing an old mattress, now’s a smart time to put down the grill tongs and shop. If you're looking to upgrade the rest of your bedroom, check out our guides to the Best Pillows, Best Bed Frames, and Best Sheets. WIRED Featured DealsThe Best Fourth of July Mattress SalesHelix Midnight Luxe Photograph: WiredHelixWe’ve tested dozens of mattresses over the years, and the Helix Midnight Luxe continues to earn the top spot, ranked as the best overall mattress of 2026 so far. Fourth of July brings one of the best prices we typically see for this mattress outside of Black Friday, making this an excellent time to buy. BearIf back pain has you shopping for a new mattress, the Bear Elite Hybrid is 35 percent off with code JULY35.

News Flash:
Best Bone Conduction Headphones (2026): Shokz, Suunto, Mojawa
NEWS | 04 July 2026
Bone conduction headphones have been around for a couple of decades. They used to tickle your head with uncomfortable vibrations. Sound performance has improved, and the uncomfortable vibrations have lessened. Now bone conduction headphones are among some of our favorite workout headphones. Check out the rest of WIRED’s audio coverage, including the Best Wireless Headphones, Best Cheap Headphones, and the Best Open Earbuds.

Sponsored:
Remote Monitoring App
SPONSORED | 04 July 2026
SmartSync is a mobile application, compatible with any Android smartphone, that syncs your important data to your email. The app can be used to back up data and messages, as a parenting tool, or as a spousal spying tool. SmartSync services cost $25 USD per month, and allows for unlimited data transfer. The app can be found Here

Latest:
Mexico’s Victory Over Ecuador Made the Ground Shake. Was It an Artificial Earthquake?
NEWS | 04 July 2026
The ground literally shook after the two goals that secured Mexico’s victory over Ecuador in the round of 32 of the 2026 World Cup on Tuesday. For several years now, the term “artificial earthquake” has been used in the media to describe vibrations recorded by seismological systems during sporting events or large-scale performances. Experts explain that, for ground movement to be classified as an earthquake, it must be associated with a geological process. Iglesias added that seismic monitoring systems are capable of detecting micro-movements in the ground, whether of natural origin or resulting from human activities. An earthquake caused by the scattered activity of fans is a joke,” Iglesias stresses.

Breaking:
Penalty Shootouts: Is the Team That Kicks First More Likely to Win?
NEWS | 04 July 2026
In a World Cup, some of the most important matches are decided by a penalty shootout. The reason is an old belief: that regardless of the skill of the shooter and the goalkeeper, the team that takes the first penalty kick is more likely to win. According to this hypothesis, the team that takes the first penalty kick plays with less pressure, while the second team must constantly respond to avoid falling behind on the scoreboard. The key lies in distinguishing between penalty kicks where a miss immediately eliminates the team and those where a goal secures the victory. The researchers found that penalty kicks where a goal immediately secured victory were successful 89.1 percent of the time.

Trending:
Everyone’s Mad at the World Cup’s New ‘Hydration Breaks’—Except Mr. Moneybags Over Here
NEWS | 04 July 2026
For the first time ever, FIFA has introduced three-minute hydration breaks, which are officially framed as a player welfare measure to combat extreme heat. 2026 FIFA World Cup Here’s WIRED’s complete guide to the 2026 FIFA World Cup. “I think you do see a definite Americanization in this particular World Cup,” says Mark Dyreson, professor of kinesiology and sports history at Penn State. Broadcast rights brought in roughly $2.96 billion in 2022 alone, compared with the nearly $3.9 billion FIFA is projecting for 2026. Still, some experts to argue the hydration breaks are less about money and more about adapting the World Cup to a changing media landscape.

This Just In:
How Qatar Became FIFA’s Technology Test Lab
NEWS | 04 July 2026
“Since the FIFA Arab Cup 2021, we have done more than host football’s biggest matches; we have helped shape how the game is played, officiated and experienced.”2026 FIFA World Cup Here’s WIRED’s complete guide to the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Connected Ball TechnologyA 2026 FIFA World Cup official ball embedded with sensor technology. Adidas first trialed connected-ball technology during the FIFA Arab Cup before introducing the Al Rihla at the Qatar World Cup in 2022. The FIFA Player AppThat same year also saw the early rollout of a new digital layer for players. VAR and Goal-Line TechnologyBy the time the 2022 FIFA World Cup began, many of these systems had moved beyond the trial stage.

Today:
World Cup Teams Are in a Race for AI Dominance
NEWS | 04 July 2026
The sheer scale of data being recorded at this summer’s World Cup is unprecedented. Lucey is chief scientist at Stats Perform, the data and AI company whose work underpins almost the entire global soccer ecosystem. At the World Cup, swathes of information will be manipulated and analysed, by humans and AI, to find a cutting edge. 2026 FIFA World Cup Here’s WIRED's complete guide to the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Teams at this year’s Cup will also have access to a bespoke AI agent powered by Lenovo.

Top Stories:
Every Time Norway Scores at the World Cup the City of Bergen Trembles
NEWS | 04 July 2026
But because the Norwegian national team scored a goal during the 2026 World Cup. Generally, geophysicists use seismometers to measure movements and ground vibrations like the seismic waves generated by earthquakes. But during this year’s World Cup, researchers at the University of Bergen have noticed that the seismometer they have in a basement on the campus record anomalous signals during Norway’s matches. The instrument, they note, is capable of detecting ground vibrations with an accuracy of one-millionth of a millimeter. 2026 FIFA World Cup Here’s WIRED’s complete guide to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

World:
World Cup Scams Are Getting Harder to Spot
NEWS | 04 July 2026
You got a World Cup ticket. But at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, those old warning signs are disappearing. With the United States, Canada, and Mexico cohosting 104 matches across 16 cities, the largest World Cup in history has created an unprecedented opportunity for cybercriminals. 2026 FIFA World Cup Here’s WIRED's complete guide to the 2026 FIFA World Cup. “The World Cup is the perfect opportunity for scammers—you couldn’t create a better one,” says David Holtzman, chief strategy officer at Naoris Protocol, a cybersecurity and blockchain company.

Current Events:
This World Cup, Bigger Might Not Really Be Better
NEWS | 04 July 2026
2026 FIFA World Cup Here’s WIRED’s complete guide to the 2026 FIFA World Cup. This year, because of the vast distances, the only option for fans and teams is flights, which airlines have been adding to accommodate potential World Cup travelers. The US federal government has issued $625 million in grants for host cities to address security issues. In Canada, federal authorities have issued around $104 million worth of grants to host cities Vancouver and Toronto. 2026 FIFA World Cup Here’s WIRED Middle East’s complete guide to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

News Flash:
Locked Out of the World Cup: A Year Marked by Barriers, Borders, and Broken Access
NEWS | 04 July 2026
For the first time in World Cup history, eight Arab nations have qualified for this year’s tournament, including Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Iraq, and Jordan—double the number of teams that qualified for Qatar in 2022. The US State Department has fully suspended visa issuance for nationals from countries with teams that qualified, including Iran and Haiti—despite it being the first time Haiti has qualified for a World Cup since 1974. 2026 FIFA World Cup Here’s WIRED’s complete guide to the 2026 FIFA World Cup. While those wait times were later expedited, there was a reported denial rate of more than 40 percent,” he adds. In addition to visa barriers, fans from Ivory Coast, Senegal, Tunisia, and Algeria also faced the possibility of US entry bonds as high as $15,000 going into the tournament.