Report Shows the Privacy Risks Involved When Buying the Abortion Pill Online

An investigation has found at least nine websites that offer the abortion pill are selling buyers’ data to Google and other third parties, making buyers susceptible to possible charges in states that have crafted legislation making abortion illegal.

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The Enduring Mystery of an Aggressive FBI Raid Near Area 51

When federal agents kicked in his door one icy morning last November, Joerg Arnu was still asleep. Roused by deafening bangs and shouts, the 60-year-old retired software developer stumbled out of bed to find a crowd of unfamiliar men in military gear standing in his foyer.

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Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings steps down as co-CEO

One of streaming’s most influential figures is stepping away from the spotlight. Netflix co-creator Reed Hastings is stepping down as the company’s co-CEO. Ted Sarandos, who has been co-CEO since July 2020, will share the reins with newly promoted operations chief Greg Peters. Hastings will remain involved as Executive Chairman.

Developing…

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse's New Poster Is a Spidey Smörgåsbord

There’s a lot of Spider-Folks in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. This we knew, as we pored over its trailer, as well as many slices of a poster depicting a whole legion of webslinging heroes. Now we have the full poster in glorious high quality, and it turns out? Yeah, still a lot of Spideys in this movie.

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Mexico Bans Solar Geoengineering After Startup Stunt

Mexico is cracking down on experiments in solar geoengineering. The controversial proposed climate solution, in which aerosol particles are released into the upper atmosphere to reflect the Sun’s heat, will no longer be allowed to take place in the country, the Mexican Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources…

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Right-Wing YouTuber Steven Crowder Complains About Being Offered $50 Million

Crowder complained that an unnamed right-wing media company sent him an “immoral” deal. Then the company’s co-founders fired back publicly.

Right-Wing YouTuber Steven Crowder Complains About Being Offered $50 Million

Crowder complained that an unnamed right-wing media company sent him an “immoral” deal. Then the company’s co-founders fired back publicly.

This Hall Effect Stick Upgrade Kit Will Solve Joy-Con Drift Forever

GuliKit, makers of the truly excellent KingKong Pro 2 wireless controller for the Nintendo Switch, which we reviewed last year, has just released an upgrade/repair kit for the official Nintendo Joy-Cons that brings its drift-free Hall effect joysticks to the handheld console’s native controllers.

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Archie's Latest Lunatic Premise Pits Him Against the Post-Apocalypse

Look. I know io9 runs a lot of Archie Comics previews. The problem is they’re so damn fun, whether the classic gang of Archie, Betty, Veronica, and Jughead are facing monsters, angsty alternate universe doppelgangers, or giant robots. So we’d be doing you and ourselves a disservice if we didn’t show you this preview…

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World's largest hydrogen-electric aircraft completes 10-minute flight

ZeroAvia flew the world’s largest hydrogen-electric aircraft today in a step forward for sustainable aviation. The 19-seat, twin-engine Dornier 228 plane, fitted with a prototype hydrogen-electric powertrain, completed a 10-minute flight from Cotswold Airport in the UK. It was part of the HyFlyer II project, a government-funded R&D program working to make small passenger planes better for the environment.

The powertrain was fueled using “compressed gaseous hydrogen produced with an on-site electrolyzer.” The testing configuration included two fuel-cell stacks and lithium-ion battery packs housed in the cabin for the test. However, for commercial use, they would move to external storage to make room for seating. In addition, it was paired with a Honeywell TPE-331 stock engine on the right wing for extra power during takeoff and safety-related redundancy.

Here’s ZeroAvia’s promotional footage of the flight (including some delightfully over-the-top music):

ZeroAvia says it’s on track to certify the technology this year, with plans for commercial routes by 2025. The company is also working on a 2-5 MW powertrain program that will scale the technology for aircraft up to 90 seats; the goal is to expand into narrow-body planes in the next decade. In addition, Amazon has invested in the company as part of its Climate Pledge Fund.