Neat CES Gadgets, a Deadly Cobra’s Genome, and More News

Tech nerds are touring and scientists are curing, but first: a cartoon about office privacy—or lack thereof.

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Today’s News

The best things we’ve seen at CES so far

Tech’s biggest show is underway in Las Vegas, and that means there are all kinds of futuristic gadgets to gawk at. From cat facial recognition to an anti-snore pillow with a “sensor-based sleep pressure monitoring system,” our writers put together a list of the coolest things they’ve seen so far.

Scientists figured out the Indian cobra’s genome—at last

A bite from an Indian cobra can lead to a grisly death: rotted muscles, ruptured blood vessels, and paralyzed nerves. And while an antivenom exists, it involves a practically medieval method of snake milking and horse blood harvesting that is error prone and inefficient. Now, after two years of work, an international team of scientists has published an atlas of all 38 of the Indian cobra’s chromosomes in Nature Genetics—the most complete snake genome ever assembled—in hopes it will serve as a roadmap to a 21st-century solution.

Fast Fact: 14.5 Million

That’s how many acres of land had been scorched by bushfires in Australia since September, as of last week. The fires are unprecedented, having killed at least 18 and posing a dire respiratory health hazard to millions of others.

WIRED Recommends: Robot Vacuum Tips

Robot vacuums are awesome, but they can also be frustrating when not set up for success. Our writers put together some of their best tips (like leaving the lights on!) to make sure you’re getting the most out of your robot friend.

News You Can Use

Here’s how to secure your Wi-Fi router and protect your home network.

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