The Delta variant meme is onto something

PLUS: Why Perseverance's First Mars Drilling Attempt Came Up Empty, and more [View this email in your browser]( | [Manage newsletter subscriptions](newsletter=wir) [[(image) WIRED Daily Newsletter Logo]08.13.21]( [drill hole on Mars]( [ROCK 'N' ROLL | 5-MINUTE READ]( [Why Perseverance's First Mars Drilling Attempt Came Up Empty]( BY MATT SIMON [Far from a failure, the sampling might actually offer tantalizing clues about the geology—and potential past life—of the Red Planet.]( [closeup of computer board]( [SMART SILICON | 4-MINUTE READ]( [Samsung Has Its Own AI-Designed Chip. Soon, Others Will Too]( BY WILL KNIGHT [Synopsys, which sells software for designing semiconductors to dozens of companies, is adding artificial intelligence to its arsenal.]( [interior exterior deck with fireplace and view of a mountain and lake]( [CORONAVIRUS | 3-MINUTE READ]( [What Airbnb’s Summer Boost Reveals About Covid-19 Recovery]( BY ARIELLE PARDES [The company’s latest earnings report showed an upsurge in business, but it also hedges expectations for the fall.]( [man looking at phone]( [THE MONITOR | 2-MINUTE READ]( [The New Delta Variant Meme Is Onto Something]( BY ANGELA WATERCUTTER [RIP, fall plans. The latest in pandemic gallows humor is sad and scary—and it could actually help us.]( [[GET WIRED]( [Stare the future right in the eye.]( [Get 1 year of unlimited access to WIRED for less than $1 per month. That includes Steven Levy's exclusive newsletter and a free tote!]( [Subscribe now.](]( [ryan reynolds]( [MOVIES | 5-MINUTE READ]( [Free Guy Sees the Metaverse Through Rose-Colored Glasses]( BY ANGELA WATERCUTTER [Set in a fictional video game, the movie believes in virtual harmony—but that’s not reality.]( [cannon]( [DOT PHYSICS | 6-MINUTE READ]( [The Physics of Johnny Knoxville, Human Cannonball]( BY RHETT ALLAIN [Jackass Forever is back with more dumb stunts. Please: Try only the physics at home.]( [three kids spaced apart walking on a playground wearing face masks]( [CORONAVIRUS UPDATE | 3-MINUTE READ]( [Cases Among Kids, New Mandates, and More Coronavirus News]( BY EVE SNEIDER [Catch up on the most important updates from this week.]( [arrows pointing down ]( [SAFE FOR LATER | 5-MINUTE READ]( [How to Back Up Your Most Important Emails]( BY DAVID NIELD [Google, Microsoft, or Apple may deliver and store your emails, but the most valuable ones deserve a second home, just in case.]( [bacteria]( [PODCASTS | 63-MINUTE EPISODE]( [Time Travelers Should Be a Lot More Worried About Viruses]( BY GEEK'S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY [It's one of the biggest threats that science fiction rarely talks about.]( [Condé Nast Spotlight | The breaking news and top stories everyone is talking about. All in one place. The most popular stories from Vogue, GQ, The New Yorker, Vanity Fair, Wired, Architectural Digest and more. STAY INFORMED]( [(image) WIRED Logo]( [(image) WIRED on Facebook]( [(image) WIRED on Twitter]( [(image) WIRED on Instagram]( [(image) WIRED on LinkedIn]( [(image) WIRED on YouTube]( [Podcasts]( This e-mail was sent to you by WIRED. To ensure delivery to your inbox (not bulk or junk folders), please add our e-mail address, wired@newsletters.wired.com, to your address book. View our [Privacy Policy]( [Unsubscribe]( or [Manage your newsletter subscriptions](newsletter=wir) Copyright © Condé Nast 2021. One World Trade Center, New York, NY 10007. All rights reserved.