The secret sci-fi origins of Burning Man

PLUS: The Best iPad to Buy (and the Ones to Avoid), and more [View this email in your browser]( | [Manage newsletter subscriptions](newsletter=wir) [[(image) WIRED Daily Newsletter Logo]10.02.21]( [ipad 10 in four different sizes]( [BUYING GUIDE | 6-MINUTE READ]( [The Best iPad to Buy (and the Ones to Avoid)]( BY JULIAN CHOKKATTU AND JEFFREY VAN CAMP [With several new iPads on the market, choosing the right one is more complicated than ever. We’re here to help.]( [Collage of images of wrinkled skin, sunburn, face masks]( [IDEAS | 6-MINUTE READ]( [Why Skincare That Burns Is So Satisfying]( BY LEIGH COWART [A couple times a month, I reach for a face mask that causes me pain—and makes me feel better. The science of masochism helps explain why.]( [Astro robot in house]( [PLAINTEXT | 6-MINUTE READ]( [Amazon’s Astro Is a Dog That Will Have Its Day]( BY STEVEN LEVY [We dismiss the company's new robot at our own peril.]( [woman looking out at desert]( [SPICE WORLD | 7-MINUTE READ]( [The Secret Sci-Fi Origins of Burning Man]( BY JASON KEHE [Though almost nobody talks about it, the desert confab owes its existence to Mad Max, Lawrence of Arabia, and—crucially, if ironically—Dune.]( [[GET WIRED]( [Flash Sale: Get WIRED for just $10 $5.]( [Get the print edition]( and exclusive subscriber-only content. You can’t see into the future, but you can subscribe to WIRED. [Subscribe now.](]( [Milky Way from New Zealand]( [STAR BRIGHT | 4-MINUTE READ]( [In New Zealand, People (and Moths) Rediscover Dark Skies]( BY PETRINA DARRAH [A massive South Island stargazing reserve is a respite from light pollution for many species, including our own.]( [Collage of images of ornate casket, urn, gravestones, and money]( [IDEAS | 7-MINUTE READ]( [How ‘Big Funeral’ Made the Afterlife So Expensive]( BY ELEANOR CUMMINS [It’s time to reevaluate the cost of death care—and its environmental impact.]( [girl streaming on phone]( [THE MONITOR | 3-MINUTE READ]( [The YouTube TV, NBCUniversal Debacle Feels Like a Harbinger]( BY ANGELA WATERCUTTER [Streaming was supposed to help people cut the cord, but it mostly just replaced it.]( [girl in the woods]( [PODCASTS | 106-MINUTE EPISODE]( ['80s Fantasy Movies Are Awesomely Cheesy]( GEEK'S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY [There's a reason people still watch movies like Labyrinth, Time Bandits, and The NeverEnding Story decades later.]( [Join us at the RE:WIRED conference]( [JOIN US NOVEMBER 9-10]( [Register for RE:WIRED]( [Our free, two-day virtual event will bring together some of the most interesting thinkers, technologists, and artists in the world to discuss how tech is shaping our future.]( [REGISTER NOW]( [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.