A new physics discovery kills hope of the unknown, a drug said to cure opioid addiction comes with a caveat, and a competitive videogamer is out to restore his name. Here’s the news you need to know, in two minutes or less.
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Today’s Headlines
Physics finally nails the proton’s size, and hope dies
A nine-year-old question about how protons and electrons interact may finally have an answer—just not the one people were hoping for. There has long been speculation that protons may change in size depending on context, and confirmation of that would lead to a trove of unknown interactions that would upend the particle physics world. Instead, the more accurate measurement showed that no such thing occurs.
A detox drug promises miracles—if it doesn’t kill you first
The heavy hallucinogen ibogaine is illegal in the US, but some opioid addicts are traveling to a network of unregulated Mexican clinics to take it. The drug—extracted from the root of a West African plant—produces psychedelic effects said to spirit away withdrawal symptoms with a single dose. But there’s a catch: The treatment could kill you. So far 19 people are known to have died after using ibogaine outside of West Africa, though researchers couldn’t tie the deaths directly to the drug.
Fast Fact: 156 pages
That’s the length of the “evidence package” competitive videogamer Billy Mitchell issued after the Guinness Book of World Records wiped away some of his greatest feats, including the first perfect Pac-Man score. Questions of whether he used an unmodified circuit board for his Donkey Kong records caused the removal of his scores, but Mitchell plans to take legal action to clear his name.
WIRED Recommends: Phones With a Headphone Jack
The 3.5-mm headphone jack was much beloved, and new phones have been doing away with them. But fear not: The smartphone headphone jack is not extinct! Our writer put together a list of the best smartphones you can buy that still have the jack.
News You Can Use
Here are the 11 best new TV shows coming out this fall.
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