9 great reads from CNET this week
How subzero storage could be your ticket to a second life; the myth behind the US-China AI arms race; and the little-known story of the US cowboys who drilled Britain's secret World War II oil wells.
This week saw mounting evidence that COVID-19 can spread through the air, a form of transmission the World Health Organization had earlier considered very rare. The agency also made a stronger statement that the virus can be spread by people who are asymptomatic. Meanwhile, the United States has been setting single-day records for coronavirus cases -- it reported almost 60,000 on Thursday alone, according to The New York Times.
On the tech front, President Donald Trump is eyeing a ban on TikTok, Uber has gone all-in on grocery delivery, Apple made iOS betas available for public testing, and CNET kicked off a series on how China aims to dominate everything from 5G to AI.
Here are week's stories you don't want to miss.
Cryonics, brain preservation and the weird science of cheating death
It's the stuff of science fiction: chilling your body inside a stainless steel chamber for years on end. But is cryonics a way to reverse death? Or is it just a pipe dream?
5G will change the world. China wants to lead the way
China isn't the only country jockeying for control. The US dominated 4G's expansion and expects to do the same with 5G.
The coronavirus pandemic hasn't slowed China's adoption of 5G.
This digital location tech could help emergency crews find you in the wilderness
Exclusive: Several emergency services in the US and Canada are embracing the What3words service. One tap on a text message lets you tell them exactly where you are.
This vertical farm could be the answer to a future without water
In a massive warehouse in New Jersey, Bowery Farming is trying to change the future of agriculture (all while using 90% less water).
The US, China and the AI arms race: Cutting through the hype
The reality is that US and China efforts to develop AI are entwined, even if the tensions of coronavirus and trade disagreements may spur a separation.
The roughneck US cowboys who drilled Britain's secret WWII oil wells
Wars aren't fought only on battlefields. Here's the little-known story of the gang of Americans who searched for black gold in the heart of besieged Britain.
Apple's Little Voice showcases actors across the autism spectrum
Kevin Valdez draws on personal experience to play a neurodiverse character on a new Apple TV Plus show.
How technology unlocked my family tree and changed my understanding of myself
Commentary: Today's services are primed to help you figure out where you come from.
7 surprising things people will pay real money to buy online
Old phones and Star Wars toys aren't the only valuable items people will pay for on eBay, Facebook Marketplace and more.
