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The former vice president turns his gaze, at least momentarily, from melting ice caps to the state of the American media. These are troubled times for the Fourth Estate, and here’s why. Commentary by Tony Long.

A new jazz album draws on cryptography and number theory for its riffs and rhythms. Listen to saxophonist Rudresh Mahanthappa’s melodies with audio clips of digits turned into notes. By Alexander Gelfand.

Architects develop shape-shifting structures that morph in response to changing weather, fluctuating temperatures and differing uses. Imagine a skyscraper that braces itself in gusty winds, or a house that shakes the snow from its roof. By Lakshmi Sandhana.

Now’s your chance to show the world your model USS Enterprise that Shatner signed on your 13th birthday. A call for submissions to our first ever reader-created photo gallery to run next week on the 40th anniversary of Star Trek.

Updated: Wired News posts a photo blog from this year’s Burning Man fest in Black Rock, Nevada. Check for more news and pics as the burn gets closer.

A NASA satellite catches the action as a massive star smashes to smithereens. It open up a whole new universe to astronomers. By Kristen Philipkoski.

Our three-part series on cheap, plastic robots concludes with the Robotikits Jungle Robot, a stump of voice-activated plastic and metal that resembles an encephalitic R2-D2. Commentary by Lore Sjöberg.

A recent court ruling paves the way for you to throw out your cable TV decoder and use the space for something else — like a TiVo Series3. But the technology has its drawbacks. By Chris Kohler.

Between court rulings in its favor and partnerships with major cable providers, things might finally be looking up for the embattled DVR pioneer. By Chris Kohler.

In a special double issue of Gadget Lab, the gang looks at incredible noise-cancelling headphones, a tent you can pitch in seconds, a secure backpack for all your expensive gadgets, and more.