Heat pumps as a future-oriented solution: 10 most-read stories in January 2024 | WIRED.jp

In January of this year, an article about CES 2024, one of the world's largest technology trade shows, attracted attention. There was arguably particularly strong interest in gadgets that were already available for purchase or pre-order in the United States, such as smartphone cases with built-in physical keyboards and small AI devices that were showcased at CES. Among them, in the spotlight was the artificial intelligence device “Rabbit R1” (R1), which can launch an application and perform tasks for you simply by giving voice commands. Although the pocket-sized R1 is not a replacement for a smartphone, it can help lighten the burden of simple tasks.

Related articlesCES 2024: 25 of the best gadgets you can get right now, from smartphone cases with built-in physical keyboards to mini AI devices

In addition, the Japanese version of “WIRED” magazine issued a special issue entitled “The World in 2024” at the end of last year, which decodes the most important models for the year 2024 in 10 areas such as technology, culture and politics. a job. A web-only article about heat pumps related to this feature was also widely read.

Heat pumps are a technology that can heat or cool indoor rooms and boil water by transferring heat from water or air, and are expected to be a game-changer for carbon removal. Recently, this technology has been adopted in many electric vehicle models exposed to operation in cold regions, and its energy efficiency in cold weather has been greatly improved, so it can be said that its presence is increasing.

Related articles: The shift to heat pumps is accelerating around the world – special feature “The World in 2024”

From here, we will present the ten most-read books, focusing on articles published on WIRED.jp in January.

01. He mentioned the global hit “Palworld” and “Complex Issues”.

Palworld is a Japanese game that has achieved global success and is attracting attention. On the online bulletin board Reddit, various points were made regarding the strike. >> Read the full article

02. The switch to heat pumps is accelerating around the world – special feature “The World in 2024”

David Spelta

Heat pump technology has been used in air conditioners and water heaters for a long time, but expectations are growing in Europe and the United States as a future-oriented solution because it can reduce carbon dioxide emissions and utility costs. >> Read the full article

03. Finding Technological Traces of Extraterrestrial Civilizations – Special Feature “The World in 2024”

Saiman Zhao

Even if we never meet each other in our lives, there may be evidence that we have a neighbor in the universe. With the discovery of more and more celestial bodies from outside the solar system, can we say that the search for extraterrestrial life is worthless? >> Read the full article

04. What mega complex is Mark Zuckerberg secretly building in Hawaii?

Phil Young

Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta Platforms, is building a massive facility in Hawaii on a plot of land worth about 10 billion yen, complete with a vast underground bunker. The true scale of this project and its impact on the local community has been revealed through exclusive reporting by the US edition of WIRED. >> Read the full article

05. Which one should you choose from the Galaxy S24 series announced by Samsung? Its evolution point

Julian Chocato

Samsung has announced its latest smartphone model, the Galaxy S24 series. How have the three models “Galaxy S24”, “Galaxy S24+” and “Galaxy S24 Ultra” evolved? Let me explain the whole story. >> Read the full article