Boing Boing

Boing Boing

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A Directory of Mostly Wonderful Things

Artemis Crew Safely Splashes Down Off California Coast
BlogApr 11, 2026

Artemis Crew Safely Splashes Down Off California Coast

NASA confirmed that the Artemis II crew safely re‑entered Earth’s atmosphere and splashed down in the Pacific off Southern California. The four‑person team—NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and CSA astronaut Jeremy Hansen—completed a 10‑day lunar flyby, the first...

By Boing Boing
Girl Mice Grew Balls After a One-Letter DNA Change
BlogApr 10, 2026

Girl Mice Grew Balls After a One-Letter DNA Change

Researchers at Bar‑Ilan University introduced a single‑letter mutation into a non‑coding DNA segment of female mice, causing them to develop testes. The alteration targeted a regulatory region previously considered "junk DNA," demonstrating that tiny changes can flip sexual development pathways....

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UK Bans “Stepfamily” Porn by One Vote, Sets 5-Year Prison Term
BlogApr 10, 2026

UK Bans “Stepfamily” Porn by One Vote, Sets 5-Year Prison Term

The UK House of Lords approved a ban on pornography that depicts sexual acts between stepfamily members, passing the measure by a razor‑thin 144‑143 vote. The legislation, championed by Conservative peer Gabby Bertin, classifies such material as a form of...

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John Deere Settles Right-to-Repair Lawsuit for $99 Million
BlogApr 10, 2026

John Deere Settles Right-to-Repair Lawsuit for $99 Million

John Deere agreed to a $99 million settlement resolving a class‑action lawsuit over its right‑to‑repair policies. The deal covers customers who used Deere dealers for major equipment repairs after January 2018, offering recoveries of 26% to 53% of alleged overcharge damages—significantly higher...

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NYT Investigation Names Adam Back as Bitcoin’s Satoshi Nakamoto
BlogApr 10, 2026

NYT Investigation Names Adam Back as Bitcoin’s Satoshi Nakamoto

John Carreyrou, the Pulitzer‑winning journalist behind the Theranos expose, spent 18 months investigating Bitcoin’s creator and concluded that British cryptographer Adam Back—who invented the Hashcash proof‑of‑work system—is the most likely Satoshi Nakamoto. The New York Times published Carreyrou’s findings on April 8, giving...

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A.J. Jacobs Beat a Weeks-Long Writing Block with a Two-Minute Timer
BlogApr 10, 2026

A.J. Jacobs Beat a Weeks-Long Writing Block with a Two-Minute Timer

A.J. Jacobs, the bestselling author known for experimental nonfiction, broke a week‑long writing block by setting a two‑minute timer and forcing himself to write whatever came to mind. He frames the first action as "putting on your left sock," making...

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This Dashboard Tracks Everything Going on with Artemis’ Orion Capsule as It Returns to Earth
BlogApr 10, 2026

This Dashboard Tracks Everything Going on with Artemis’ Orion Capsule as It Returns to Earth

NASA’s Artemis II mission is in its final phase, with the Orion capsule—nicknamed Integrity—scheduled to splash down off San Diego at 8:07 p.m. EDT on Friday. The crew has already completed a historic fly‑by of the Moon’s far side and returned high‑resolution imagery...

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“Catturd” Gets More X Engagement than the New York Times
BlogApr 9, 2026

“Catturd” Gets More X Engagement than the New York Times

A pseudonymous right‑wing account called Catturd consistently generates higher engagement on X than the New York Times, despite the newspaper’s 53 million‑follower base. Analyst Nate Silver highlighted that Catturd’s posts routinely attract thousands of likes and replies, while NYT tweets often linger at...

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Terry Zwigoff and Drew Friedman in Conversation After CRUMB at Film Forum
BlogApr 9, 2026

Terry Zwigoff and Drew Friedman in Conversation After CRUMB at Film Forum

The 1995 documentary CRUMB, directed by Terry Zwigoff, revisited its legacy during a post‑screening conversation with cartoonist Drew Friedman at New York’s Film Forum. The film, which chronicled underground cartoonist Robert Crumb and his troubled family, was famously snubbed for...

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Meta Is Pulling Ads that Recruit Plaintiffs Suing Meta
BlogApr 9, 2026

Meta Is Pulling Ads that Recruit Plaintiffs Suing Meta

Meta Platforms is removing more than a dozen paid advertisements that law firms used to recruit plaintiffs for social‑media addiction lawsuits. The move follows a California jury verdict that found Meta negligent in fostering compulsive use of its services. Axios...

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Amazon to Cut Off Old Kindles in May
BlogApr 9, 2026

Amazon to Cut Off Old Kindles in May

Amazon announced it will discontinue cloud support for its first‑generation, second‑generation, and Kindle DX e‑readers after May 20. After that date users cannot purchase, borrow, or download new titles, and any device reset or deregistration will render the hardware inoperable. The...

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EFF Quits X as Posts Now Get 3% of What Tweets Once Got
BlogApr 9, 2026

EFF Quits X as Posts Now Get 3% of What Tweets Once Got

The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) announced it is quitting X after its posts now generate only about 3% of the impressions they once did. In 2018, the nonprofit posted 5‑10 times daily and earned 50‑100 million impressions each month. By 2025,...

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Metal Gear Solid Movie on the Way
BlogApr 9, 2026

Metal Gear Solid Movie on the Way

Hollywood has green‑lit a new Metal Gear Solid feature film, tapping directors Zach Lipovsky and Adam B. Stein to translate Hideo Kojima’s 1998 PlayStation landmark into a blockbuster. The duo highlighted the game’s pioneering cinematic style as a blueprint for...

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Arkanoid Played by an Orchestra
BlogApr 8, 2026

Arkanoid Played by an Orchestra

Japanese ensemble New Japan BGM Philharmonic Orchestra performed a full orchestral version of the 1986 arcade title Arkanoid’s brief original soundtrack. The performance, captured on video, transforms the game’s sub‑minute synth theme into a concert‑ready arrangement. By reimagining a classic...

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Bicycle Bell Designed to Defeat Noise-Cancelling Headphones
BlogApr 8, 2026

Bicycle Bell Designed to Defeat Noise-Cancelling Headphones

Škoda has unveiled the DuoBell, a low‑cost bicycle bell engineered to cut through active‑noise‑cancelling (ANC) headphones. The analog device emits a 750 Hz harmonic that ANC algorithms struggle to suppress, ensuring cyclists remain audible without resorting to excessive volume. It contains...

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Design of Foldable iPhone Confirmed by Dummy Sets
BlogApr 8, 2026

Design of Foldable iPhone Confirmed by Dummy Sets

Tech journalist Sonny Dickson released exclusive dummy units of a foldable iPhone, confirming Apple is actively developing a folding handset. The mockups feature a squarer hinge and a horizontal flip mechanism, aligning with earlier speculative designs. The presence of production-ready...

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The Doctor Who Proved Handwashing Saves Lives Was Locked in an Asylum for It
BlogApr 7, 2026

The Doctor Who Proved Handwashing Saves Lives Was Locked in an Asylum for It

In 1847 Ignaz Semmelweis, a physician at Vienna General Hospital, introduced mandatory handwashing in a chlorinated lime solution, slashing maternity ward mortality from 18% to 2%. His data‑driven approach proved that physicians were transmitting fatal infections to patients. The medical...

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China’s 3,000-Foot “Goddess Escalator” Takes 21 Minutes to Ride
BlogApr 7, 2026

China’s 3,000-Foot “Goddess Escalator” Takes 21 Minutes to Ride

Wushan County in Chongqing has unveiled the world’s longest outdoor escalator system, stretching 3,000 feet from the town up to a scenic mountain area. The complex comprises 21 linked escalators and eight elevators, delivering passengers to the summit in roughly...

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“Sunshine” Is a 30-Foot-Long Animated Dachshund Sculpture
BlogApr 6, 2026

“Sunshine” Is a 30-Foot-Long Animated Dachshund Sculpture

A 30-foot-long, hyperrealistic animatronic dachshund named "Sunshine" has been unveiled as a brand‑centric spectacle. The sculpture moves, wags its tail, and interacts with viewers, turning a simple dog figure into a kinetic advertising platform. Created by an unnamed production studio,...

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An Artist Painted a Monster, an Occult Poet Conjured It to Life, and Now It Wants to Kill Your Mörk...
BlogApr 6, 2026

An Artist Painted a Monster, an Occult Poet Conjured It to Life, and Now It Wants to Kill Your Mörk...

In 2023 poet‑performer Janaka Stucky launched a Kickstarter for Ekphrastic Beasts, a monster‑bestiary that starts with artwork and then invents the creature’s game stats. The project reversed the traditional workflow, letting visual art dictate the creature’s abilities for D&D 5e....

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How Hackers Faked a Zombie Apocalypse Alert on Live TV
BlogApr 3, 2026

How Hackers Faked a Zombie Apocalypse Alert on Live TV

On February 11, 2013, hackers infiltrated the Emergency Alert System (EAS) of at least five U.S. television stations and aired a fabricated warning that the dead were rising and attacking the living. The fake alert first appeared on KRTV in...

By Boing Boing
What Do You Read when You’re Locked up in a Japanese Jail for 23 Days?
BlogApr 3, 2026

What Do You Read when You’re Locked up in a Japanese Jail for 23 Days?

Playwright Jeremy O. Harris was detained in Okinawa after Japanese customs discovered MDMA in his luggage, spending 23 days in a detention facility. While incarcerated, he read 23 books, including the Japanese novel *Gifted* by Suzumi Suzuki, and used the...

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The Tofu Product Marketed as “the Healthy Human Flesh Alternative”
BlogApr 3, 2026

The Tofu Product Marketed as “the Healthy Human Flesh Alternative”

In May 2005 Mark Nuckols, a Tuck School of Business student, launched Hufu—a tofu slab marketed as a "healthy human flesh alternative" for the cannibalism‑curious. The product mimicked raw meat in texture and flavor, using provocative branding to attract media...

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USGlobal Airways: A 29-Year Airline that Never Flew
BlogApr 3, 2026

USGlobal Airways: A 29-Year Airline that Never Flew

USGlobal Airways, originally launched as Baltia Air Lines in 1994, spent nearly three decades as a fully capitalized airline without ever operating a commercial flight. Founder Igor Dmitrowsky secured investor funding and acquired several Boeing 747s, yet the company never...

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America Forgot How to Make a Classified Nuclear Warhead Ingredient
BlogApr 3, 2026

America Forgot How to Make a Classified Nuclear Warhead Ingredient

The U.S. Department of Energy discovered it could no longer produce Fogbank, a classified polymer used in the W76, W78 and W88 nuclear warheads, and allocated roughly $92 million to recreate the material. Fogbank’s composition and manufacturing process remain highly secret,...

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Ninja Creami, the PacoJet for the Rest of Us
BlogApr 1, 2026

Ninja Creami, the PacoJet for the Rest of Us

The Ninja Creami, a countertop frozen‑dessert maker, is being hailed as a consumer‑grade alternative to the professional‑grade PacoJet. Priced around $179, it lets users spin, freeze, and customize ice cream, gelato, sorbet, and even dairy‑free treats at home. Reviewers praise...

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U.S. Hiding Troops in Hotels to Dodge Missiles May Be a War Crime
BlogApr 1, 2026

U.S. Hiding Troops in Hotels to Dodge Missiles May Be a War Crime

The United States has begun moving troops from exposed Gulf bases into hotels and office buildings amid a surge of Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks. Defense officials say the hardened compounds lack sufficient protection against the new long‑range strike...

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Krypto Is in Trouble in the New Supergirl Trailer and He Had Better Be OK
BlogApr 1, 2026

Krypto Is in Trouble in the New Supergirl Trailer and He Had Better Be OK

The latest Supergirl trailer spotlights Krypto, Superman’s Kryptonian dog, in a perilous situation that has ignited fan discussion. The footage suggests a darker, more action‑driven tone for the upcoming series, hinting at alien threats and higher stakes. While the trailer...

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Art Sculpture Blows Rainbow Smoke Donuts Using Mirrors and Prisms
BlogApr 1, 2026

Art Sculpture Blows Rainbow Smoke Donuts Using Mirrors and Prisms

Artist Adrien Miller unveiled a hand‑crafted wall sculpture that appears to exhale rainbow‑colored smoke rings. The effect relies on strategically placed mirrors and a prism that refract incense smoke into vivid arcs. Viewers initially mistake the display for a digital...

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DIY Camera Inspired by Production Design of 1979’s Alien
BlogMar 31, 2026

DIY Camera Inspired by Production Design of 1979’s Alien

The Saturnix is an open‑source DIY camera built around a Raspberry Pi Zero 2W and an Arducam IMX519 sensor, housed in a retro‑futuristic case that mimics the iconic prop from the 1979 film Alien. Designer Yutani released full hardware schematics and software on...

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More Research Links Artificial Sweetener Erythritol to Stroke Risk
BlogMar 31, 2026

More Research Links Artificial Sweetener Erythritol to Stroke Risk

A new animal study suggests that erythritol, a zero‑calorie sugar alcohol popular in low‑carb foods, may promote blood clot formation in the brain, raising concerns about stroke risk. Researchers observed increased cerebral clotting in mice fed typical dietary levels of...

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Casio’s New Retro Watch Gets some Old Retro Colors
BlogMar 31, 2026

Casio’s New Retro Watch Gets some Old Retro Colors

Casio has expanded its Vintage AQ-240E ana‑digi watch line with three new pastel colorways: pale blue‑green, pastel salmon, and off‑white. The AQ-240E, launched last year as a successor to the AQ-230, blends a slim digital display with a classic analog...

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GM’s Shiny Tomorrow Came with a Very Dark Underside
BlogMar 30, 2026

GM’s Shiny Tomorrow Came with a Very Dark Underside

General Motors’ 1940 Futurliners were massive Art Deco roadshow trucks that toured the United States, drawing over three million visitors and linking the GM brand to a futuristic vision. While the glossy exhibitions promoted jet engines, microwaves and television, GM...

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A Puppet Show Made From Old Pianos and Mississippi River Trash
BlogMar 30, 2026

A Puppet Show Made From Old Pianos and Mississippi River Trash

Playdoh Kolo’s newest production, Riperion Piano Creatures, will debut at this year’s Giant Puppet Festival in New Orleans. The performance features an entire cast of puppets constructed from discarded Mississippi River debris, salvaged piano parts, and other urban refuse. By...

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Augmented Reality Glasses Can Aid Dementia Patients — and Their Caregivers
BlogMar 30, 2026

Augmented Reality Glasses Can Aid Dementia Patients — and Their Caregivers

UK‑based health‑tech startup has been awarded the Longitude Prize, a £1 million (≈ $1.27 million) challenge prize, for developing augmented‑reality glasses designed to assist people living with dementia and ease caregiver burden. The glasses overlay contextual cues, navigation prompts and medication reminders directly...

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Radio Garden Lets You Explore Local Radio From Around the World at Home
BlogMar 30, 2026

Radio Garden Lets You Explore Local Radio From Around the World at Home

Radio Garden is an interactive web platform that maps live FM/AM stations worldwide, allowing users to spin a virtual globe and tune into local broadcasts from any location. The service revives the serendipitous, community‑driven experience of traditional radio, contrasting with...

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Thrice Is a Challenging but Forgiving Daily Trivia Game
BlogMar 30, 2026

Thrice Is a Challenging but Forgiving Daily Trivia Game

Thrice is a new daily trivia game that presents five questions across five distinct categories each day. Players have three attempts per question, earning three points for each correct answer, which creates a balance between difficulty and forgiveness. The format...

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Doolysaurus Is a New Dinosaur Species and It Is as Cute as It Sounds (Video)
BlogMar 30, 2026

Doolysaurus Is a New Dinosaur Species and It Is as Cute as It Sounds (Video)

Researchers from the University of Austin have announced the discovery of a new dinosaur species named Doolysaurus, unearthed on Aphae Island in South Korea. The turkey‑sized juvenile lived roughly 113 to 94 million years ago and featured a rounded skull...

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Bumpboxx’s BB-777 Is a Modern Boombox with Meticulous Vintage Design
BlogMar 29, 2026

Bumpboxx’s BB-777 Is a Modern Boombox with Meticulous Vintage Design

Bumpboxx launched a Kickstarter for the BB-777, a modern boombox that faithfully recreates the iconic Sharp GF-777 design. The campaign has already raised over $3 million from thousands of backers, with more than 50 days left. The BB-777 blends vintage aesthetics...

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Florida Judge Faces Discipline After Asking Black Defendant “You Ever Chopped Cotton Before?”
BlogMar 28, 2026

Florida Judge Faces Discipline After Asking Black Defendant “You Ever Chopped Cotton Before?”

Florida Judge John E. Jordan is set to receive an official reprimand after the state Judicial Qualifications Commission found his courtroom conduct unacceptable. The commission cited two incidents: the judge telling attorneys to “shut up” and asking a Black defendant...

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Sony Suspends Sales of Memory Cards
BlogMar 28, 2026

Sony Suspends Sales of Memory Cards

Sony announced an indefinite suspension of sales for its low‑end memory cards, including SDXC, SDHC and Compact Flash Type A and B models. The halt is driven by a severe shortage of NAND flash and SSD components, a bottleneck intensified...

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Artist Paints Lovecraft’s Great Old Ones Into All 46 of Hokusai’s Woodblock Prints
BlogMar 27, 2026

Artist Paints Lovecraft’s Great Old Ones Into All 46 of Hokusai’s Woodblock Prints

Japanese illustrator Goki Yamada has released a 128‑page art book titled “Thirty‑six Views of Evil Gods,” which reinterprets all 46 of Katsushika Hokusai’s woodblock prints by inserting H.P. Lovecraft’s Great Old Ones such as Cthulhu and Nyarlathotep. The project blends...

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The Muppets’ Former Creative Director Made a Kids’ Book with a Hole Punched Through Every Page
BlogMar 27, 2026

The Muppets’ Former Creative Director Made a Kids’ Book with a Hole Punched Through Every Page

Eisner‑winner Craig Yoe, former creative director of Jim Henson’s Muppets, has released a new kids’ graphic novel titled *Captain LOL and Rubber Chicken: Har Har*. The 96‑page paperback follows a superhero whose sole power is making people laugh, accompanied by...

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Japanese Desk Designed for People Who Work with Cats
BlogMar 27, 2026

Japanese Desk Designed for People Who Work with Cats

Bibilab has unveiled the Neko Desk, a Japanese‑engineered workstation that incorporates a built‑in cat house. The design lets cats perch, nap, and play without crowding keyboards or monitors. Priced at roughly ¥30,000 (about $210) it targets remote professionals who share...

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This Twilight Ripoff Is so Bad It Became a Cult Sensation
BlogMar 27, 2026

This Twilight Ripoff Is so Bad It Became a Cult Sensation

Jenny Nicholson, a well‑known nerd‑culture creator, released a low‑budget parody of the Twilight saga that quickly went viral. Though the video’s production values are deliberately rough, its humor and self‑aware absurdity resonated with a segment of the online community, turning...

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Tomodachi Life Has a Demo Out Now, and I Love It so Much
BlogMar 27, 2026

Tomodachi Life Has a Demo Out Now, and I Love It so Much

Nintendo has launched a free demo for its upcoming life‑simulation title, Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream, allowing players to experience the game’s quirky mechanics without purchasing new hardware. The demo showcases the series’ signature humor, deep character customization, and social...

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CBS News Ratings Reportedly Its Lowest on Record
BlogMar 27, 2026

CBS News Ratings Reportedly Its Lowest on Record

CBS News has reportedly recorded its lowest viewership numbers ever, according to recent ratings data. The decline follows the appointment of columnist Bari Weiss as head of the division, a move critics say has altered editorial tone. The ratings slump...

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Wikipedia Bans AI-Generated Content
BlogMar 27, 2026

Wikipedia Bans AI-Generated Content

Wikipedia has officially banned the use of large language models, such as ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude, for creating substantive article content. The new policy limits AI to copy‑editing, formatting, and technical tasks, with full‑article translation as the only major exception....

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Boing Boing, March 26, 2026
BlogMar 26, 2026

Boing Boing, March 26, 2026

Boing Boing’s March 26 2026 roundup spotlights three off‑beat tech stories. A dermatologist installed red LED panels in his son’s hospital room, prompting a fresh look at light‑based therapies for pediatric care. Researchers cloned a mouse 58 times, pushing the limits of...

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