That is immediately’s version of The Obtain, our weekday e-newsletter that gives a each day dose of what’s occurring on this planet of expertise.
How “personhood credentials” may assist show you’re a human on-line
As AI fashions change into higher at mimicking human habits, it’s turning into more and more tough to tell apart between actual human web customers and complicated techniques imitating them.
That’s an actual drawback when these techniques are deployed for nefarious ends like spreading misinformation or conducting fraud, and it makes it loads more durable to belief what you encounter on-line.
A bunch of researchers have developed a possible answer— a verification idea referred to as ‘personhood credentials’ that proves its holder is an actual particular person, with out revealing any additional details about their id. Learn the complete story to be taught the way it works.
—Rhiannon Williams
The race to switch the highly effective greenhouse gasoline that underpins the facility grid
The facility grid is underpinned by a single gasoline that’s used to insulate a variety of high-voltage gear. The issue is, it’s additionally an excellent highly effective greenhouse gasoline: a nightmare for local weather change.
Sulfur hexafluoride (or SF6) is way from the most typical gasoline that warms the planet, contributing round 1% of warming to this point—carbon dioxide and methane are far more well-known and considerable. However emissions of the gasoline are steadily ticking up yearly.
Now, firms want to dispose of gear that depends on the gasoline and looking for replacements that may match its efficiency. Learn the complete story.
—Casey Crownhart
Unveiling the 2024 Innovator of the 12 months
Yearly, MIT Know-how Overview acknowledges 35 Innovators Below 35. These younger entrepreneurs, researchers, and humanitarians are inventing supplies and constructing techniques to assist deal with the world’s most urgent issues in biotechnology, computing, and local weather science.
On Monday, September 9, we’ll introduce our 2024 Innovator of the 12 months stay on LinkedIn. Be part of us at 12.30pm ET to search out out who it’s, and find out about their work and the affect they’re having on this particular broadcast forward of the listing’s publication. Register right here to be among the many first to know!
The must-reads
I’ve combed the web to search out you immediately’s most enjoyable/vital/scary/fascinating tales about expertise.
1 X is loads quieter with out its Brazilian customers
The extraordinarily on-line nation ran lots of X’s hottest fan accounts. (NYT $)
+ Brazil’s Supreme Courtroom is below hearth from some quarters for banning entry to the platform. (FT $)+ The traders who helped Elon Musk purchase X are significantly out of pocket. (WP $)
2 China’s on-line surveillance web is widening
Influencers’ followers are more and more turning into targets for police interrogation. (The Guardian)
+ How 2023 marked the loss of life of anonymity on-line in China. (MIT Know-how Overview)
3 Intel has a plan to revive its fortunes
The once-mighty chipmaker plans to shed as many pointless property as attainable. (Reuters)
+ Its gross sales are shrinking, and rival Nvidia is flourishing. (Bloomberg $)
4 We want far more grid storage
EVs haven’t totally taken off, so battery makers want to the grid as an alternative. (Economist $)
+ New iron batteries may assist. (MIT Know-how Overview)
5 Courting apps are growing AI wingmen that can assist you flirt
Tinder, Hinge, Bumble and Grindr’s new bots will counsel clean chat-up strains. (FT $)
6 US sanctions are pushing China and Russia to construct new cost techniques
To assist them skirt the US-dollar-dominated international monetary order. (Insider $)
+ Is the digital greenback lifeless? (MIT Know-how Overview)
7 These scientists need to retailer organic samples on the moon
Seeds, plant, animal and microbial samples could possibly be safer there than on Earth. (Wired $)
+ Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft is making bizarre noises. (Ars Technica)
+ Future house meals could possibly be constituted of astronaut breath. (MIT Know-how Overview)
8 Making video calls from jail is significantly costly
However US regulators are lastly capping how a lot non-public firms can cost. (WSJ $)
9 Passion apps are exploding in reputation
Social media fatigue is actual, and Strava and Letterboxd are reaping the advantages. (Bloomberg $)
+ Wish to see what your folks are as much as? Verify your Venmo. (The Atlantic $)
+ Easy methods to repair the web. (MIT Know-how Overview)
10 Why AI is such a compelling film villain
From 2001: A Area Odyssey to the Terminator to the Matrix. (WP $)
Quote of the day
“Pls flip off historical past.”
—A Google worker tells others to show off their chat historical past whereas discussing delicate topics, which the US Federal Authorities claims is proof that employees knew to keep away from making a authorized paper path, 404 Media reviews.
The large story
The race to supply uncommon earth supplies
Abandoning fossil fuels and adopting lower-carbon applied sciences are our greatest choices for avoiding the accelerating menace of local weather change. And entry to uncommon earth parts, key substances in lots of of those applied sciences, will partly decide which nations will meet their objectives for decreasing emissions.
Some nations, together with the US, are more and more frightened about whether or not the provision of these parts will stay secure. Because of this, scientists and firms alike are intent on growing entry and enhancing sustainability by exploring secondary or unconventional sources. Learn the complete story.
—Mureji Fatunde
We are able to nonetheless have good issues
A spot for consolation, enjoyable and distraction to brighten up your day. (Acquired any concepts? Drop me a line or tweet ’em at me.)
+ Now fall is formally on its manner, it’s time to replace your autumnal studying listing ($)
+ I like this picture of a neuroscientist and her child captured by an MRI machine.
+ My favourite Olympic sport? Snail racing! You possibly can learn extra about how the snails energy their little automobiles right here (thanks Claire!)
+ Marginal positive aspects actually do work.
