That is at the moment’s version of The Obtain, our weekday e-newsletter that gives a day by day dose of what’s occurring on this planet of know-how.
How “personhood credentials” might assist show you’re a human on-line
As AI fashions develop into higher at mimicking human conduct, it’s changing into more and more troublesome to tell apart between actual human web customers and complex techniques imitating them.
That’s an actual downside when these techniques are deployed for nefarious ends like spreading misinformation or conducting fraud, and it makes it lots more durable to belief what you encounter on-line.
A gaggle of researchers have developed a possible resolution— a verification idea known 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 interchange the highly effective greenhouse gasoline that underpins the ability grid
The facility grid is underpinned by a single gasoline that’s used to insulate a spread of high-voltage gear. The issue is, it’s additionally a brilliant 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 ample. However emissions of the gasoline are steadily ticking up yearly.
Now, firms want to put off gear that depends on the gasoline and trying to find replacements that may match its efficiency. Learn the complete story.
—Casey Crownhart
Unveiling the 2024 Innovator of the 12 months
Yearly, MIT Expertise Overview acknowledges 35 Innovators Underneath 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 reside on LinkedIn. Be a part of us at 12.30pm ET to search out out who it’s, and study their work and the impression 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 at the moment’s most enjoyable/vital/scary/fascinating tales about know-how.
1 X is lots quieter with out its Brazilian customers
The extraordinarily on-line nation ran a lot of X’s hottest fan accounts. (NYT $)
+ Brazil’s Supreme Courtroom is below fireplace 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 changing into targets for police interrogation. (The Guardian)
+ How 2023 marked the loss of life of anonymity on-line in China. (MIT Expertise Overview)
3 Intel has a plan to revive its fortunes
The once-mighty chipmaker plans to shed as many pointless belongings as doable. (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 a substitute. (Economist $)
+ New iron batteries might assist. (MIT Expertise Overview)
5 Courting apps are creating AI wingmen that can assist you flirt
Tinder, Hinge, Bumble and Grindr’s new bots will recommend clean chat-up traces. (FT $)
6 US sanctions are pushing China and Russia to construct new cost techniques
To assist them skirt the US-dollar-dominated world monetary order. (Insider $)
+ Is the digital greenback useless? (MIT Expertise Overview)
7 These scientists wish to retailer organic samples on the moon
Seeds, plant, animal and microbial samples might be safer there than on Earth. (Wired $)
+ Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft is making bizarre noises. (Ars Technica)
+ Future area meals might be created from astronaut breath. (MIT Expertise Overview)
8 Making video calls from jail is significantly costly
However US regulators are lastly capping how a lot personal firms can cost. (WSJ $)
9 Passion apps are exploding in recognition
Social media fatigue is actual, and Strava and Letterboxd are reaping the advantages. (Bloomberg $)
+ Need to see what your pals are as much as? Verify your Venmo. (The Atlantic $)
+ The way to repair the web. (MIT Expertise Overview)
10 Why AI is such a compelling film villain
From 2001: A House Odyssey to the Terminator to the Matrix. (WP $)
Quote of the day
“Pls flip off historical past.”
—A Google worker tells others to show off their chat historical past whereas discussing delicate topics, which the US Federal Authorities claims is proof that employees knew to keep away from making a authorized paper path, 404 Media reviews.
The large story
The race to provide uncommon earth supplies
Abandoning fossil fuels and adopting lower-carbon applied sciences are our greatest choices for avoiding the accelerating risk of local weather change. And entry to uncommon earth parts, key components in lots of of those applied sciences, will partly decide which international locations will meet their targets for decreasing emissions.
Some nations, together with the US, are more and more anxious about whether or not the provision of these parts will stay steady. Because of this, scientists and firms alike are intent on growing entry and enhancing sustainability by exploring secondary or unconventional sources. Learn the complete story.
—Mureji Fatunde
We are able to nonetheless have good issues
A spot for consolation, enjoyable and distraction to brighten up your day. (Obtained any concepts? Drop me a line or tweet ’em at me.)
+ Now fall is formally on its means, it’s time to replace your autumnal studying listing ($)
+ I like this picture of a neuroscientist and her child captured by an MRI machine.
+ My favourite Olympic sport? Snail racing! You’ll be able to learn extra about how the snails energy their little vehicles right here (thanks Claire!)
+ Marginal good points actually do work.