That is at this time’s version of The Obtain, our weekday e-newsletter that gives a day by day dose of what’s happening on this planet of expertise.
How “personhood credentials” might assist show you’re a human on-line
As AI fashions grow to be higher at mimicking human habits, it’s turning into more and more troublesome to tell apart between actual human web customers and complicated methods imitating them.
That’s an actual downside when these methods are deployed for nefarious ends like spreading misinformation or conducting fraud, and it makes it so much tougher to belief what you encounter on-line.
A gaggle of researchers have developed a possible answer— a verification idea referred to as ‘personhood credentials’ that proves its holder is an actual individual, with out revealing any additional details about their identification. Learn the total story to study the way it works.
—Rhiannon Williams
The race to interchange the highly effective greenhouse fuel that underpins the ability grid
The ability grid is underpinned by a single fuel that’s used to insulate a spread of high-voltage tools. The issue is, it’s additionally a brilliant highly effective greenhouse fuel: a nightmare for local weather change.
Sulfur hexafluoride (or SF6) is way from the commonest fuel that warms the planet, contributing round 1% of warming so far—carbon dioxide and methane are rather more well-known and plentiful. However emissions of the fuel are steadily ticking up yearly.
Now, corporations need to dispose of tools that depends on the fuel and trying to find replacements that may match its efficiency. Learn the total story.
—Casey Crownhart
Unveiling the 2024 Innovator of the Yr
Yearly, MIT Know-how Evaluation acknowledges 35 Innovators Underneath 35. These younger entrepreneurs, researchers, and humanitarians are inventing supplies and constructing methods to assist sort out 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 Yr dwell on LinkedIn. Be a part of us at 12.30pm ET to search out out who it’s, and find out about their work and the influence 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 this time’s most enjoyable/vital/scary/fascinating tales about expertise.
1 X is so much 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 beneath 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 internet is widening
Influencers’ followers are more and more turning into targets for police interrogation. (The Guardian)
+ How 2023 marked the dying of anonymity on-line in China. (MIT Know-how Evaluation)
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 rather more grid storage
EVs haven’t absolutely taken off, so battery makers need to the grid as an alternative. (Economist $)
+ New iron batteries might assist. (MIT Know-how Evaluation)
5 Courting apps are growing AI wingmen that can assist you flirt
Tinder, Hinge, Bumble and Grindr’s new bots will counsel easy chat-up traces. (FT $)
6 US sanctions are pushing China and Russia to construct new cost methods
To assist them skirt the US-dollar-dominated international monetary order. (Insider $)
+ Is the digital greenback lifeless? (MIT Know-how Evaluation)
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 house meals might be produced from astronaut breath. (MIT Know-how Evaluation)
8 Making video calls from jail is significantly costly
However US regulators are lastly capping how a lot non-public corporations can cost. (WSJ $)
9 Pastime apps are exploding in recognition
Social media fatigue is actual, and Strava and Letterboxd are reaping the advantages. (Bloomberg $)
+ Wish to see what your mates are as much as? Verify your Venmo. (The Atlantic $)
+ The right way to repair the web. (MIT Know-how Evaluation)
10 Why AI is such a compelling film villain
From 2001: A Area Odyssey to the Terminator to the Matrix. (WP $)
Quote of the day
“Pls flip off historical past.”
—A Google worker tells others to show off their chat historical past whereas discussing delicate topics, which the US Federal Authorities claims is proof that employees knew to keep away from making a authorized paper path, 404 Media reviews.
The massive story
The race to supply uncommon earth supplies
Abandoning fossil fuels and adopting lower-carbon applied sciences are our greatest choices for avoiding the accelerating risk of local weather change. And entry to uncommon earth parts, key substances in lots of of those applied sciences, will partly decide which nations will meet their targets for reducing emissions.
Some nations, together with the US, are more and more fearful about whether or not the availability of these parts will stay steady. Consequently, scientists and corporations alike are intent on rising entry and bettering sustainability by exploring secondary or unconventional sources. Learn the total story.
—Mureji Fatunde
We will nonetheless have good issues
A spot for consolation, enjoyable and distraction to brighten up your day. (Bought any concepts? Drop me a line or tweet ’em at me.)
+ Now fall is formally on its approach, it’s time to replace your autumnal studying listing ($)
+ I really like this picture of a neuroscientist and her child captured by an MRI machine.
+ My favourite Olympic sport? Snail racing! You may learn extra about how the snails energy their little vehicles right here (thanks Claire!)
+ Marginal positive factors actually do work.
