That is at the moment’s version of The Obtain, our weekday publication that gives a day by day dose of what’s occurring on the earth 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 differentiate between actual human web customers and complex programs imitating them.
That’s an actual downside when these programs are deployed for nefarious ends like spreading misinformation or conducting fraud, and it makes it rather a lot 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 id. Learn the total story to study the way it works.
—Rhiannon Williams
The race to switch the highly effective greenhouse gasoline that underpins the facility grid
The ability grid is underpinned by a single gasoline that’s used to insulate a spread of high-voltage tools. 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 commonest 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, corporations wish to get rid of tools that depends on the gasoline and looking for replacements that may match its efficiency. Learn the total story.
—Casey Crownhart
Unveiling the 2024 Innovator of the 12 months
Yearly, MIT Expertise Evaluate acknowledges 35 Innovators Underneath 35. These younger entrepreneurs, researchers, and humanitarians are inventing supplies and constructing programs 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 12 months reside on LinkedIn. Be part of us at 12.30pm ET to search out out who it’s, and study their work and the affect they’re having on this particular broadcast forward of the record’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 rather a lot quieter with out its Brazilian usersThe extraordinarily on-line nation ran a lot of X’s hottest fan accounts. (NYT $)+ Brazil’s Supreme Court docket is below hearth from some quarters for banning entry to the platform. (FT $)+ The buyers who helped Elon Musk purchase X are significantly out of pocket. (WP $)
2 China’s on-line surveillance internet is wideningInfluencers’ followers are more and more changing into targets for police interrogation. (The Guardian)+ How 2023 marked the demise of anonymity on-line in China. (MIT Expertise Evaluate)3 Intel has a plan to revive its fortunes The once-mighty chipmaker plans to shed as many pointless belongings as attainable. (Reuters)+ Its gross sales are shrinking, and rival Nvidia is flourishing. (Bloomberg $)
4 We’d like far more grid storageEVs haven’t absolutely taken off, so battery makers wish to the grid as an alternative. (Economist $)+ New iron batteries might assist. (MIT Expertise Evaluate)
5 Courting apps are growing AI wingmen that can assist you flirtTinder, 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 systemsTo assist them skirt the US-dollar-dominated world monetary order. (Insider $)+ Is the digital greenback lifeless? (MIT Expertise Evaluate)
7 These scientists need to retailer organic samples on the moonSeeds, 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 area meals could possibly be produced from astronaut breath. (MIT Expertise Evaluate)
8 Making video calls from jail is significantly expensiveBut US regulators are lastly capping how a lot non-public corporations can cost. (WSJ $)
9 Interest apps are exploding in popularitySocial media fatigue is actual, and Strava and Letterboxd are reaping the advantages. (Bloomberg $)+ Wish to see what your pals are as much as? Examine your Venmo. (The Atlantic $)+ The way to repair the web. (MIT Expertise Evaluate)
10 Why AI is such a compelling film villainFrom 2001: A House Odyssey to the Terminator to the Matrix. (WP $)
Quote of the day
“Pls flip off historical past.”
—A Google worker tells others to show off their chat historical past whereas discussing delicate topics, which the US Federal Authorities claims is proof that employees knew to keep away from making a authorized paper path, 404 Media experiences.
The large story
The race to provide uncommon earth supplies
January 2024
Abandoning fossil fuels and adopting lower-carbon applied sciences are our greatest choices for avoiding the accelerating menace of local weather change. And entry to uncommon earth components, key substances in lots of of those applied sciences, will partly decide which nations will meet their objectives for reducing emissions.
Some nations, together with the US, are more and more fearful about whether or not the provision of these components will stay steady. Consequently, scientists and corporations alike are intent on rising entry and enhancing sustainability by exploring secondary or unconventional sources. Learn the total story.
—Mureji Fatunde
We are able to nonetheless have good issues
A spot for consolation, enjoyable and distraction to brighten up your day. (Received any concepts? Drop me a line or tweet ’em at me.)
+ Now fall is formally on its approach, it’s time to replace your autumnal studying record ($)+ I really 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.