This is at the moment’s version of The Download, our weekday e-newsletter that gives a each day dose of what’s happening on the earth of know-how.
The seek for extraterrestrial life is concentrating on Jupiter’s icy moon Europa
Europa, Jupiter’s fourth-largest moon, is nothing like ours. Its floor is an enormous saltwater ocean, encased in a blanket of cracked ice, one which appears to sometimes break open and spew watery plumes into the moon’s skinny ambiance.
For these causes, Europa captivates planetary scientists. All that water and power—and hints of parts important for constructing natural molecules —level to a different extraordinary risk. Jupiter’s huge, vibrant moon might host life.
And they could finally get some solutions. Later this 12 months, NASA plans to launch Europa Clipper, the largest-ever craft designed to go to one other planet. The $5 billion mission, scheduled to achieve Jupiter in 2030, will spend 4 years analyzing this moon to find out whether or not it might help life. Read the complete story.
—Stephen Ornes
This story is from the upcoming print concern of MIT Technology Review, devoted to exploring hidden worlds. Buy a subscription to get your arms on a replica when it publishes on February twenty eighth! Deals begin at simply $8 a month.
Uruguay needs to make use of gene drives to eradicate devastating screwworms
The New World screwworm, a parasite frequent in elements of South America and the Caribbean, is a catastrophe for cattle. It burrows into their flesh, finally killing them. In Uruguay alone, it prices farmers between $40 million and $154 million a 12 months. However, work is underway to struggle again.
A bunch of researchers in Montevideo Uruguay have used the gene-editing system CRISPR to develop what’s often called a gene drive: tweaks to the screwworms genes that, in the event that they unfold, will trigger a inhabitants crash.
They are about to maneuver into the following stage of caged trials within the lab, with a view to finally utilizing the genetic device to decimate the screwworm fly inhabitants. Read the complete story.
—Abdullahi Tsanni
The must-reads
I’ve combed the web to search out you at the moment’s most enjoyable/essential/scary/fascinating tales about know-how.
1 The White House will spend $1.5 billion on a brand new chip manufacturing facility
The cash will go to semiconductor big GlobalFoundries to provide superior chips not at the moment made within the US. (WP $)
+ But work to increase US chip manufacturing retains being plagued with issues. (NYT $)
+ Can the huge infusions of cash rebuild the US’s industrial base? (MIT Technology Review)
2 Apple is dealing with its first EU effective
The EU says its music streaming companies violate antitrust legislation. (FT $)
3 A decide dominated that Air Canada needed to honor its chatbots’ low cost error
This units an essential precedent as corporations begin to undertake AI instruments. (WP $)
+ Judges, not politicians, are beginning to dictate AI guidelines. (MIT Technology Review)
+ Should you belief an AI chatbot to plan a visit for you? (The Atlantic $)
+ It’s surprisingly tough to work out when and the way we’ll use generative AI. (FT $)
4 Is AI going to vary how we outline movies?
Systems like OpenAI’s Sora don’t make recordings. They render concepts. (New Yorker $)
+ Sora appears superb—however the remainder of us must wait to attempt it out. (MIT Technology Review)
5 Don’t blindly belief Google search outcomes
AI-generated content material, adverts, and rating algorithms are actually beginning to spoil searches. (WSJ $)
6 The days of quick, free delivery could also be coming to an finish
Blame interest-rate hikes, and rising impatience from startup buyers. (Insider $)
7 How New York’s authorized weed revolution acquired derailed
The state’s plans ended up in an unholy mess. (New Yorker $)
+ The feud between a weed influencer and scientist over puking stoners. (MIT Technology Review)
8 A gun influencer’s conviction has executed nothing to dent his reputation
In reality, YouTube remains to be operating adverts on his channel. (NBC)
+ Hated that video? YouTube’s algorithm may push you one other identical to it. (MIT Technology Review)
9 Phone instances are getting jazzed up 
They can achieve this far more than simply shield your cellphone—for instance, holding your lip balm. (Wired $)
+ Sharp-cornered smartphone instances are all the trend too. (WSJ $)
10 3D-printed chocolate sounds scrumptious 
It’s one thing to do with the ridges and textures. (The Verge)
Quote of the day
“Everyone is looking around, talking about when layoffs are coming next, at what company.”
—A tech employee tells Insider that no job within the trade feels protected proper now.
The huge story
Longevity fanatics wish to create their very own unbiased state. They’re eyeing Rhode Island.
May 2023
—Jessica Hamzelou
Earlier this month, I traveled to Montenegro for a gathering of longevity fanatics, folks concerned about extending human life by way of varied biotechnology approaches. All the attendees had been tremendous pleasant, and the sense of optimism was palpable. They’re all assured we’ll be capable to discover a option to gradual or reverse getting older—they usually have a daring plan to hurry up progress.
Around 780 of those folks have created a “pop-up city” that hopes to bypass the normal means of medical trials. They wish to create an unbiased state the place like-minded innovators can work collectively in an all-new jurisdiction that provides them free rein to self-experiment with unproven medicine. Welcome to Zuzalu. Read the complete story.
We can nonetheless have good issues
+ Finding this humorous New Yorker piece virtually painfully relatable.
+ I don’t want one other cat, I don’t want one other cat…..oh. Hmm. Maybe I do.
+ Let this clip of Weird Al Yankovic conducting an orchestra brighten up your day.
+ When folks say the English are eccentric, I suppose this is the form of factor they imply.