This is at this time’s version of The Download, our weekday publication that gives a each day dose of what’s happening on the earth of expertise.
How CRISPR may assist save crops from devastation brought on by pests
For many years, the grape-growers of California have battled Pierce’s Disease, a nasty an infection which causes vines to wither. The arrival of an invasive insect across the late ‘80s supercharged the unfold of the illness, turning it from a nuisance to a nightmare.
The illness nonetheless has no treatment, and it’s vulnerable to getting worse as a consequence of local weather change. But an unlikely resolution has arrived within the type of CRISPR gene-editing expertise, which permits researchers to alter the pest’s genome in order that it could not unfold the bacterium. Read the total story.
—Emma Foehringer Merchant
Busting three myths about supplies and renewable power
When it involves renewable power, there are specific myths which can be troublesome to shake. The uncooked supplies we have to struggle local weather change are sometimes discovered on the middle of a few of the most pervasive untruths or misunderstandings.
Our local weather reporter Casey Crownhart dove into three of the largest myths linked to local weather change-combatting supplies and renewable energy—demonstrating simply how vital it’s to disregard the hype, and comply with the science. Read the total story.
Casey’s story is from The Spark, her weekly power and local weather publication. Sign up to obtain it in your inbox each Wednesday.
The must-reads
I’ve combed the web to seek out you at this time’s most enjoyable/vital/scary/fascinating tales about expertise.
1 Remember Amazon’s drone supply program?
It’s nonetheless struggling to take off. (The Information $)
2 These movies present how Iran violently suppresses protests
Security forces are beating and opening fireplace on civilians. (WP $)
+ Thousands of demonstrators proceed to rail in opposition to authorities, although. (WSJ $)
3 Whisper is ChatGPT’s quieter cousin
The accuracy of the transcription mannequin, additionally made by OpenAI, is near-perfect. (New Yorker $)
+ ChatGPT is launching a subscription tier for $20 a month. (Gizmodo)
+ Microsoft’s wasted no time integrating ChatGPT into Teams. (Reuters)
+ OpenAI is an actual breeding floor for AI expertise. (The Information $)
+ People are already utilizing ChatGPT to create exercise plans. (MIT Technology Review)
4 The essential position satellites will play in house warfare 
They accumulate information to disclose rivals’ areas and weapons programs. (Wired $)
+ How to struggle a struggle in house (and get away with it) (MIT Technology Review)
5 Instagram’s founders have launched a AI-aggregated information app
They consider Artifact can bust the information echo chambers popularized by Twitter. (FT $)
6 We don’t absolutely understand how psychedelics can alter our brains
All the extra purpose to train warning earlier than you broaden your thoughts. (The Atlantic $)
+ Mind-altering substances are being overhyped as marvel medication. (MIT Technology Review)
7 Are you able to really feel the metaverse?
Haptic tech is the subsequent step to creating immersive experiences extra life-like. (Economist $)
+ Meanwhile, Meta’s metaverse labs are nonetheless hemorrhaging cash. (Insider $)
8 Forget 3D-printers, it is a 3D-printing manufacturing facility
It’s all about scale, child. (Bloomberg $)
+ Meet the designers printing homes out of salt and clay. (MIT Technology Review)
9 Voice-dictated textual content messages are riddled with errors
Goof duck deciphering them! (WSJ $)
10 TikTok’s ‘lucky girl syndrome’ is simply one other time period for manifesting 
Gen Z has found the facility of optimistic considering. (Vox)
+ Tiktok’s ‘dark psychology’ pattern sounds so much like gaslighting to me. (Vice)
Quote of the day
“Privacy has been extinguished. It is now a zombie.”
—Shoshana Zuboff, professor emerita at Harvard Business School, highlights a similarity between western tech giants and China’s surveillance state in an interview with the Financial Times.
The massive story
How megacities may lead the struggle in opposition to local weather change
April 2021
In 2050, 2.5 billion extra individuals will reside in cities than do at this time. As the world grows extra urbanized, many cities have gotten extra populous whereas additionally attempting to cut back carbon emissions and blunt the impacts of local weather change.
In the approaching many years, cities will likely be engines of financial development. But they have to additionally play a key position in confronting local weather change. Learn how a few of the world’s greatest cities—known as megacities—are rising to this problem. Read the total story.
—Gabrielle Merite & Andre Vitorio
We can nonetheless have good issues
A spot for consolation, enjoyable and distraction in these bizarre instances. (Got any concepts? Drop me a line or tweet ’em at me.)
+ Atlas has fallen—and I’m cackling on the blooper reel (thanks Will!)
+ Don’t fear if your house’s wanting a bit untidy as of late, even the queen of fresh Marie Kondo is easing off on the dusting.
+ These exhibitions are nicely price trotting the globe for.
+ I’m determined to go to this breathtaking sea serpent sculpture on a French seaside.
+ This cat is a few type of well-hydrated genius.