That is right now’s version of The Obtain, our weekday publication that gives a day by day dose of what’s happening on the planet of expertise.
How “personhood credentials” may assist show you’re a human on-line
As AI fashions change into higher at mimicking human conduct, it’s changing into more and more troublesome to differentiate between actual human web customers and complex methods imitating them.
That’s an actual drawback 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 bunch of researchers have developed a possible answer— a verification idea known 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 be taught the way it works.
—Rhiannon Williams
The race to interchange the highly effective greenhouse gasoline that underpins the facility 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 an excellent 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 thus far—carbon dioxide and methane are rather more well-known and considerable. However emissions of the gasoline are steadily ticking up yearly.
Now, corporations need to get rid of gear 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 Know-how Evaluate acknowledges 35 Innovators Beneath 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 12 months stay on LinkedIn. Be 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 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 right now’s most enjoyable/necessary/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 below hearth 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 changing into targets for police interrogation. (The Guardian)
+ How 2023 marked the dying of anonymity on-line in China. (MIT Know-how Evaluate)
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 may assist. (MIT Know-how Evaluate)
5 Courting apps are growing AI wingmen that will help you flirt
Tinder, Hinge, Bumble and Grindr’s new bots will counsel easy chat-up strains. (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 Evaluate)
7 These scientists need 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 made out of astronaut breath. (MIT Know-how Evaluate)
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 Passion apps are exploding in recognition
Social media fatigue is actual, and Strava and Letterboxd are reaping the advantages. (Bloomberg $)
+ Wish to see what your pals are as much as? Test your Venmo. (The Atlantic $)
+ Learn how to repair the web. (MIT Know-how Evaluate)
10 Why AI is such a compelling film villain
From 2001: A House Odyssey to the Terminator to the Matrix. (WP $)
Quote of the day
“Pls flip off historical past.”
—A Google worker tells others to show off their chat historical past whereas discussing delicate topics, which the US Federal Authorities claims is proof that employees knew to keep away from making a authorized paper path, 404 Media reviews.
The massive story
The race to provide uncommon earth supplies
Abandoning fossil fuels and adopting lower-carbon applied sciences are our greatest choices for fending off the accelerating risk of local weather change. And entry to uncommon earth parts, key components in lots of of those applied sciences, will partly decide which international locations will meet their targets for reducing emissions.
Some nations, together with the US, are more and more nervous about whether or not the availability of these parts will stay steady. Because of this, scientists and corporations alike are intent on growing entry and enhancing sustainability by exploring secondary or unconventional sources. Learn the total story.
—Mureji Fatunde
We are able to nonetheless have good issues
A spot for consolation, enjoyable and distraction to brighten up your day. (Acquired any concepts? Drop me a line or tweet ’em at me.)
+ Now fall is formally on its means, it’s time to replace your autumnal studying record ($)
+ 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 automobiles right here (thanks Claire!)
+ Marginal positive factors actually do work.