The Download: murderous ‘mirror’ bacteria, and Chinese workers fighting AI doubles

This is today’s edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what’s going on in the world of technology.

No one’s sure if synthetic mirror life will kill us all

In February 2019, a group of scientists proposed a high-risk, cutting-edge, irresistibly exciting idea that the National Science Foundation should fund: making “mirror” bacteria.

These lab-created microbes would be organized like ordinary bacteria, but their proteins and sugars would be mirror images of those found in nature. Researchers believed they could reveal new insights into building cells, designing drugs, and even the origins of life.

But now, many of them have reversed course. They’ve become convinced that mirror organisms could trigger a catastrophic event threatening every form of life on Earth. Find out why they’re ringing alarm bells.

—Stephen Ornes

This story is from the next issue of our print magazine, which is all about nature. Subscribe now to read it when it lands this Wednesday.

Chinese tech workers are starting to train their AI doubles—and pushing back

Earlier this month, a GitHub project called Colleague Skill struck a nerve by claiming to “distill” a worker’s skills and personality—and replicate them with an AI agent. Though the project was a spoof, it prompted a wave of soul-searching among otherwise enthusiastic early adopters.

A number of tech workers told MIT Technology Review that their bosses are already encouraging them to document their workflows for automation via tools like OpenClaw. Many now fear that they are being flattened into code and losing their professional identity.

In response, some are fighting back with tools designed to sabotage the automation process.

Read the full story.

—Caiwei Chen

The must-reads

I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology.

1 The White House and Anthropic are working toward a compromise
The Trump administration says they had a “productive meeting.” (Reuters $)
+ Trump had ordered US agencies to phase out Anthropic’s tech. (Guardian)
+ Despite the blacklist, the NSA is using Anthropic’s new Mythos model. (Axios)

2 Palantir has unveiled a manifesto calling for universal national service
While denouncing inclusivity and “regressive” cultures. (TechCrunch)
+ It’s a summary of CEO Alex Karp’s book “The Technological Republic.” (Engadget)
+ One critic called the book “a piece of corporate sales material.“ (Bloomberg $)

3 Germany’s chancellor and largest company want looser AI rules
Chancellor Merz said industrial AI needs ‌more regulatory freedom. (Reuters $)
+ Siemens says it plans to shift investments to the US if EU rules don’t change. (Bloomberg $)
+ Fractures over AI regulation are also emerging in the US. (MIT Technology Review)  

4 Nvidia’s once-tight bond with gamers is cracking over AI  
Consumer graphics cards are no longer the priority. (CNBC)
+ But generative AI could reinvent what it means to play. (MIT Technology Review)

5 Insurers are trying to exclude AI-related harms from their coverage
And escape legal liability for AI’s mistakes. (FT $)
+ AI images are being used in insurance scams. (BBC)

6 AI is about to make the global e-waste crisis much worse
And most of the trash will end up in non-Western countries. (Rest of World)
+ Here’s what we can do about it. (MIT Technology Review)

7 Tinder and Zoom have partnered with Sam Altman’s eye-scanning firm
To offer a “proof of humanity” badge to users. (BBC)

8 Islamist insurgents in West Africa are driving surging demand for drones
A Nigerian UAV startup is opening its first factory abroad in Ghana. (Bloomberg $)

9 Hundreds of fake pro-Trump AI influencers are flooding social media
In an apparent bid to hook conservative voters. (NYT)

10 A Chinese humanoid has smashed the human half-marathon record
Despite crashing into a railing near the end of the race. (NBC News)
+ Chinese tech firm Honor swept the podium spots. (Engadget)
+ Last year, humans won the race by a mile. (CNN)

Quote of the day

“This is the only issue where you’ve got Steve Bannon and Ralph Nader, Glenn Beck and Bernie Sanders fighting for the same thing.”

—Ben Cumming, head of communications at the AI safety nonprofit Future of Life Institute, tells the Washington Post that diverse public figures are endorsing a declaration of AI policy priorities.

One More Thing

NASA

The great commercial takeover of low Earth orbit

The International Space Station will be decommissioned as soon as 2030, but the story of America in low Earth orbit (LEO) will continue. 

Using lessons from the ISS, NASA has partnered with private companies to develop new commercial space stations for research, manufacturing, and tourism. If they are successful, these businesses will bring about a new era of space exploration: private rockets flying to private destinations.

They will also demonstrate a new model in which NASA builds infrastructure and the private sector takes it from there—freeing the agency to explore deeper and deeper into space. Read the full story.

—David W. Brown

We can still have nice things

A place for comfort, fun and distraction to brighten up your day. (Got any ideas? Drop me a line.)

+ Bask in thisadorable test of a dog’s devotion.
+ This vocal pitch trainer improves your singing straight from your browser.
+ Master international etiquette with this interactive guide to the world’s cultures.
+ Explore the networks of public figures with this intriguing interactive graph. 

The Download: bad news for inner Neanderthals, and AI warfare’s human illusion

This is today’s edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what’s going on in the world of technology.

The problem with thinking you’re part Neanderthal

There’s a theory that many of us have an “inner Neanderthal.” The idea is that Homo sapiens and a cousin species once bred, leaving some people today with a trace of Neanderthal DNA. 

This DNA is arguably the 21st century’s most celebrated discovery in human evolution. But in 2024, a pair of French geneticists called into question the theory’s very foundations. 

They proposed that what scientists interpret as interbreeding could instead be explained by population structure—the way genes concentrate in smaller, isolated groups.

Find out what it all means for human evolution.

—Ben Crair

This story is from the next issue of our print magazine, which is all about nature. Subscribe now to read it when it lands on Wednesday, April 22.

Why having “humans in the loop” in an AI war is an illusion

—Uri Maoz

AI is starting to shape real wars. It’s at the center of a legal battle between Anthropic and the Pentagon, playing a growing role in the conflict with Iran, and raising questions about how much humans should remain “in the loop.”

Under Pentagon guidelines, human oversight is meant to provide accountability, context, and security. But the idea of “humans in the loop” is a comforting distraction.

The real danger isn’t that machines will act without oversight; it’s that human overseers have no idea what the machines are actually “thinking.” Thankfully, science may offer a way forward.

Read the full op-ed on the urgent need for new safeguards around AI warfare.

The must-reads

I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology.

1 Despite blacklisting Anthropic, the White House wants its new model
Trump officials are negotiating access to Mythos. (Axios)
+ Anthropic said it was too dangerous for a public release. (Bloomberg $)
+ Finance ministers are alarmed about the security risks. (BBC)
+ Anthropic just rolled out a model that’s less risky than Mythos. (CNBC)
+ The Pentagon has pursued a culture war against the company. (MIT Technology Review)

2 Sam Altman’s side hustles have raised conflict-of-interest concerns
His opaque investments could influence decisions at OpenAI. (WSJ $)
+ A jury will soon decide if OpenAI abandoned its founding mission. (Wired $)
+ The company is making a big play for science. (MIT Technology Review)

3 A Starlink outage during drone tests exposed the Pentagon’s SpaceX reliance
It was one of several Navy test disruptions linked to Starlink. (Reuters $)
+ The DoD is also tapping Ford and GM for military innovations.(NYT $)

4 Data center delays threaten to choke AI expansion
40% of this year’s projects are at risk of falling behind schedule. (FT $)
+ Partly because no one wants a data center in their backyard. (MIT Technology Review)

5 Alibaba just released its own version of a world model
Happy Oyster is the latest attempt to extend AI’s ability to comprehend physical reality. (SCMP)
+ But they still need to understand cause and effect. (FT $)

6 Google’s Gemini is now generating AI images tailored to personal data
By analyzing users’ Google services and data. (Quartz)
+ Google says it will cut the need for detailed prompts. (TechCrunch)

7 OpenAI is beefing up its agentic coding and development system
Its Codex update is a direct shot at Claude Code. (The Verge)
+ But not everyone is convinced about AI coding. (MIT Technology Review)

8 Europe’s online age verification app is here
It’s available for free to any company that wants it. (Wired $) 

9 Smartglasses are giving Korean theaters hope of a K-Pop moment
Their AI-powered translations are taking the shows to the world. (NYT $)

10 Global voice actors are fighting Hollywood’s AI push
Their voices are training the models that are replacing them. (Rest of World)

Quote of the day

“There’s this dark period between now and some time in the future where the advantage is very much offensive AI.” 

—Rob Joyce, former director of cybersecurity at the National Security Agency, tells Bloomberg how AI is creating new hacking threats.

One More Thing

COURTESY OF NOVEON MAGNETICS

The race to produce rare earth elements

Access to rare earth elements will determine which countries meet their goals for lowering emissions or generating energy from non-fossil-fuel sources. But some nations, including the US, are worried about the supply of these elements. 

China dominates the market, while extraction in the US is limited. As a result, scientists and companies are exploring unconventional sources. Read the full story on their search for critical minerals.

—Mureji Fatunde

We can still have nice things

A place for comfort, fun and distraction to brighten up your day. (Got any ideas? Drop me a line.)

+ This ska cover of Rage Against the Machine is an upbeat way to start a revolution.
+ We finally know how far Stretch Armstrong can really stretch.
+ Customize these ambient sounds to wash away disruptive thoughts.
+ Here’s proof childhood dreams can come true: a girl guiding a seal to perform tricks. 

The Download: cyberscammers’ banking bypasses, and carbon removal troubles

This is today’s edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what’s going on in the world of technology.

Cyberscammers are bypassing banks’ security with illicit tools sold on Telegram 

Inside a money-laundering center in Cambodia, an employee opens a banking app on his phone. It asks for a photo linked to the account, so he uploads a picture of a 30-something Asian man. 

The app then requests a video “liveness” check. The scammer holds up a static image of a woman who doesn’t match the account. After 90 seconds, he’s in. 

The exploit relies on illicit hacking services sold on Telegram that break “Know Your Customer” (KYC) facial scans. MIT Technology Review found 22 channels and groups advertising these services. This is what we discovered. 

—Fiona Kelliher 

Is carbon removal in trouble? 

—Casey Crownhart 

Last week, news emerged that Microsoft was pausing carbon removal purchases. It was a bombshell—Microsoft effectively is the carbon removal market, single-handedly purchasing around 80% of all contracted carbon removal. 

The report sparked fear across the industry, raising questions about the future of carbon removal and the role of Big Tech. Read the full story. 

This story is from The Spark, our weekly newsletter exploring the technology that could combat the climate crisis. Sign up to receive it in your inbox every Wednesday. 

The quest to measure our relationship with nature 

—Emma Marris 

Humans have done some destructive things to the ecosystems around us. But conservationists are learning that we can also be a force for good. 

To understand how we work best with nature, a group of scientists, authors, and philosophers have developed new measurements of human-nonhuman relationships. Now, a team in the United Nations is continuing the work. Find out why—and what they hope to achieve. 

This story is from the next issue of our print magazine, which is all about nature. Subscribe now to read it when it lands on Wednesday, April 22.  

The must-reads 

I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology. 

1 Ukraine says Russian troops have surrendered to robots  
They claim a fully automated attack captured army positions for the first time in history. (404 Media) 
+ Europe’s vision for future wars is full of drones. (MIT Technology Review) 
 
2 Monkeys with BCIs are navigating virtual worlds using only their thoughts 
The research could help people with paralysis. (New Scientist)  
+ But these implants still face a critical test. (MIT Technology Review) 
 
3 NASA wants to put nuclear reactors on the Moon 
They could power lunar bases and extend spaceflight. (Wired $) 
+ NASA is also building a nuclear-powered spacecraft. (MIT Technology Review) 

4 Plans for online age verification in the US are raising red flags 
Experts warn of compliance issues and potential data breaches. (NBC News) 
+ In the EU, an age verification app is about to launch. (Reuters $) 

5 An AI chip boom just pushed Taiwan’s stock market past the UK’s 
It’s risen past $4 trillion to become the world’s seventh largest. (FT $) 
+ Future AI chips could be built on glass. (MIT Technology Review) 

6 The public backlash against data centers is intensifying in the US 
Protests and litigation are blocking projects. (CNBC) 
+ One potential solution? Putting them in space. (MIT Technology Review) 

7 Five-minute EV charging is becoming a reality 
China’s BYD has started rolling it out. (Gizmodo)  
+ “Extended-range electric vehicles” are about to hit US streets. (Atlantic $) 

8 Stealth signals are bypassing Iran’s internet blackout  
Files hidden in satellite TV broadcasts keep information flowing. (IEEE) 
 
9 Shoe brand Allbirds made a shock pivot to AI, sending stock up 700%  
No bubble to see here, folks. (CNBC)  
+ What even is the AI bubble? (MIT Technology Review) 

10 The largest ever map of the universe is complete  
It captures 47 million galaxies and quasars. (Space.com) 

Quote of the day 

“I like the internet as much as anybody, but we’ve got to go on an internet diet. We don’t need to pay for corporations to do their internet stuff.” 

 —Sylvia Whitt, a 78-year-old retiree based in Virginia, tells the Washington Post why they’re protesting against data centers.  

One More Thing 

ISRAEL VARGAS

AI and the future of sex 

Some Republican lawmakers want to criminalize porn and arrest its creators. But what if porn is wholly created by an algorithm? In that case, whether it’s obscene, ethical, or safe becomes a secondary issue. The primary concern will be what it means for porn to be “real”—and what the answer demands from all of us. 

Technological advances could even remove the “messy humanity” from sex itself. The rise of AI-generated porn may be a symptom of a new synthetic sexuality, not the cause. Read the full story. 

—Leo Herrera 

We can still have nice things 

A place for comfort, fun and distraction to brighten up your day. (Got any ideas? Drop me a line.) 

+ An animator turned his son’s drawings into epic anime characters. 
+ Hundreds of baby green sea turtles made a spectacular first journey to the ocean. 
+ You can now track rocket launches from take-off to orbit in real time. 
+ These musical mistakes prove that even the classics aren’t perfect. 

The Download: NASA’s nuclear spacecraft and unveiling our AI 10

This is today’s edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what’s going on in the world of technology.

NASA is building the first nuclear reactor-powered interplanetary spacecraft. How will it work? 

Just before Artemis II began its historic slingshot around the moon, NASA revealed an even grander space travel plan. By the end of 2028, the agency aims to fly a nuclear reactor-powered interplanetary spacecraft to Mars. 

A successful mission would herald a new era in spaceflight—and might just give the US the edge in the race against China. But the project remains shrouded in mystery. 

MIT Technology Review picked the brains of nuclear power and propulsion experts to find out how the nuclear-powered spacecraft might work. Here’s what we discovered. 

—Robin George Andrews 

This story is part of MIT Technology Review Explains, our series untangling the complex, messy world of technology to help you understand what’s coming next. You can read more from the series here. 

Coming soon: our 10 Things That Matter in AI Right Now 

Each year, we compile our 10 Breakthrough Technologies list, featuring our educated predictions for which technologies will change the world. Our 2026 list, however, was harder to wrangle than normal. Why? We had so many worthy AI candidates we couldn’t fit them all in!  

That got us thinking: what if we made an entirely new list all about AI? Before we knew it, we had the beginnings of what we’re calling 10 Things That Matter in AI Right Now.  

On April 21, we’ll unveil the list on stage at our signature AI conference, EmTech AI, and then publish it online later that day. If you want to be among the first to see it, join us at EmTech AI or become a subscriber to livestream the announcement.  

Find out more about the list’s methodology and aims here. 

—Niall Firth & Amy Nordrum 

MIT Technology Review Narrated: this company is developing gene therapies for muscle growth, erectile dysfunction, and “radical longevity” 

In January, a handful of volunteers were injected with two experimental gene therapies as part of an unusual clinical trial. Its long-term goal? To achieve radical human life extension.  

The therapies are designed to support muscle growth. The company behind them, Unlimited Bio, also plans to trial similar therapies in the scalp (for baldness) and penis (for erectile dysfunction). But some experts are concerned about the plans.  

Find out why the trial has divided opinion. 

—Jessica Hamzelou 

This is our latest story to be turned into an MIT Technology Review Narrated podcast, which we publish each week on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Just navigate to MIT Technology Review Narrated on either platform, and follow us to get all our new content as it’s released. 

The must-reads 

I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology. 

1 Google, Microsoft, and Meta track users even when they opt out 
According to an independent audit, they may be racking up billions in fines. (404 Media)  
+ How our digital devices put our privacy at risk. (Ars Technica) 
+ Privacy’s next frontier is AI “memories.” (MIT Technology Review) 
 
2 OpenAI has a new cybersecurity model—and strategy 
GPT-5.4-Cyber is designed specifically for defensive cybersecurity work. (Reuters $) 
+ OpenAI has joined Anthropic in focusing on cybersecurity recently. (Wired $) 
+ Like Anthopic, its latest model is only available to verified testers. (NYT $) 
+ AI is already making online crimes easier. It could get much worse. (MIT Technology Review) 

3 Amazon is buying satellite firm Globalstar in a bid to rival Starlink   
The $11.6 billion deal targets the lucrative satellite internet market. (WSJ $)  
+ Apple has chosen Amazon satellites for iPhone. (Ars Technica) 
 
4 What it’s like to live with an experimental brain implant 
Early BCI users explain what the technology gives—and takes. (IEEE) 
+ A patient with Neuralink got a boost from generative AI. (MIT Technology Review) 
 
5 Dozens of AI disease-prediction models were trained on dubious data  
A few might already have been used on patients. (Nature) 

6 Uber is breaking from its gig economy model to avoid robotaxi disruption  
It’s spending $10 billion to buy thousands of autonomous vehicles. (FT $) 
 
7 xAI is being sued over data center pollution  
Musk’s AI venture stands accused by the NAACP of violating the Clean Air Act. (Engadget) 
+ No one wants a data center in their backyard. (MIT Technology Review) 
 
8 Apple could win the AI race without running  
It may reap the rewards of everyone else’s spending. (Axios) 
 
9 How 4chan set a precedent for AI’s reasoning abilities  
The notorious forum tested a feature called “chain of thought.” (The Atlantic $) 
 
10 The surprising emotional toll of wearing Meta’s AI sunglasses 
Their shortcomings are making users sad. (NYT $) 
 
 

Quote of the day 

“Everything got a whole lot worse once they rolled out AI.” 

—A copywriter tells the Guardian that they’re drowning in “workslop” — AI-generated work that seems polished but has major flaws 

One More Thing 

GETTY IMAGES

How refrigeration ruined fresh food 

Bananas may not be chilled in the grocery store, but they’re the ultimate refrigerated fruit. It’s only thanks to a network of thermal control that they’ve become a global commodity. And that salad bag on the shelf? It’s not just a bag but a highly engineered respiratory apparatus. 

According to Nicola Twilley—a contributor to the New Yorker and cohost of the podcast Gastropod—refrigeration has wrecked our food system. Thankfully, there are promising alternative preservation methods.  

Read the full story on her research. 

—Allison Arieff 

We can still have nice things 

A place for comfort, fun and distraction to brighten up your day. (Got any ideas? Drop me a line.) 

+ Spotify only shows 10 popular songs per artist. This tool lists them all. 
+ These GIF animations are mesmerizing loops of nostalgia. 
+ This site beautifully visualizes Curiosity’s 13 years on Mars. 
+ A retro-futurist designer has turned a NES console into a working synthesizer. 

The Download: the state of AI, and protecting bears with drones

This is today’s edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what’s going on in the world of technology.

Want to understand the current state of AI? Check out these charts. 

If you’re following AI news, you’re probably getting whiplash. AI is a gold rush. AI is a bubble. AI is taking your job. AI can’t even read a clock. Stanford’s 2026 AI Index—the field’s annual report card—cuts through the noise.  

The data reveals a technology evolving faster than we can manage. From the China-US rivalry and model breakthroughs to public sentiment and the impact on jobs, here are the index’s key findings on the state of AI today. 

—Michelle Kim 

Why opinion on AI is so divided 

Stanford’s 2026 AI Index is full of striking stats. It also reveals a field riddled with inconsistencies, most notably in the gap between experts and non-experts.  

On jobs, 73% of US experts view AI’s impact positively, compared to just 23% of the public. Similar divides emerged on the economy and healthcare. What’s driving this disconnect? 

Part of the answer may lie in their diverging experiences. Those using AI for coding and technical work see it at its best, while everyone else gets a more mixed bag. The result is two very different realities. Read the full story on what they are—and why they matter. 

This story is from The Algorithm, our weekly newsletter on AI. Sign up to receive it in your inbox every Monday. 

—Will Douglas Heaven 

Job titles of the future: Wildlife first responder 

Grizzly bears have made such a comeback across eastern Montana that in 2017, the state hired its first-ever prairie-based grizzly manager: wildlife biologist Wesley Sarmento.  

For seven years, Sarmento worked to keep both bears and humans out of trouble. He acted like a first responder, trying to defuse potentially dangerous situations. He even got caught in some himself, which led him to a new wildlife safety tool: drones. Find out the results of his experiments in digital ecology. 
 
 —Emily Senkosky 

This article is from the next issue of our print magazine, which is all about nature. Subscribe now to read it when it lands on Wednesday, April 22.  

The must-reads 

I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology. 

1 Human scientists still trounce the top AI agents at complex tasks  
The best agents perform only half as well as experts with PhDs. (Nature) 
+ Can AI really help us discover new materials? (MIT Technology Review) 
 
2 OpenAI is escalating its fight with Anthropic while pulling away from Microsoft 
A leaked memo exposes plans to attack Anthropic. (Axios) 
+ And says Microsoft “limited our ability” to reach clients. (The Information $) 
+ While touting a budding alliance with Amazon. (CNBC) 

3 Carbon removal technology is stalling—and that may be good news 
Better solutions could now emerge. (New Scientist) 
+ Here are three that are set to break through. (MIT Technology Review) 
 
4 AI is finding bugs faster than we can fix them—and hackers will benefit 
Welcome to the bug armageddon. (WSJ $)  
+ AI may soon be capable of fully automated attacks. (MIT Technology Review) 
 
5 A Texas man has been charged with the attempted murder of Sam Altman 
He allegedly threw a Molotov cocktail at the OpenAI CEO’s home last Friday. (NPR) 
+ The suspect reportedly had a list of other AI leaders. (NYT $) 
 
6 AI is beginning to transform mathematics 
It’s proving new results at a rapid pace. (Quanta) 
+ One AI startup plans to unearth new mathematical patterns. (MIT Technology Review) 
 
7 Students are turning away from computer science 
It’s had a massive drop in enrollments. (WP $) 
+ AI coding tools have diminished the degree’s value. (NYT $)  
 
8 India’s bid to become a data center hub is sparking a fierce backlash 
Farmers are protesting Delhi’s courtship of hyperscalers. (Rest of World) 
 
9 Meta is set to overtake Google in advertising revenue this year 
And become the world’s largest digital ad platform for the first time. (WSJ) 
 
10 AI influencers are taking over Coachella  
Synthetic content creators are “everywhere” at the festival. (The Verge) 

Quote of the day 

“These people are almost nothing like you. They are most likely sociopathic/psychopathic and, in the case of Altman, consistently reported to be a pathological liar.” 

—The alleged firebomber of Sam Altman’s home shares his distrust of AI leaders in a blog post. 

One More Thing 

FRANCESCO FRANCAVILLA

We’ve never understood how hunger works. That might be about to change. 

A few years ago, Brad Lowell, a Harvard University neuro­scientist, figured out how to crank the food drive to the maximum. He did it by stimulating neurons in mice. Now, he’s following known parts of the neural hunger circuits into uncharted parts of the brain. 

The work could have important implications for public health. More than 1.9 billion adults worldwide are overweight, and more than 650 million are obese. Understanding the circuits involved could shed new light on why these numbers are skyrocketing. 

Read the full story. 

—Adam Piore 

We can still have nice things 

A place for comfort, fun and distraction to brighten up your day. (Got any ideas? Drop me a line.) 

Top image credit: Stephanie Arnett/MIT Technology Review | Getty Images 

+ Someone built a mechanical version of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater from Lego. 
+ Enjoy this wholesome clip of toddlers discovering the existence of hugs. 
+ This interactive body map shows exactly which exercises you need. 
+ Jon McCormack’s photos of nature’s patterns are breathtaking. 

The Download: how humans make decisions, and Moderna’s “vaccine” word games

This is today’s edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what’s going on in the world of technology.

You have no choice in reading this article—maybe

How do humans make decisions? The question has been on Uri Maoz’s mind since he read an article in his early twenties suggesting that… maybe they didn’t.  
 
Had he even had a choice about whether to read that article in the first place? How would he ever know if he was truly responsible for making any decisions? “After that, there was no turning back,” says Maoz, now a professor of computational neuroscience at Chapman University. 
 
Today, Maoz is a central figure in efforts to understand how desires and beliefs turn into actions. He’s also uncovered new wrinkles in the debate. Read the full story on his discoveries.

—Sarah Scoles

This article is from the next issue of our print magazine, packed with stories all about nature. Subscribe now to read the full thing when it lands on Wednesday, April 22.

What’s in a name? Moderna’s “vaccine” vs. “therapy” dilemma 

Moderna, the covid-19 shot maker, is using its mRNA technology to destroy tumors through a very, very promising technique known as a cancer vacc— 

“It’s not a vaccine,” a spokesperson for Merck said before the V-word could be uttered. “It’s an individualized neoantigen therapy.” 

Oh, but it is a vaccine, and it looks like a possible breakthrough. But it’s been rebranded to avoid vaccine fearmongering—and not everyone is happy about the word game. Read the full story. 

—Antonio Regalado

This article is from The Checkup, our weekly newsletter covering the latest in biotech. Sign up to receive it in your inbox every Thursday. 

The must reads

I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology.

1 Sam Altman’s home has been attacked twice in two days 
A driver reportedly fired a gun at his property on Sunday. (SF Standard) 
+ A Molotov cocktail was thrown at his home on Friday. (NBC News) 
+ The suspect wrote essays warning AI would end humanity. (SF Chronicle) 
+ The attacks expose growing divides in opinion on AI. (Axios) 

2 AI weapons are ushering in a new kind of arms race 
Countries are racing to deploy AI in military systems. (NYT $) 
+ The Pentagon wants AI firms to train on classified data. (MIT Technology Review) 
+ Where OpenAI’s technology could show up in Iran. (MIT Technology Review) 

3 Artemis II was a success 
Astronauts did an array of experiments that will be crucial to the future of both the program itself and deep-space missions. (Guardian) 
+ But next steps for the Artemis missions are uncertain. (Ars Technica) 

4 OpenAI and Elon Musk are heading toward a massive courtroom clash
The company has accused Musk of a “legal ambush.” (Engadget) 
+ He’s lost a streak of cases ahead of the showdown. (FT $) 

5 AI job fears in China are fueling a viral “ability harvester” project 
It claims to turn human skills into AI tools. (SCMP) 
+ Hustlers are cashing in on China’s OpenClaw AI craze. (MIT Technology Review) 

6 Governments are hiding information about the Iran war online 
Through restrictions on internet access and satellite imagery. (NPR)  

7 Apple is testing four smart glasses that could rival Meta Ray-Bans 
They’re part of a broader wearables strategy. (Bloomberg $) 

8 Meta is building an AI version of Mark Zuckerberg to interact with staff
It’s being trained on his mannerisms, voice, and statements. (FT $) 

9 Anthropic is asking Christian leaders for guidance 
It’s seeing advice on building moral machines. (WP $) 
+ AI agents have spread their own religions. (MIT Technology Review) 

10 A dancer with MND is performing again through an avatar 
Her brainwaves powered the digital dancer. (BBC) 

Quote of the day

“Earth was this lifeboat hanging in the universe.”

—Artemis II astronaut Christina Koch describes her view of Earth from space, the Guardian reports.

One more thing

RAVEN JIANG

How AI and Wikipedia have sent vulnerable languages into a doom spiral

When Kenneth Wehr started managing the Greenlandic-language version of Wikipedia, he discovered that almost every article had been written by people who didn’t speak the language.  

A growing number of them had been copy-pasted into Wikipedia from machine translators—and were riddled with elementary mistakes. This is beginning to cause a wicked problem. 

AI systems, from Google Translate to ChatGPT, learn new languages by scraping text from Wikipedia. This could push the most vulnerable languages on Earth toward the precipice. 

Read the full story on what happens when AI gets trained on junk pages. 

—Jacob Judah 

We can still have nice things

A place for comfort, fun and distraction to brighten up your day. (Got any ideas? Drop me a line.)

+ Hungary’s next health minister can throw some serious shapes.  
+ Here’s a welcome route to an AI-free Google search. 
+ Movievia eschews endless scrolling to find the right film for your needs
+ A photography trick has turned a giant glacier into a tiny, living diorama.

The Download: an exclusive Jeff VanderMeer story and AI models too scary to release

This is today’s edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what’s going on in the world of technology.

Constellations 

—Constellations is a short story by Jeff VanderMeer, the author of the critically acclaimed, bestselling Southern Reach series.  

A spacecraft has crash-landed on a hostile planet. The only survivors are three members of the exploration team and the ship’s AI mind.  

Little exists on the planet except deserts of snow. But alien artifacts lie nearby, in the form of 13 domes, spread across the terrain. Linked by cables threaded through metal posts, the domes form a series of paths—the only hope for life support. 

As the team treks across the frozen hellscape, they discover the remains of countless astronauts from unknown species who followed the same route before them. Is their trail a path to salvation, or a cosmic trap?

<a href="https://www.technologyreview.com/2026/04/10/1135106/jeff-vandermeer-constellations-science-fiction/?utm_source=the_download&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=the_download.unpaid.engagement&utm_term=<Read the rest of this short story in full. 

This story is from the next issue of our print magazine, packed with stories all about nature. Subscribe now to read the full thing when it lands on Wednesday, April 22. 

The must-reads 

I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology. 

1 OpenAI has joined Anthropic in curbing an AI release over security fears 
Only select partners will get its new cybersecurity tool. (Axios)  
+ Anthropic said only yesterday that its new AI is too dangerous for the public. (NBC News) 
+ Top models may not be so public going forward. (Bloomberg $)  
+ The US has summoned bank CEOs to discuss the risks. (FT $)  
 
2 Florida is investigating OpenAI over an alleged role in a shooting  
ChatGPT may have helped someone plan a mass shooting in Florida. (WSJ $)  
+ OpenAI has backed a bill that would limit AI liability for deaths. (Wired $)  
+ The family of a victim plans to sue the company. (Guardian)  
+ AI’s role in delusions is dividing opinion. (MIT Technology Review)  
 
3 Volkswagen is ditching EV production for more gasoline models  
The carmaker will stop making its top electric vehicle in the US. (NYT $)  
+ Instead, it will concentrate on developing a new SUV. (Ars Technica)  
+ Western carmakers are retreating from electric vehicles. (Guardian) 
 
4 Elon Musk’s xAI has sued Colorado over an AI anti-discrimination law  
It’s the first state bill of its kind. (Bloomberg $)  
+ xAI says it will force the firm to “promote the state’s ideological views.” (FT $) 

5 A fifth of US employees say AI now does parts of their job  
The survey found half of US adults used AI in the past week. (NBC News)  
+ Missing data could shed light on AI’s job impact. (MIT Technology Review)  
 
6 Google DeepMind’s CEO wants to automate drug design  
He hopes to develop AI capable of curing all diseases. (The Economist)  
+ A scientist is using AI to hunt for antibiotics. (MIT Technology Review) 

7 China’s Unitree is launching a viral robot on the international market
R1, its cheapest humanoid, will go on sale outside China next week. (SCMP)
+ Gig workers are training humanoids at home. (MIT Technology Review)

8 An experiment on Artemis II astronauts could reshape space medicine
Chips containing their cells will model spaceflight’s effects. (WP $)

9 A pro-Iran meme machine is trolling Trump with AI Lego cartoons
The videos have racked up millions of views. (Wired $) 
+ You can learn to love AI slop. (MIT Technology Review)

10 Short breaks could erase 10 years of social media brain damage 
Studies show that a two-week detox could have a dramatic benefit. (WP $) 

Quote of the day 

“AI should advance mankind, not destroy it. We’re demanding answers on OpenAI’s activities that have hurt kids, endangered Americans, and facilitated the recent FSU mass shooting.”

—Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier explains on X why he’s probing OpenAI. 

One More Thing 

TOM HUMBERSTONE

It’s time to retire the term “user” 

People have been called “users” for a long time. Often, it’s the right word to describe people who use software. But “users” is also unspecific enough to refer to just about everyone. It can accommodate almost any big idea or long-term vision. 

We use—and are used by—computers and platforms and companies. The label “user” suggests these interactions are deeply transactional, but they’re frequently quite personal. Is it time for a more human vocabulary? Read the full story. 

—Taylor Majewski 

We can still have nice things 

A place for comfort, fun and distraction to brighten up your day. (Got any ideas? Drop me a line.) 

+ This flawless levitation trick will leave you questioning the laws of physics.
+ The World Press Photo winners expose the beauty (and brutality) of our planet.
+ Over 3 million pink flamingos gathered to create a stunning pink horizon.
+ Behold the galaxy’s enormity in this comparison of its largest known star to Earth

The Download: AstroTurf wars and exponential AI growth

This is today’s edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what’s going on in the world of technology.

Is fake grass a bad idea? The AstroTurf wars are far from over. 

In 2001, Americans installed just over 7 million square meters of synthetic turf. By 2024, that number was 79 million square meters—enough to carpet all of Manhattan and then some. The increase worries folks who study microplastics and environmental pollution.  

While the plastic-making industry insists that synthetic fields are safe if properly installed, lots of researchers think that isn’t so. Find out why AstroTurf has ignited heated debates.

—Douglas Main 

This story is from the next issue of our print magazine, packed with stories all about nature. Subscribe now to read the full thing when it lands on Wednesday, April 22. 

Mustafa Suleyman: AI development won’t hit a development wall anytime soon—here’s why 

—Mustafa Suleyman, Microsoft AI CEO and Google DeepMind co-founder 

The skeptics keep predicting that AI compute will soon hit a wall—and keep getting proven wrong. To understand why that is, you need to look at the forces driving the AI explosion.  

Three advances are enabling exponential progress: faster basic calculators, high-bandwidth memory, and technologies that turn disparate GPUs into enormous supercomputers. Where does all this get us? Read the full op-ed on the future of AI development to learn more. 
 

Desalination technology, by the numbers 

—Casey Crownhart 

When I started digging into desalination technology for a new story, I couldn’t help but obsess over the numbers. 

I knew on some level that desalination—pulling salt out of seawater to produce fresh water—was an increasingly important technology, especially in water-stressed regions including the Middle East. But just how much some countries rely on desalination, and how big a business it is, still surprised me.

Here are the extraordinary numbers behind the crucial water source. 

This story is from The Spark, our weekly newsletter on the tech that could combat the climate crisis. Sign up to receive it in your inbox every Wednesday. 

The must-reads 

I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology. 

1 Meta has launched the first AI model from its Superintelligence Labs
Muse Spark is the company’s first model in a year. (Reuters $) 
+ The closed model brings reasoning capabilities to the Meta AI app. (Engadget) 
+ It’s built by Meta’s Superintelligence Labs, the unit led by Alexandr Wang. (TechCrunch) 

2 Anthropic has lost a bid to pause the Pentagon’s blacklisting 
An appeals court in Washington, DC denied the request. (CNBC) 
+ A California judge had temporarily blocked the blacklisting in March. (NPR) 
+ The mixed rulings leave Anthropic in a legal limbo. (Wired $) 
+ And open doors for smaller AI rivals. (Reuters $) 

3 New evidence suggests Adam Back invented Bitcoin 
The British cryptographer may be the real Satoshi Nakamoto. (NYT $) 
+ Back denies the claims. (BBC) 
+ There’s a dark side to crypto’s permissionless dream. (MIT Technology Review) 

4 Gen Z is cooling on AI 
The share feeling angry about it has risen from 22% to 31% in a year. (Axios) 
+ Anti-AI protests are also growing. (MIT Technology Review) 

5 War in the Gulf could tilt the cloud race toward China 
Huawei is pitching “multi-cloud” resilience to Gulf clients. (Rest of World) 

6 Meta has killed a leaderboard of its AI token users 
It showed the top 250 users. (The Information $) 
+ Meta blamed data leaks for the shutdown. (Fortune) 
+ It encouraged “tokenmaxxing,” a growing phenomenon in Big Tech. (NYT $) 

7 Did Artemis II really tell us anything new about space? 
Or was it primarily a PR exercise? (Ars Technica) 

8 Israeli attacks have brutally exposed Lebanon’s digital infrastructure 
It’s managing a modern crisis without modern technology. (Wired $) 

9 AI models could offer mathematicians a common language 
They hope it will simplify the process of verifying proofs. (Economist)  

10 A “self-doxing’ rave is helping trans people stay safe online 
It’s among a series of digital self-defenses. (404 Media) 

Quote of the day 

“I feel like anything that I’m interested in has the potential of maybe getting replaced, even in the next few years.” 

—Sydney Gill, a freshman at Rice University, tells the New York Times why she’s soured on AI. 

One More Thing 

MAXIMILIEN BRICE/CERN

Inside the hunt for new physics at the world’s largest particle collider 

In 2012, data from CERN’s Large Hadron Collider (LHC) unearthed a particle called the Higgs boson. The discovery answered a nagging question: where do fundamental particles, such as the ones that make up all the protons and neutrons in our bodies, get their mass?

But now particle physicists have reached an impasse in their quest to discover, produce, and study new particles at colliders. Find out what they’re trying to do about it.

—Dan Garisto 

We can still have nice things 

A place for comfort, fun and distraction to brighten up your day. (Got any ideas? Drop me a line.) 

+ Enjoy this tale of the “joke” sound that accidentally defined 90s rave culture. 
+ Take a nostalgic trip through the websites of the early 00s. 
+ One for animal lovers: sperm whales have teamed up to support a newborn. 
+ Here’s a long overdue answer to a vital question: can the world’s largest mousetrap catch a limousine? 

The Download: water threats in Iran and AI’s impact on what entrepreneurs make

This is today’s edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what’s going on in the world of technology.

Desalination plants in the Middle East are increasingly vulnerable 

As the conflict in Iran has escalated, a crucial resource is under fire: the desalinization technology that supplies water in the region. 
 
President Donald Trump has threatened to destroy “possibly all desalinization plants” in Iran if the Strait of Hormuz is not reopened. The impact on farming, industry, and—crucially—drinking in the Middle East could be severe. Find out why. 

—Casey Crownhart 

This story is part of MIT Technology Review Explains, our series untangling the complex, messy world of technology to help you understand what’s coming next. You can read more from the series here. 

AI is changing how small online sellers decide what to make 

For small entrepreneurs, deciding what to sell and where to make it has traditionally been a slow, labor-intensive process. Now that work is increasingly being done by AI.   

Tools like Alibaba’s Accio compress weeks of product research and supplier hunting into a single chat. Business owners and e-commerce experts say they’re making sourcing more accessible—and slashing the time from product idea to launch.  

Read the full story on how AI is leveling the path to global manufacturing. 

—Caiwei Chen 

The gig workers who are training humanoid robots at home 

When Zeus, a medical student in Nigeria, returns to his apartment from a long day at the hospital, he straps his iPhone to his forehead and records himself doing chores.  
 
Zeus is a data recorder for Micro1, which sells the data he collects to robotics firms. As these companies race to build humanoids, videos from workers like Zeus have become the hottest new way to train them.   
 
Micro1 has hired thousands of them in more than 50 countries, including India, Nigeria, and Argentina. The jobs pay well locally, but raise thorny questions around privacy and informed consent. The work can be challenging—and weird. Read the full story.  

—Michelle Kim 

This is our latest story to be turned into an MIT Technology Review Narrated podcast, which we’re publishing each week on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Just navigate to MIT Technology Review Narrated on either platform, and follow us to get all our new content as it’s released. 

The must-reads 

I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology. 

1 Anthropic’s new model found security problems in every OS and browser 
Claude Mythos has been heralded as a cybersecurity “reckoning.” (The Verge)  
+ Anthrophic is limiting the rollout over hacking fears. (CNBC) 
+ It’s also launching a project that lets Mythos flag vulnerabilities. (Gizmodo) 
+ Apple, Google, and Microsoft have joined the initiative. (ZDNET) 

2 Iranian hackers are targeting American critical infrastructure 
Their focus is on energy and water infrastructure. (Wired) 
+ They’re targeting industrial control devices. (TechCrunch)  

3 Google’s AI Overviews deliver millions of incorrect answers per hour 
Despite a 90% accuracy rate. (NYT $) 
+ AI means the end of internet search as we’ve known it. (MIT Technology Review) 

4 Elon Musk is trying to oust OpenAI CEO Sam Altman in a lawsuit 
As remedies for Altman allegedly defrauding him. (CNBC) 
+ Musk wants any damages given to OpenAI’s nonprofit arm. (WSJ $) 

5 ICE has admitted it’s using powerful spyware 
The tools that can intercept encrypted messages. (NPR) 
+ Immigration agencies are also weaponizing AI videos. (MIT Technology Review) 

6 Greece has joined the countries banning kids from social media 
Under-15s will be blocked from 2027. (Reuters) 
+ Australia introduced the world’s first social media ban for children. (Guardian) 
+ Indonesia recently rolled out the first one in Southeast Asia. (DW)  
+ Experts say they’re a lazy fix. (CNBC) 

7 Intel will help Elon Musk build his Terafab in Texas 
They aim to manufacture chips for AI projects. (Engadget) 
+ Musk says it will be the largest-ever semiconductor factory. (Engadget) 
+ Future AI chips could be built on glass. (MIT Technology Review)  

8 TikTok is building a second billion-euro data center in Finland 
It’s moving data storage for European users. (Reuters) 
+ Finland has become a magnet for data centers. (Bloomberg $) 
+ But nobody wants one in their backyard. (MIT Technology Review) 

9 Plans for Canada’s first “virtual gated community” have sparked a row 
The AI-powered surveillance system has divided neighbors. (Guardian) 
+ Is the Pentagon allowed to surveil Americans with AI? (MIT Technology Review) 

10 The high-tech engineering of the “space toilet” has been revealed 
Artemis II is the first mission to carry one around the world. (Vox) 

Quote of the day 

“This case has always been about Elon generating more power and more money for what he wants. His lawsuit remains nothing more than a harassment campaign that’s driven by ego, jealousy and a desire to slow down a competitor.” 

—OpenAI criticizes Musk’s legal action in an X post. 

One More Thing 

USWDS

Inside the US government’s brilliantly boring websites 

You may not notice it, but your experience on every US government website is carefully crafted. 

Each site aligns an official web design and a custom typeface. They aim to make government websites not only good-looking but accessible and functional for all. 

MIT Technology Review dug into the system’s history and features. Find out what we discovered. 

—Jon Keegan 

We can still have nice things 

A place for comfort, fun and distraction to brighten up your day. (Got any ideas? Drop me a line.) 

+ Rejoice in the splendor of the “Earthset” image captured by Artemis II. 
+ Meet the fearless cat chasing off bears. 
+ This document vividly explains what makes the octopus so unique. 
+ Revealed: the rhythmic secret that makes emo music so angsty. 

The Download: AI’s impact on jobs, and data centres in space

This is today’s edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what’s going on in the world of technology.

The one piece of data that could actually shed light on your job and AI 

Within Silicon Valley’s orbit, an AI-fueled jobs apocalypse is spoken about as a given. Now even economists who have downplayed the threat are coming around to the idea.  

Alex Imas, based at the University of Chicago, is one of them. He believes that any plan to address AI’s impact will depend on collecting one vital piece of data: price elasticity. 

Imas argues that “we need a Manhattan Project” for this. Read the full story to find out why. 

—James O’Donnell 

This article is from The Algorithm, our weekly newsletter giving you the inside track on all things AI. Sign up to receive it in your inbox every Monday. 

Four things we’d need to put data centers in space 

In January, Elon Musk’s SpaceX applied to launch up to 1 million data centers into Earth’s orbit. The goal? To fully unleash the potential of AI—without triggering an environmental crisis on Earth. 

SpaceX is among a growing list of tech firms pursuing orbital computing infrastructure. But can their plans really work? Here are four must-haves for making space-based data centers a reality. 

—Tereza Pultarova 

This story is part of MIT Technology Review Explains, our series untangling the complex, messy world of technology to help you understand what’s coming next. You can read more from the series here. 

The must-reads 

I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology. 

1 Trump has again proposed major cuts to US science and tech spending 
He wants to slash nearly every science-focused agency. (Ars Technica) 
+ If Trump gets his way, the US could face a costly brain drain. (NYT $)  
+ Top research talent is already fleeing the country. (Guardian)  
+ Basic science deserves our boldest investment. (MIT Technology Review) 

2 Sam Altman lobbied against AI regulations he publicly welcomed  
A bombshell report reveals many OpenAI insiders don’t trust him. (The New Yorker $) 
+ Some have called him a sociopath. (Futurism) 
+ OpenAI’s CFO fears it won’t be IPO-ready this year. (The Information $)  
+ A war over AI regulation is brewing in the US. (MIT Technology Review) 

3 NASA’s Artemis II has broken humanity’s all-time distance record 
The astronauts have flown farther than any humans before them. (BBC) 
+ Their mission includes MIT-developed technology. (Axios) 

4 Chinese tech firms are selling intel “exposing” US forces 
It comes from combining AI with open-source data.. (WP $) 
+ AI is turning the Iran conflict into theater. (MIT Technology Review) 

5 War is pushing countries to ditch hyperscalers 
Driven by Iran naming tech giants as military targets. (Rest of World) 
+ No one wants a data center in their backyard. (MIT Technology Review) 

6 OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google have united against China’s AI copying 
They’re sharing information on “adversarial distillation” (Bloomberg $) 

7 Anduril and Impulse Space are working on Trump’s “Golden Dome” 
They’re developing space-based missile tracking for the project. (Gizmodo)  

8 OpenAI has urged California to probe Elon Musk’s “anti-competitive behavior.” 
It accuses Musk of trying to “take control of the future of AGI.” (Reuters $) 
+ And claims he coordinated attacks with Mark Zuckerberg. (CNBC) 
+ A former Tesla president has revealed how he survived working for Musk. (WP $) 

9 DeepSeek’s new AI model will run on Huawei chips 
It’s expected to launch in the next few weeks. (The Information $) 

10 Memes have nuked our culture 
Internet “brain rot” has escaped our phones to take over everything. (NYT $) 

Quote of the day 

“I must say, it was actually quite nice.” 

 —Astronaut Victor Glover tells President Donald Trump what it was like when Artemis II was out of communication with the rest of humanity, The New York Times reports. 

One More Thing 

PABLO ALBARENGA

Inside the controversial tree farms powering Apple’s carbon-neutral goal  

In 2020, Apple set a goal to become net zero by the end of the decade. To hit that target, the company is offsetting its emissions by planting millions of eucalyptus trees in Brazil. 

Apple is betting that the strategy will lead to a greener future. But critics warn that the industrial tree farms will do more harm than good. 

Find out why the plans have sparked a backlash. 

—Gregory Barber 

We can still have nice things 

A place for comfort, fun and distraction to brighten up your day. (Got any ideas? Drop me a line.) 

+ Japan’s automated bike garage is a cyclist’s dream come true.  
+ This deep dive into bird behavior reveals the secrets of their dining habits. (Big thanks to reader Terry Gordon for the find!) 
+ The first photo from the Artemis astronauts vividly captures the glow of our atmosphere. 
+ There’s a new contender for the world’s most gorgeous website: RobertDeNiro.com.