Afrigather That is at the moment’s version of The Obtain, our weekday e-newsletter that gives a day by day dose of what is going on on on the earth of know-how.
DHS plans to gather biometric information from migrant youngsters “all the way down to the toddler”
The US Division of Homeland Safety (DHS) plans to gather and analyze images of the faces of migrant youngsters on the border in a bid to enhance facial recognition know-how, MIT Know-how Overview can reveal.
The know-how has historically not been utilized to youngsters, largely as a result of coaching information units of actual youngsters’s faces are few and much between, and include both low-quality pictures drawn from the web or small pattern sizes with little range. Such limitations mirror the numerous sensitivities concerning privateness and consent in terms of minors.
In observe, the brand new DHS plan may successfully resolve that downside. However, past issues about privateness, transparency, and accountability, some consultants additionally fear about testing and growing new applied sciences utilizing information from a inhabitants that has little recourse to supply—or withhold—consent. Learn the total story.
—Eileen Guo
What Japan’s “megaquake” warning actually tells us
On August 8, at 16:42 native time, a magnitude-7.1 earthquake shook southern Japan. The temblor, originating off the shores of mainland island of Kyūshū, was felt by practically one million folks throughout the area, and initially, the specter of a tsunami emerged. However solely a diminutive wave swept ashore, buildings remained upright, and no one died. The disaster was over as shortly because it started.
However then, one thing new occurred. The Japan Meteorological Company, a authorities group, issued a ‘megaquake advisory’ for the primary time. It was partly issued as a result of it’s attainable that the magnitude-7.1 quake is a foreshock – a precursory quake – to a far bigger one, a tsunami-making monster that might kill 1 / 4 of one million folks.
The excellent news, for now, is that scientists suppose it is rather unlikely that that magnitude-7.1 quake is a prelude to a cataclysm. However the slim chance stays that it was a foreshock to one thing significantly worse. Learn the total story.
—Robin George Andrews
This story is a part of MIT Know-how Overview Explains: our collection serving to you perceive what’s coming subsequent. You’ll be able to learn extra right here.
The US authorities remains to be spending massive on local weather
Friday marks two years for the reason that US signed the landmark Inflation Discount Act (IRA) into legislation. In that point we’ve seen an inflow of funding from the federal authorities and personal companies alike.
The federal government has already spent a whole lot of billions of {dollars}, and there’s way more to return. And this cash is beginning to make a giant distinction within the local weather tech sector. However the place is all of it going? Learn our story to search out out.
—Casey Crownhart
This story is from The Spark, our weekly e-newsletter masking local weather and power applied sciences. Enroll to obtain it in your inbox each Wednesday.
The must-reads
I’ve combed the web to search out you at the moment’s most enjoyable/necessary/scary/fascinating tales about know-how.
1 Mpox is spreading quickly throughout African nations
The World Well being Group has declared it a worldwide well being emergency for the second time in two years. (NYT $)
+ Circumstances and deaths are rising throughout east and central African nations. (Vox)
+ Such a mpox, often known as Clade 1, is way deadlier than the earlier model. (BBC)
2 A mind implant helped a person with ALS to talk once more
Years after the illness robbed him of that means. (Reuters)
+ An ALS affected person set a report for speaking by way of a mind implant. (MIT Know-how Overview)
3 X’s AI picture generator seems to have few filters
It’ll generate photos of Barack Obama doing cocaine, for instance. (NY Magazine $)
+ It does, nevertheless, refuse to generate absolutely nude pictures. (The Guardian)
+ Textual content-to-image AI fashions may be tricked into producing disturbing pictures. (MIT Know-how Overview)
4 Huge Tech’s power utilization is skyrocketing
However how large corporations disclose their emissions is a bone of rivalry. (FT $)
+ Google, Amazon and the issue with Huge Tech’s local weather claims. (MIT Know-how Overview)
5 Meta has shut down a serious misinformation monitoring instrument
Lower than three months earlier than the US election. (NPR)+ Meta’s justification? CrowdTangle was too troublesome to take care of. (Bloomberg $)
6 Apple has began work on a tabletop robotic
Its former automotive crew has pivoted to constructing a sensible house command heart. (Bloomberg $)
7 Local weather change is a present to dangerous invasive crops
Sleeper species can thrive in hotter temperatures. (Economist $)
8 The issue with slapping logos on prostheses
Some wearers say it feels extra like a product than part of their physique. (The Atlantic $)
+ These prosthetics break the mildew with third thumbs, spikes, and superhero skins. (MIT Know-how Overview)
9 Mark Zuckerberg has commissioned a large sculpture of his spouse
He’s persevering with within the Roman custom, apparently. (The Guardian)
10 ChatGPT randomly began chatting to English customers in Welsh 🏴
O diar! (That’s Welsh for ‘oh expensive.’) (FT $)
Quote of the day
“The world that exists at the moment is the product of monopolistic conduct. That world is altering.”
—Decide James Donato, who’s presiding over the Epic v Google authorized case, tells Google’s lawyer to count on harsh punishment when he makes his closing ruling within the subsequent few weeks, the Verge experiences.
The massive story
The seek for extraterrestrial life is focusing on Jupiter’s icy moon Europa
February 2024
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 often break open and spew watery plumes into the moon’s skinny environment.
For these causes, Europa captivates planetary scientists. All that water and power—and hints of components important for constructing natural molecules —level to a different extraordinary chance. Jupiter’s massive, vibrant moon may host life.
They usually could ultimately get some solutions. Later this yr, NASA plans to launch Europa Clipper, the largest-ever craft designed to go to one other planet. The $5 billion mission, scheduled to succeed in Jupiter in 2030, will spend 4 years analyzing this moon to find out whether or not it may help life. Learn the total story.
—Stephen Ornes
We are able to nonetheless have good issues
A spot for consolation, enjoyable and distraction to brighten up your day. (Bought any concepts? Drop me a line or tweet ’em at me.)
+ Begin your day the fitting method with some candy little wolf pups.
+ Blissful thirtieth anniversary to Cotton Eye Joe, could you be a staple of excellent instances for one more three a long time.
+ Minecraft has launched a raft of tub bombs!
+ Horrible information: Paris 2024 might be break dancing’s solely look on the Olympics (spare a thought for Ray Gun).
