Plus: the US Supreme Court docket is poised to make a ruling on TikTok’s destiny
That is at this time’s version of The Obtain, our weekday publication that gives a day by day dose of what is going on on on the planet of expertise.
We have to defend the protocol that runs Bluesky
—Eli Pariser & Deepti Doshi
Final week, when Mark Zuckerberg introduced Meta could be ending third-party fact-checking, it was a stunning pivot, however not precisely shocking. It’s simply the newest instance of a billionaire flip-flop affecting our social lives on the web.
Zuckerberg isn’t the one social media CEO careening all around the highway: Elon Musk, since shopping for Twitter in 2022 and touting free speech as “the bedrock of a functioning democracy,” has suspended journalists, restored tens of 1000’s of banned customers, introduced again political promoting, and weakened verification and harassment insurance policies.
Sadly, these capricious billionaires can do no matter they need due to an possession mannequin that privileges singular, centralized management in trade for shareholder returns. The web doesn’t should be like this. However as luck would have it, a brand new method is rising simply in time. Learn the complete story.
Deciding the destiny of “leftover” embryos
Over the previous few months, I’ve been engaged on a bit about IVF embryos. The purpose of in vitro fertilization is to create infants through a little bit of lab work: Set off the discharge of plenty of eggs, introduce them to sperm in a lab, switch one of many ensuing embryos into an individual’s uterus, and cross your fingers for a wholesome being pregnant. Generally it doesn’t work. However typically it does. For the article, I explored what occurs to the wholesome embryos which are left over.
As of late, accountable IVF clinics will at all times discuss to individuals about the opportunity of having leftover embryos earlier than they start therapy. However it may be actually troublesome to make these choices earlier than you’ve even began therapy, and a few individuals can’t think about having any left over—or how they may really feel about them. Learn the complete story.
—Jessica Hamzelou
This text first appeared in The Checkup, MIT Expertise Evaluation’s weekly biotech publication. To obtain it in your inbox each Thursday, and skim articles like this primary, enroll right here.
MIT Expertise Evaluation Narrated: Palmer Luckey on the Pentagon’s way forward for combined actuality
Palmer Luckey, the founding father of Oculus VR, has set his sights on a brand new mixed-reality headset buyer: the Pentagon. If designed properly, his firm Anduril’s headset will mechanically type by numerous items of knowledge and flag a very powerful ones to troopers in actual time. However that’s a giant “if.”
That is our newest story to be changed into a MIT Expertise Evaluation Narrated podcast, which we’re publishing every week on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Simply navigate to MIT Expertise Evaluation Narrated on both platform, and comply with us to get all our new content material because it’s launched.
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 The Biden administration gained’t pressure by a TikTok ban
However TikTok might select to close itself down on Sunday to show a degree. (ABC Information)
+ A Supreme Court docket determination is predicted later at this time. (NYT $)
+ Each platform has a contact of TikTok about it as of late. (The Atlantic $)
2 Apple is pausing its AI information function
As a result of it could actually’t be trusted to meld information tales collectively with out hallucinating. (BBC)
+ The corporate is engaged on a repair to roll out in a future software program replace. (WP $)
3 Meta is making ready for Donald Trump’s mass deportations
By stress-free speech insurance policies round immigration, Meta is poised to form public opinion in the direction of accepting Trump’s plans to tear households aside. (404 Media)
4 An uncrewed SpaceX rocket exploded throughout a take a look at flight
Elon Musk says it was in all probability attributable to a leak. (WSJ $)
5 The FBI believes that hackers accessed its brokers’ name logs
The info might hyperlink investigators to their secret sources. (Bloomberg $)
6 What it’s like preventing hearth with water
Dumping water on LA’s wildfires could also be inelegant, however it’s efficient. (NY Magazine $)
+ How investigators are trying to hint the fires’ origins. (BBC)
7 The highway to adapting Tesla’s expenses for different EVs is way from clean
However it’s occurring, slowly however certainly. (IEEE Spectrum)
+ Donald Trump isn’t a fan of EVs, however the market is undoubtedly rising. (Vox)
+ Why EV charging wants greater than Tesla. (MIT Expertise Evaluation)
8 Bionic palms are getting way more delicate 🦾
A brand new research is shedding mild on the right way to make them really feel extra real looking. (FT $)
+ These prosthetics break the mildew with third thumbs, spikes, and superhero skins. (MIT Expertise Evaluation)
9 Gen Z can’t get sufficient of astrology apps 🌌
Stargazing is firmly again ein vogue among the many youthful generations. (Economist $)
10 Nintendo has lastly unveiled its long-awaited Swap 2 console
Just for it to look an entire lot like its predecessor. (WSJ $)
+ Nevertheless it’ll in all probability promote a shedload of items anyway. (Wired $)
Quote of the day
“Going viral is like profitable the lottery—practically not possible to copy.”
—Sarah Schauer, a former star on defunct video app Vine, affords creators left nervous by TikTok’s unsure future within the US some recommendation, the Washington Submit experiences.
The large story
After 25 years of hype, embryonic stem cells are nonetheless ready for his or her second
August 2023
In 1998, researchers remoted highly effective stem cells from human embryos. It was a breakthrough, since these cells are the place to begin for human our bodies and have the capability to show into some other sort of cell—coronary heart cells, neurons, you identify it.
Nationwide Geographic would later summarize the unimaginable promise: “the dream is to launch a medical revolution wherein ailing organs and tissues is perhaps repaired” with dwelling replacements. It was the daybreak of a brand new period. A holy grail. Choose your favourite cliché—all of them obtained airtime.
But at this time, greater than 20 years later, there aren’t any therapies available on the market primarily based on these cells. Not one. Our biotech editor Antonio Regalado got down to examine why, and when that may change. Right here’s what he found.
We will nonetheless have good issues
A spot for consolation, enjoyable and distraction to brighten up your day. (Received any concepts? Drop me a line or skeet ’em at me.)
+ In case you’re planning on catching up with a good friend this weekend—cease! You need to be hanging out as a substitute.
+ David Lynch was a real visionary; an modern artist and grasp of the really bizarre. The world is a duller place with out him.
+ The perfect on the spot noodles, ranked ($)
+ Congratulations to the extremely unique Cambridge College Tiddlywinks Membership, which is celebrating its seventieth anniversary.