That is right now’s version of The Obtain, our weekday e-newsletter that gives a each day dose of what’s happening on this planet of know-how.
The race to repair space-weather forecasting earlier than subsequent huge photo voltaic storm hits
Because the variety of satellites in house grows, and as we depend on them for rising numbers of important duties on Earth, the necessity to higher predict stormy house climate is turning into increasingly more pressing.
Scientists have lengthy recognized that photo voltaic exercise can change the density of the higher environment. Nevertheless it’s extremely tough to exactly predict the kinds of density modifications {that a} given quantity of photo voltaic exercise would produce.
Now, specialists are engaged on a mannequin of the higher environment to assist scientists to enhance their fashions of how photo voltaic exercise impacts the atmosphere in low Earth orbit. In the event that they succeed, they’ll have the ability to maintain satellites protected even amid turbulent house climate, lowering the chance of probably catastrophic orbital collisions. Learn the complete story.
—Tereza Pultarova
reopen a nuclear energy plant
A shut-down nuclear energy plant in Michigan might get a second life because of a $1.52 billion mortgage from the US Division of Vitality. If profitable, it will likely be the primary time a shuttered nuclear energy plant reopens within the US.
Palisades Energy Plant shut down on Might 20, 2022, after 50 years of producing low-carbon electrical energy. However the plant’s new proprietor thinks financial circumstances have improved previously few years and plans to reopen by the tip of subsequent yr.
A profitable restart could be a serious milestone for the US nuclear fleet, and assist inch the nation nearer to local weather targets. However reopening isn’t so simple as flipping on a light-weight change. Right here’s what it takes to reopen a nuclear energy plant.
—Casey Crownhart
Threads is giving Taiwanese customers a protected house to speak about politics
For months, Threads has been essentially the most downloaded app in Taiwan, as customers flock to the platform to speak about politics and extra. On the platform itself, Taiwanese customers are additionally belatedly realizing their affect once they see that feedback beneath well-liked accounts, like a Ok-pop group, come largely from fellow Taiwanese customers.
However why did Threads achieve Taiwan when it has failed in so many different locations? Zeyi Yang, our China reporter, has dug into the shocking explanation why. Learn the complete story.
This story is from China Report, our weekly e-newsletter supplying you with the within observe on all issues taking place in China. Enroll to obtain it in your inbox each Tuesday.
The must-reads
I’ve combed the web to seek out you right now’s most enjoyable/necessary/scary/fascinating tales about know-how.
1 Taiwan’s lethal earthquake highlights how weak chip provides are
Main producers have been pressured to halt manufacturing. (FT $)
+ It might have vital implications for AI corporations who depend on the chips. (Bloomberg $)
+ The chip patterning machines that may form computing’s subsequent act. (MIT Know-how Evaluation)
2 get an AI mannequin to interrupt its moral guidelines
Repetitive questions are key to tricking programs into breaking their very own pointers. (TechCrunch)
+ Textual content-to-image AI fashions might be tricked into producing disturbing photos. (MIT Know-how Evaluation)
three Microsoft has been lambasted for its shoddy cybersecurity
Its lapses led to hackers from China infiltrating US officers’ emails. (WP $)
four We shouldn’t need to depend on pig kidney transfers
Sadly, human donors are in brief provide. (Vox)
+ The entrepreneur dreaming of a manufacturing facility of limitless organs. (MIT Know-how Evaluation)
5 Europe’s different iPhone app shops require quite a lot of work
You’d need to be a really affected person fan of emulators to make the set up course of worthwhile. (The Verge)
6 X has employed a brand new head of security
Kylie McRoberts has her work minimize out. (WSJ $)
+ She is X’s third security head since Elon Musk took over. (NBC Information)
+ The platform is at the moment swamped with pornographic content material. (Bloomberg $)
7 Partisan pretend information websites have overtaken native newspaper websites within the US
And we’re more likely to see much more of them because the election approaches. (FT $)
+ Three know-how developments shaping 2024’s elections. (MIT Know-how Evaluation)
eight Caregivers are going viral on TikTok
Some viewers suppose it’s candy—however others fear it’s exploitative. (NYT $)
+ Dementia content material will get billions of views on TikTok. Whose story does it inform? (MIT Know-how Evaluation)
9 What 13th century Native North People can train us about local weather change
Communities developed fully new methods to manage. (The Atlantic $)
+ Contained in the battle to guard the Amazon. (New Yorker $)
10 Contained in the retro gaming revival
For youthful players, outdated is most positively cool. (The Guardian)
Quote of the day
“We’ve facilitated this widespread floor that folks have. To not be too heady about it, as a result of it’s simply sticks.”
—Boone Hogg, co-creator of the wildly well-liked Instagram account Official Stick Evaluation, displays on why such a easy idea has resonated with so many individuals to the New York Instances.
The large story
How Meta and AI firms recruited hanging actors to coach AI
October 2023
Between July and September final yr, actors within the US have been invited to take part in an uncommon analysis venture, designed to seize their voices, faces, actions, and expressions.
The venture, which coincided with Hollywood’s historic strikes, was run by London-based emotion AI firm Realeyes and Meta. The knowledge captured from the actors was fed into an AI database to raised perceive and specific human feelings.
Many actors throughout the business fear that AI might be used to exchange them, whether or not or not their actual faces are copied. And on this case, by offering the facial expressions that may train AI to look extra human, examine individuals could actually have been those inadvertently coaching their very own potential replacements. Learn the complete story.
—Eileen Guo
We are able to nonetheless have good issues
A spot for consolation, enjoyable and distraction to brighten up your day. (Received any concepts? Drop me a line or tweet ’em at me.)
+ Gen Z loves Nirvana—and so can we (thanks Charlotte!)
+ Tune in for some lo-fi Succession beats.
+ When you’re hoping to get a glimpse of some cherry blossom this spring, these are one of the best locations to move to.
+ I really like these teeny tiny mushrooms! 
