Subscribe to our Newsletter

The Download: longevity for the uber-rich, and wrongful prosecutions of Chinese scientists

Tune into the latest episode of our In Machines We Trust podcast, where we look at how shortages of everything from seeds to fertilizer might accelerate the adoption of technologies that can help supplies go further in war-torn Ukraine. Listen to it on Apple Podcasts, or wherever else you usually listen.

The must-reads

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

1 Donald Trump is going to run for the presidency again 
He’s ignoring the critics, particularly those within his own party. (Vox)
+ Republicans aren’t thrilled by their midterms performance. (The Atlantic $)
+ His decision to run hasn’t exactly come as a surprise. (New Yorker $)
+ Trump and Elon Musk are now social media rivals, technically. (Insider $)

2 FTX boss Sam Bankman-Fried is hustling for money (again)
He’s desperately trying to fix the $8 billion hole in the crypto exchange’s finances. (WSJ $)
+ The Bahamas arm of FTX has filed for bankruptcy, too. (Bloomberg $)

3 Twitter is playing with fire in the EU
The increasingly volatile platform could fall foul of its new rules policing Big Tech. (FT $)
+ Twitter’s Blue Verified service is relaunching on 29 November. (Reuters)
+ Social media giants could be forced to disclose details about their algorithms in the UK. (FT $)
+ Musk has a snarky new nickname: Elmo. (Insider $)
+ What exactly is Musk thinking right now? (Vox)

4 NASA’s Artemis 1 mission has finally taken off 🚀
After months of setbacks, it took flight in the early hours. (CNN)
+ The mission hopes to shed light on what space does to our bodies. (Vox)
+ Watch the moment NASA’s DART spacecraft crashed into an asteroid. (MIT Technology Review)

5 Taylor Swift has exposed just how awful Ticketmaster’s system is
Buying concert tickets is increasingly like battling a rigged lottery. (WP $)

6 The world’s population has reached 8 billion people
But that’s neither a reason to panic—nor relax. (Economist $)
+ New global map shows populations are growing faster in flood-prone areas. (MIT Technology Review)

7 Millions of Indians are relying on businesses controlled by one man
Mukesh Ambani’s conglomerate has made him uber-powerful. (Rest of World)

8 Boston Dynamics is suing a rival over its robot dog
It claims Ghost Robotics’ four-legged design was a bit too similar to its own. (The Register)
+ This robot dog just taught itself to walk. (MIT Technology Review)

9 TikTok has emboldened brands to clap back at customers 👏
Unfortunately, it means they’re more irritating than ever. (Wired $)
+ The platform is also repackaging MTV Cribs for a new generation. (The Guardian)

10 Your next Tinder match could be AI-generated
For just $19, you too could be “the best you’ve ever looked.” (Motherboard)
+ No one knows what’s next for AI copyright. (The Verge)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *