Plus, Israel created an AI-model trained on Palestinian intercepted data
The Download for today is here , Our weekly newsletter provides you with a daily update on the latest in technology.
A brief, but strange history of the gene deextinction
The release this week of some interesting news regarding some furry rodents, so-called “woolly mouse” created as part of an experimental study to see if we could one day revive the woolly mammoth.
Thanks to the advances made in ancient DNA sequencing, there is a growing interest in bringing extinct species back. These ancient genetic data are helping us to better understand the past, for example by providing information on prehistoric human interactions. Researchers are getting more ambitious. They want to insert ancient DNA into living organisms, rather than simply reading it.
This idea was so novel and so popular that I thought it might be helpful to keep a track of the previous attempts at adding extinct DNA into living organisms. Since the technology has no name yet, we’ll call it “chronogenics.” Click here to read the complete story.
–Antonio Regalado
The Checkup is MIT Technology Review’s weekly biotech email newsletter. Subscribe to The Checkup and receive the weekly biotech newsletter in your email every Thursday. Sign up for our newsletter .
Check out this site if you are interested in the de-extinction of species.
+ What would you be willing to pay for a chance to view a Woolly Mammoth?? Sara Ord is the director of Colossal’s species restoration, which was founded in order to “de-extinction”. We talked with her about their ambitious plans.
Colossal, a company that aims to revive the dodo from extinction, is also involved in this effort. Click here to read the complete story.
+ The sequence of DNA frozen over 2,000,000 years.. These ancient DNA fragments are from an ecosystem in Greenland where mastodons roamed around flowering plants. This ancient DNA may provide clues on how to adapt to a changing climate.
Must-read books
I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology.
Ukraine fears the US will cut off its Starlink vital connection
Satellite internet is essential for Ukraine’s drone operation. (WP $)
+ There are many other providers. (Wired $)
+ Next week, Ukraine will begin a new round of negotiations to end the war. (FT $)
+ The radio-obsessed Ukrainian civilian who is shaping Ukraine’s drone defence. (MIT Technology Review)
Israel has developed a powerful AI algorithm using intercepted Palestinian information
ChatGPT is a similar tool that can provide answers to questions about people who are being monitored. (The Guardian)
Donald Trump suspended tariffs against Canada and Mexico
At least until April 2. (Reuters)
+ This is the second time in a row that Trump has reduced import taxes. (BBC)
+ The impact of Trump’s tariffs on the price of batteries and EVs. (MIT Technology Review)
Four Can anyone check the Athena Lunar Lander?
We know that it has reached the Moon, but it seems to have fallen over. (NYT $)
+ It may not be able to accomplish its task if it is in the wrong position. (CNN)
+ Engineers are not sure where the moon is either. (NBC News)
It is much easier to shut down 2G than it seems
It is still used by millions of people in vulnerable situations around the globe to communicate. Rest of World
Search for the oldest computer code in existence
Spoiler: It may not be on Earth. New Scientist ($)
Seven robots will compete against humans at the Beijing Half Marathon
(Insider $) My money is on flesh-and-blood competitors. (Insider $)
+ Scientists taught robots how to run. Researchers are now teaching robots to walk. (MIT Technology Review)
What went wrong with Skype?
The world’s leading app for video calling was Skype, until it wasn’t. (The Verge)
Matchmaking replaces dating as the new trend in matchmaking
Why use a swiper when you can have a platform do all the work? (Wired $)
+ You can find love without dating apps. (MIT Technology Review)
Ten Apps Are Back, Baby!
The original boom in smartphone apps is back. (Bloomberg $)
Today’s Quote
You can only squeeze so much lemon juice from each one.
The Financial Times reported that Carl-Benedikt Frey explains how AI can’t be used to increase productivity alone.
This is a big story
Cost of creating the perfect wave
June 2024
Since the dawn of surfing, the quest for the perfect wave has been a constant obsession among surfers.
This hunt may now take surfers closer to home. This is at least the vision of developers and supporters in the rapidly growing surf pool industry, spurred on by technological advances that finally create artificial waves surfers want to ride.
There’s just one problem. Some of these pools have to contend with fierce opposition from locals because they are located in areas that suffer from drought. These fights are centered around a fundamental question: Who will pay the price of creating or finding the perfect wave? The full story is available.
–Eileen Guo
