That is at the moment’s version of The Obtain, our weekday e-newsletter that gives a every day dose of what’s happening on the planet of expertise.
These are the most effective methods to measure your physique fats
—Jessica Hamzelou
Everyone knows that being chubby will not be nice to your well being—it’s linked to metabolic illnesses like diabetes and cardiovascular issues. However weighing your self gained’t inform you all you want to learn about your illness threat.
A pal of mine is a super-fit marathon runner. She’s all lean muscle. And but in accordance with her physique mass index (BMI), which is a measure of weight relative to top, she’s chubby. Which is frankly ridiculous.
I, then again, have by no means been all that muscular. I prefer to assume I’m a wholesome weight—however nurses up to now have suggested me to eat extra butter and doughnuts primarily based on my BMI. That is recommendation I by no means anticipated to obtain from a well being skilled. (I ought to add right here that my pal and I are roughly the identical top and put on the identical measurement in garments.)
The BMI is flawed. Fortunately, there are a number of high-tech alternate options, however a easy measure that entails mendacity in your again may additionally inform you about how your physique measurement may affect your well being. Learn the total story.
This story is from The Checkup, our weekly e-newsletter providing you with the within observe on all issues biotech and well being. Enroll to obtain it in your inbox each Thursday.
The US should do extra to spice up demand for carbon elimination, observers warn
In 2022, the US made an enormous wager on the carbon elimination trade, committing $3.5 billion to construct 4 main regional hubs in an effort to scale up the sector. However trade observers concern that market demand isn’t constructing quick sufficient to help it.
Some at the moment are calling for the Division of Power to redirect a portion of the cash earmarked to construct direct-air-capture (DAC) vegetation towards purchases of greenhouse-gas elimination as a substitute.
Breakthrough Power, the Invoice Gates–backed local weather and clear vitality group, has launched a commentary calling for extra authorities help for demand to make sure that the trade doesn’t stall out in its infancy. Learn extra about what they must say.
—James Temple
The must-reads
I’ve combed the web to seek out you at the moment’s most enjoyable/vital/scary/fascinating tales about expertise.
1 Tesla has unveiled its Cybercab robotaxi
Elon Musk optimistically anticipates they’ll be out there “earlier than 2027.” (Tech Crunch)
+ He has an extended historical past of overpromising and undelivering. (WP $)
+ Musk was imprecise on particulars, however claimed it could price lower than $30,000. (FT $)
2 Hurricane Milton has left thousands and thousands of Florida residents with out energy
Hundreds of individuals have been rescued from flooded areas. (WSJ $)
+ Fortunately, satellite-connected smartphones can hold them related. (WP $)
+ Meteorologists are receiving loss of life threats amid storm misinformation. (Rolling Stone $)
3 The US and UK will work collectively to guard kids on-line
The 2 nations are forming a working group to sort out sexual abuse and harassment. (BBC)
+ Widespread gaming platform Roblox is failing to guard younger customers, a report claims. (FT $)
+ The right way to shield your youngster’s pictures on-line. (The Guardian)
+ Youngster on-line security legal guidelines will truly harm youngsters, critics say. (MIT Know-how Evaluation)
4 China is spreading antisemitic claims forward of the US election
Pretend accounts are spreading harmful conspiracy theories about politicians. (WP $)
+ US authorities concern Russia, China, Iran and Cuba will sow doubts in regards to the outcomes. (Reuters)
5 Large Pharma is preventing again towards compounded weight reduction medicine
Unbranded variations proliferated throughout a scarcity of big-name medicine. Now, the most important firms need them gone. (Wired $)
6 Uber and Lyft exploited a authorized loophole to keep away from paying NY drivers
Drivers have reported being locked out of the app virtually each hour. (Bloomberg $)
+ Uber’s facial recognition is locking Indian drivers out of their accounts. (MIT Know-how Evaluation)
7 Viral debate movies are inescapable on-line
The extra aggressive, theatrical, and unbalanced, the higher. (Vox)
8 How Wikipedia editors are tackling the inflow of AI trash content material
They’re attempting to defend the positioning from deceptive, garbled AI articles. (404 Media)
+ AI educated on AI rubbish spits out AI rubbish. (MIT Know-how Evaluation)
9 The right way to make the ocean quieter
Because of versatile propellers and noise-dampening metamaterials. (Economist $)
10 This social app permits Gen Z to filter out tell-tale purple Solo cups
To take care of a squeaky clear on-line picture. (TechCrunch)
Quote of the day
“As ordinary, Elon Musk is attempting to compete within the Tour de France on a tricycle.”
—Dan O’Dowd, billionaire co-founder of Inexperienced Hills Software program and founding father of the software program security Daybreak Challenge group, was left unimpressed by Tesla’s cybercab occasion, he tells Rolling Stone.
The large story
Persons are apprehensive that AI will take everybody’s jobs. We’ve been right here earlier than.
January 2024
It was 1938, and the ache of the Nice Despair was nonetheless very actual. Unemployment within the US was round 20%. New equipment was reworking factories and farms, and everybody was apprehensive about jobs.
Had been the spectacular technological achievements that had been making life simpler for a lot of additionally destroying jobs and wreaking havoc on the economic system? To make sense of all of it, Karl T. Compton, the president of MIT from 1930 to 1948 and one of many main scientists of the day, wrote within the December 1938 subject of this publication in regards to the “Bogey of Technological Unemployment.”
His essay concisely framed the talk over jobs and technical progress in a manner that continues to be related, particularly given at the moment’s fears over the affect of synthetic intelligence. It’s a worthwhile reminder that worries over the way forward for jobs aren’t new and are greatest addressed by making use of an understanding of economics, slightly than conjuring up genies and monsters. Learn the total story.
—David Rotman
We will nonetheless have good issues
A spot for consolation, enjoyable and distraction to brighten up your day. (Obtained any concepts? Drop me a line or tweet ’em at me.)
+ Marty the robotic is a Boston icon, rolling up and down Cease & Store’s aisles with out complaining.
+ Punctuation actually issues—a easy comma price these firms thousands and thousands!
+ Cool: these pumpkins are thriving in Bangladesh sandbars.
+ For all our Warhammer heads on the market: there’s just one shade of inexperienced that issues.
