That is at the moment’s version of The Obtain, our weekday publication that gives a every day dose of what’s happening on this planet of know-how.
Adventures within the genetic time machine
An ancient-DNA revolution is popping the high-speed tools used to check the DNA of dwelling issues on to specimens from the previous.
The know-how is getting used to create genetic maps of saber-toothed cats, cave bears, and hundreds of historical people, together with Vikings, Polynesian navigators, and quite a few Neanderthals. The entire variety of historical people studied is greater than 10,000 and rising quick.
The previous genes have already revealed exceptional tales of human migrations across the globe.
However researchers are hoping historical DNA might be greater than a telescope on the previous—they hope it can have concrete sensible use within the current. Learn the complete story.
—Antonio Regalado
This artist collaborates with AI and robots
Many artists fear in regards to the encroachment of synthetic intelligence on inventive creation. However Sougwen Chung, a nonbinary Canadian-Chinese language artist, as an alternative sees AI as a chance for artists to embrace uncertainty and problem folks to consider know-how and creativity in surprising methods.
Chung’s exhibitions are pushed by know-how; they’re additionally dwell and kinetic, with the paintings rising in actual time. Audiences watch because the artist works alongside or surrounded by a number of robots, human and machine drawing concurrently. These works are on the frontier of what it means to make artwork in an age of fast-accelerating synthetic intelligence and robotics. Right here’s what they need to say about their work, and AI in artwork typically.
—Stephen Ornes
Each of the subscriber-only tales above are from the subsequent version of our print journal, which is all about relationships. Subscribe now to get a duplicate when it lands on February 26!
The must-reads
I’ve combed the web to search out you at the moment’s most enjoyable/essential/scary/fascinating tales about know-how.
1 US illness monitoring capabilities are disappearing
DOGE simply fired half of a crucial ‘illness detective’ staff on the Facilities of Illness Management and Prevention. (CBS)
+ A measles outbreak in Texas is spreading quickly. (NBC)
+ Louisiana stated it’ll cease selling mass vaccination applications, on the identical day RFK Jr was sworn in as well being secretary. (NYT $)
+ Why childhood vaccines are a public well being success story. (MIT Know-how Assessment)
2 Who’s Elon Musk accountable to?
Once you’re the world’s richest man, it appears the reply is: nobody. (WSJ $)
+ Musk is utilizing X to unfold misinformation about DOGE’s targets. (WP $)
+ A Musk-linked group provided $5 million for proof of voter fraud. It couldn’t discover any. (The Guardian)
3 South Korea eliminated DeepSeek from app shops
Fairly just a few nations have accomplished this now, citing privateness issues. (BBC)
+ Baidu and OpenAI are responding to DeepSeek with new launches. (CNN)
+ E-scooter manufacturers are amongst many corporations in China racing to combine DeepSeek AI. (South China Morning Publish $)
+ 4 Chinese language AI startups to look at past DeepSeek. (MIT Know-how Assessment)
4 Contained in the US’s fragile nuclear renaissance
Tech corporations are betting that it might assist meet AI’s power calls for. However big challenges lay forward. (The Data $)
+ Why Microsoft made a deal to assist restart Three Mile Island. (MIT Know-how Assessment)
5 OpenAI’s board rejected Elon Musk’s provide to purchase it for $97.4 billion
Unanimously. (WSJ $)
+ Musk did it to attempt to chuck a grenade into OpenAI’s means of transitioning from a analysis lab to a for-profit firm. (Vox $)
6 A brand new system can clone your voice from simply 5 seconds of audio
And the top result’s scarily good. (The Register)
+ Motor neuron ailments took their voices. AI is bringing them again. (MIT Know-how Assessment)
7 Individuals who misplaced cash on crypto are livid with Argentina’s President
He’s going through impeachment calls over allegations he promoted a traditional ‘pump and dump’ rip-off over the weekend. (CNN)
8 How musicians are utilizing AI instruments 
AI makes it simple to do historically difficult engineering duties like isolating and extracting sounds. (The Subsequent Net)
+ A Disney director tried—and failed—to make use of an AI Hans Zimmer to create a soundtrack. (MIT Know-how Assessment)
9Meta is engaged on humanoid robots
It’s hoping it might mix its expertise in each {hardware} and AI to win on this more and more crowded class. (Bloomberg $)
+ China’s EV giants are betting massive on humanoid robots. (MIT Know-how Assessment)
10 How Diablo hackers uncovered a speedrunning scandal
This makes me surprise simply how endemic dishonest may very well be within the gaming neighborhood. (Ars Technica)
Quote of the day
“He appears to have ghosted his personal firm.”
—Investor Nell Minow, vice chair of ValueEdge Advisors, tells the Washington Publish that Elon Musk’s inattention is beginning to do actual hurt to Tesla.
The large story
Three-parent child method might create infants vulnerable to extreme illness
March 2023
When the primary child born utilizing a controversial process that meant he had three genetic mother and father was born again in 2016, it made headlines. The infant boy inherited most of his DNA from his mom and father, however he additionally had a tiny quantity from a 3rd individual.
The concept was to keep away from having the child inherit a deadly sickness, and it appeared to work. However new proof now suggests this method won’t work as hoped, on account of a phenomenon scientists name “reversion.” Learn the complete story.
—Jessica Hamzelou
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 skeet ’em at me.)
+ Prepared to guess your weekend wasn’t as eventful as this man’s was.
+ Cease overthinking. Begin ‘satisficing’.
+ Effectively, that’s one factor AI positively can’t do.
+ Should you’ve solely obtained the time or power for one stretch, make it this one.
