The Obtain: CRISPR crops, and busting renewables myths

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That is at the moment’s version of The Obtain, our weekday publication that gives a each day dose of what’s occurring on the earth of know-how.

How CRISPR might assist save crops from devastation brought on by pests

For many years, the grape-growers of California have battled Pierce’s Illness, a nasty an infection which causes vines to wither. The arrival of an invasive insect across the late ‘80s supercharged the unfold of the illness, turning it from a nuisance to a nightmare.

The illness nonetheless has no treatment, and it’s prone to getting worse on account of local weather change. However an unlikely resolution has arrived within the type of CRISPR gene-editing know-how, which permits researchers to alter the pest’s genome in order that it may now not unfold the bacterium. Learn the complete story.

—Emma Foehringer Service provider

Busting three myths about supplies and renewable vitality

In the case of renewable vitality, there are particular myths which are tough to shake. The uncooked supplies we have to struggle local weather change are sometimes discovered on the heart of a number of the most pervasive untruths or misunderstandings.

Our local weather reporter Casey Crownhart dove into three of the largest myths linked to local weather change-combatting supplies and renewable energy—demonstrating simply how necessary it’s to disregard the hype, and comply with the science. Learn the complete story.Casey’s story is from The Spark, her weekly vitality and local weather publication. Signal as much as obtain it in your inbox each Wednesday.

The must-reads

I’ve combed the web to seek out you at the moment’s most enjoyable/necessary/scary/fascinating tales about know-how.

1 Bear in mind Amazon’s drone supply program?It’s nonetheless struggling to take off. (The Info $)2 These movies present how Iran violently suppresses protestsSecurity forces are beating and opening fireplace on civilians. (WP $)+ 1000’s of demonstrators proceed to rail in opposition to authorities, although. (WSJ $)3 Whisper is ChatGPT’s quieter cousinThe accuracy of the transcription mannequin, additionally made by OpenAI, is near-perfect. (New Yorker $)+ ChatGPT is launching a subscription tier for $20 a month. (Gizmodo)+ Microsoft’s wasted no time integrating ChatGPT into Groups. (Reuters)+ OpenAI is an actual breeding floor for AI expertise. (The Info $)+ Persons are already utilizing ChatGPT to create exercise plans. (MIT Know-how Assessment)4 The essential position satellites will play in house warfare They accumulate information to disclose rivals’ places and weapons programs. (Wired $)+ The way to struggle a struggle in house (and get away with it) (MIT Know-how Assessment)

5 Instagram’s founders have launched a AI-aggregated information appThey consider Artifact can bust the information echo chambers popularized by Twitter. (FT $)

6 We don’t absolutely know the way psychedelics can alter our brains All of the extra cause to train warning earlier than you broaden your thoughts. (The Atlantic $)+ Thoughts-altering substances are being overhyped as marvel medication. (MIT Know-how Assessment)7 Are you able to really feel the metaverse?Haptic tech is the following step to creating immersive experiences extra life-like. (Economist $)+ In the meantime, Meta’s metaverse labs are nonetheless hemorrhaging cash. (Insider $)8 Overlook 3D-printers, it is a 3D-printing factoryIt’s all about scale, child. (Bloomberg $)+ Meet the designers printing homes out of salt and clay. (MIT Know-how Assessment)9 Voice-dictated textual content messages are riddled with errorsGoof duck deciphering them! (WSJ $)

10 TikTok’s ‘fortunate woman syndrome’ is simply one other time period for manifesting Gen Z has found the ability of constructive considering. (Vox)+ Tiktok’s ‘darkish psychology’ pattern sounds so much like gaslighting to me. (Vice)

Quote of the day

“Privateness has been extinguished. It’s now a zombie.”

—Shoshana Zuboff, professor emerita at Harvard Enterprise College, highlights a similarity between western tech giants and China’s surveillance state in an interview with the Monetary Instances.

The large story

How megacities may lead the struggle in opposition to local weather change

April 2021In 2050, 2.5 billion extra folks will reside in cities than do at the moment. Because the world grows extra urbanized, many cities have gotten extra populous whereas additionally making an attempt to cut back carbon emissions and blunt the impacts of local weather change.

Within the coming a long time, cities might be engines of financial development. However they need to additionally play a key position in confronting local weather change. Find out how a number of the world’s largest cities—known as megacities—are rising to this problem. Learn the complete story.

—Gabrielle Merite & Andre Vitorio

We are able to nonetheless have good issues

A spot for consolation, enjoyable and distraction in these bizarre occasions. (Obtained any concepts? Drop me a line or tweet ’em at me.)

+ Atlas has fallen—and I’m cackling on the blooper reel (thanks Will!)+ Don’t fear if your own home’s trying a bit untidy today, even the queen of unpolluted Marie Kondo is easing off on the dusting.+ These exhibitions are nicely value trotting the globe for.+ I’m determined to go to this breathtaking sea serpent sculpture on a French seaside. + This cat is a few type of well-hydrated genius.

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