I’ve scoured the internet to find today’s funniest/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology.
1 Bitcoin Traders Don’t Care About A Recession
Debate over the definition of a recession, and whether we’re in a recession, feels like a distraction. (MuntDesk)
+ Technically, the US may be in a recession right now, but much of the economy remains strong. (the guard)
This is why the popular definition of a recession is unofficial. (The Atlantic $)
+ Bitcoin’s value is heading for its best month since 2021. (Bloomberg $)
2 Iran ramps up drone production
It wants to sell them to foreign buyers, which reportedly include Russia. (NYT$)
+ Why business is good for military AI startups. (MIT The Tech Warrior)
3 The CHIPS Act Doesn’t Solve the Semiconductor Shortage
Partly because the shortage seems to be decreasing. (Recode)
+ The multi-billion dollar package must be invested wisely. (TheTechWarrior $)
Chipmakers say they urgently need the subsidies promised in the bill. (FT$)
4 The Democrats Didn’t Release A Deepfake Video Of Joe Biden
Despite the efforts of conspiracy theorists to convince the internet. (BBC)
+ The biggest threat from deepfakes is not the deepfakes themselves. (MIT The Tech Warrior)
5 Online outrage is performative and fleeting
Refusing to stoop to their level can make the whole thing less tedious to deal with. (The Atlantic $)
6 sticky patches could revolutionize the way we create ultrasounds
Patients could wear them at home, instead of going to hospital appointments. (the guard)
7 Chinese Virtual Idols Are Burnt Out
Their adoring fans don’t always consider the people behind the animations. (Rest of the world)
+ How China’s biggest online influencers fell from their thrones. (MIT The Tech Warrior)
8 TikTok Is Controlled By Strangers, Not Friends
The platform rejected the social model championed by Facebook, with great success. (New York $)
Instagram has sheepishly (and only temporarily) retracted some of its much-hated recent changes. (NYT$)
+ Facebook has vowed to double the amount of AI-recommended feed content. (Motherboard)
+ Snap and TikTok offer richer, more engaging recommendations than Google. (Slate)
9 This Aging Research Institute Wants To Help You Live Better, Not Any Longer
But the shadow of the promise of immortality looms large. (Neo.Life)
Saudi Arabia plans to spend $1 billion a year discovering treatments to slow aging. (MIT The Tech Warrior)
10 Meet the people who keep the cloud online ☁️
Often under incredibly punishing circumstances. (Aeon)
Quote of the day
“What frustrates me most is when I am accused of twisting the truth. As meteorologists, we report facts. There is no conspiracy.”
Meteorologist and weather presenter Tomasz Schafernaker tells his employer, the BBC, of his frustration at the online abuse he received from climate change deniers during the recent severe heat wave in the UK.
The big story
Meet the injured veteran who had a penis transplant
October 2019