The Download: simulating solar geoengineering, and AI-enabled accessibility
1 We aren’t ready for the creep of AI into our cameras
Capabilities embedded in the latest Google Pixel handset will further destroy our ability to believe what we see. (The Verge)
+ Is this really the direction we want to go in? (MIT Technology Review)
2 Kamala Harris’ campaign has joined Twitch
In a bid to keep attracting younger voters. (Wired $)
+ Meanwhile, Trump is launching some sort of crypto platform. (CNBC)
+ And people are having a lot of fun remixing JD Vance’s ‘Never Trump’ comment. (NYT $)
3 NASA is set to decide on Starliner’s return tomorrow
There’s a lot at stake, especially for the two astronauts it’s set to ferry back from the ISS. (Ars Technica)
4 Inside the crazy world of Palmer Luckey
Restless, controversial and clever, the tech billionaire is a difficult person to pin down. (Tablet)
5 There’s a new humanoid robot in town
Just one problem though: it doesn’t have legs (yet.) (IEEE Spectrum)
+ A new system lets robots sense human touch without artificial skin. (MIT Technology Review)
6 Can Ford wean America off its addiction to big cars?
It may be crucial to transitioning to electric vehicles, as heavier cars demand so much more of their batteries. (The Atlantic $)
+ Why bigger EVs aren’t always better. (MIT Technology Review)
7 Competition for copper is more intense than ever
Clean energy is pushing up demand, and people are stealing, fighting and even dying to meet it. (Wired $)
8 Bored? Scrolling on your phone might make it worse
Maybe we should all try to get better at tolerating the discomfort of boredom every now and then. (WP $)
+ A dubious trend for non-traditional pets is taking off on TikTok. (The Guardian)
9 Hydrogel can learn to play Pong
Researchers now plan to see what else it could do too—maybe even help control robots. (New Scientist $)
10 You can now cross-post from Instagram to Threads
Though watch out: content for one doesn’t always translate well to the other. (TechCrunch)
+ Instagram’s also adding a MySpace-esque ‘song on profile’ feature. (The Verge)
Quote of the day
“We chase the approval of strangers on our phones. We build all manner of walls and fences around ourselves and then wonder why we feel so alone.”
—Former US President Barack Obama offers his diagnosis of society’s ills to the Democratic National Convention, Politico reports.
The big story
