The Download: how to clean up AI data centers, and weight-loss drugs’ side effects
Plus: the Supreme Court will allow South Carolina to block Planned Parenthood from receiving Medicaid funds
This is today’s edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what’s going on in the world of technology.
This battery recycling company is now cleaning up AI data centers
In a sandy industrial lot outside Reno, Nevada, rows of battery packs that once propelled electric vehicles are now powering a small AI data center.
Redwood Materials, one of the US’s largest battery recycling companies, showed off this array of energy storage modules, sitting on cinder blocks and wrapped in waterproof plastic, during a press tour at its headquarters on June 26.
The event marked the launch of the company’s new business line, Redwood Energy, which will initially repurpose (rather than recycle) batteries with years of remaining life to create renewable-powered microgrids. Such small-scale energy systems can operate on or off the larger electricity grid, providing electricity for businesses or communities. Read the full story.
—James Temple
We’re learning more about what weight-loss drugs do to the body
Weight-loss drugs are this decade’s blockbuster medicines. Drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro help people with diabetes get their blood sugar under control and help overweight and obese people reach a healthier weight. And they’re fast becoming a trendy must-have for celebrities and other figure-conscious individuals looking to trim down.
They became so hugely popular so quickly that not long after their approval for weight loss, we saw global shortages of the drugs. Prescriptions have soared over the last five years, but even people who don’t have prescriptions are seeking these drugs out online.
We know they can suppress appetite, lower blood sugar, and lead to dramatic weight loss. We also know that they come with side effects, which can include nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting. But we are still learning about some of their other effects. Read the full story.
—Jessica Hamzelou
This article first appeared in The Checkup, MIT Technology Review’s weekly biotech newsletter. To receive it in your inbox every Thursday, and read articles like this first, sign up here.
The must-reads
I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology.
1 The Supreme Court has paved the way to defund Planned Parenthood
By allowing South Carolina to block the organization from its Medicaid program. (WP $)
+ Other red states are likely to follow suit. (CNN)
+ Planned Parenthood may be able to challenge the ban under state law. (Politico)
2 Iran is back online
The country appeared to cut connectivity in a bid to thwart foreign attacks. (Economist $)
3 ICE is using a new facial recognition app
It’s capable of recognizing someone from their fingerprints, too. (404 Media)
+ How a new type of AI is helping police skirt facial recognition bans. (MIT Technology Review)
4 Denmark has a potential solution for malicious deepfakes
By giving its residents copyright to their own body, facial features, and voice. (The Guardian)
+ An AI startup made a hyperrealistic deepfake of me that’s so good it’s scary. (MIT Technology Review)
5 Impossible Foods wants to bring its plant-based burgers to Europe 🍔
After sales started falling in America. (Bloomberg $)
+ Sales of regular old meat are booming in the States. (Vox)
6 The Three Mile Island nuclear plant’s restart is being fast tracked
It’s currently scheduled to start operating a year earlier than anticipated. (Reuters)
+ But bringing the reactor back online is no easy task. (The Register)
+ Why Microsoft made a deal to help restart Three Mile Island. (MIT Technology Review)
7 AI may be making research too easy
New research suggests that using LLMs results in weaker grasps of topics. (WSJ $)
+ It could also be making our thoughts less original. (New Yorker $)
8 Climate tech companies are struggling to weather Trump’s cuts
A lot of startups are expected to fold as a result. (Insider $)
+ The Trump administration has shut down more than 100 climate studies. (MIT Technology Review)
9 Billions of Facebook and Google passwords have been leaked
And people in developing nations are most at risk. (Rest of World)
10 Inside a couples retreat with humans and their AI companions
Chaos ensured. (Wired $)
+ The AI relationship revolution is already here. (MIT Technology Review)
Quote of the day
“[The internet blackout] makes us invisible. And still, we’re here. Still trying to connect with the free world.”
—’Amir,’ a student in Iran, tells the Guardian why young Iranians are working to overcome the country’s internet shutdowns.
One more thing
Maybe you will be able to live past 122How long can humans live? This is a good time to ask the question. The longevity scene is having a moment, thanks to a combination of scientific advances, public interest, and an unprecedented level of investment. A few key areas of research suggest that we might be able to push human life spans further, and potentially reverse at least some signs of aging.
Researchers can’t even agree on what the exact mechanisms of aging are and which they should be targeting. Debates continue to rage over how long it’s possible for humans to live—and whether there is a limit at all.
But it looks likely that something will be developed in the coming decades that will help us live longer, in better health. Read the full story.
—Jessica Hamzelou
We can still have nice things
A place for comfort, fun and distraction to brighten up your day. (Got any ideas? Drop me a line or skeet ’em at me.)
+ This ancient amphibian skull is pretty remarkable.
+ A new Phantom of the Opera spin-off is coming—but no one really knows what it is.
+ Stop panicking, it turns out Marge Simpson isn’t dead after all.
+ I love these owls in towels 🦉
