This is the current edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that delivers a daily insight into the happenings in the realm of technology.
The quest for the ideal baby is creating an ethical dilemma
A developing scientific discipline is attempting to utilize cell analysis to foresee the potential personality traits of an embryo.
Some parents utilize these evaluations to circumvent passing on serious genetic conditions that are prevalent in their lineage. A significantly smaller subset, motivated by aspirations for prestigious academic achievements or appealing, well-mannered children, is ready to invest substantial sums to enhance intelligence, looks, and temperament.
However, clients of the companies emerging to offer these services may not be receiving the value of their investment. Read the complete article.
—Julia Black
This article is part of our upcoming print edition, dedicated entirely to the body. If you haven’t done so yet, subscribe now to ensure you receive future issues upon release. Additionally, you will receive a complimentary digital report on nuclear energy.
The issues with Big Tech’s preferred carbon removal technology
Tech behemoths like Microsoft are significantly investing in one solution: bioenergy coupled with carbon capture and storage (BECCS). Yet, there are several potential challenges associated with BECCS, as highlighted by my colleague James Temple in a recent piece. Some of the worries mirror those related to other climate technologies we discuss, such as carbon offsets and sustainable aviation fuels. Read the complete article.
—Casey Crownhart
This article comes from The Spark, MIT Technology Review’s weekly climate newsletter. To have it sent to your inbox every Wednesday, sign up here.
2025 climate technology companies to watch: Fervo Energy and its advanced geothermal energy facilities
Certain locations on Earth have struck the geological lottery for electricity generation. In these regions, three elements naturally align: high temperatures, abundant water, and rock that’s porous enough to allow fluid circulation.
Enhanced geothermal systems aim to emulate these conditions in many more locations—creating a constant supply of renewable energy wherever they are established. Fervo Energy employs fracking techniques to construct geothermal reservoirs capable of supplying sufficient electricity to service enormous data centers and hundreds of thousands of residences. Read the complete article.
—Celina Zhao
Fervo Energy is featured on our list of 10 climate tech companies to monitor—our annual compilation of some of the most promising climate technology firms globally. Explore the complete list here.
The essential reads
I’ve searched the web to uncover today’s most entertaining/important/terrifying/intriguing narratives about technology.
1 Meta has taken down a Facebook group that reported ICE agent sightings
It’s the latest tech firm to yield to US government pressure. (NYT $)
+ Meta states the group breaches its guidelines against “coordinated harm.” (NBC News)
+ Another initiative to monitor ICE operations was recently shut down. (MIT Technology Review)
2 AI startups that are operating at a loss continue to gain in value
If it appears to be a bubble, and sounds like a bubble… (FT $)
+ Energy firms supported by AI have notably surged in value as well. (WSJ $)
+ Scaling isn’t necessarily the solution, you know. (Wired $)
3 Facial recognition technology is failing individuals with facial differences
Yet it is being integrated into various systems, including phone security and public services. (Wired $)
4 Wealthy tech magnates are supporting a startup that uses sound waves to treat tumors
It’s being promoted as a less invasive alternative to chemotherapy. (Bloomberg $)
5 Fraudulent text messages constitute a billion-dollar criminal operation
And we are receiving more of them than at any time in history. (WSJ $)
+ Individuals are using humor to respond to their spam messages. (MIT Technology Review)
6 South Korea has rolled back an AI textbook initiative in schools
It turns out it was fraught with errors and increased teachers’ responsibilities. (Rest of World)
+ The nation is contemplating allowing Google and Apple to create high-resolution maps. (TechCrunch)
7 YouTube is now focusing on sports content
Which is logical, considering it has already dominated nearly every other genre of television. (Hollywood Reporter $)
8 Searching for jobs in the AI era is grim
Even the most qualified applicants are being disregarded. (The Atlantic $)
+ The job market is in disarray as well. (Slate $)
9 A new channel provides a livestream straight from the ISS 🌏
If you’ve ever fantasized about being an astronaut, viewing this is the next closest experience. (The Guardian)
10 The termination of support for Windows 10 creates an e-waste crisis
As many as 400 million devices could be headed for disposal. (404 Media)
+ The US government has halted funding for a battery-retcycling company. (Bloomberg $)
+ AI will exacerbate the e-waste problem. Here’s how we can address it. (MIT Technology Review)
Quote of the day
“We are not the appointed moral guardians of the world.”
—OpenAI CEO Sam Altman responds to the backlash triggered by his company’s choice to ease its regulations to permit adults to engage in erotic discussions with ChatGPT, CNBC reports.
One more thing
An inside look at India’s rush for AI independence
Despite its position as a prominent tech center, India trails behind countries like the US and China in terms of developing its own AI solutions.
This gap has emerged mainly due to India’s historical lack of investment in R&D, institutions, and innovation. Additionally, since no single native language is predominantly spoken, training language models is significantly more challenging than in other regions.
When the open-source foundational model DeepSeek-R1 unexpectedly surpassed many global competitors, it resonated deeply. This launch by a Chinese enterprise forced Indian policymakers to acknowledge the extent of their lag in AI infrastructure—and the urgency of their need to react. Read the complete article.
