The Download is the edition for today. Our weekday newsletter provides a daily dose on what's happening in the worlds of technology.
Scientists can engineer bacteria to combat cancer in mice. Human trials will soon be conducted.
The News:There's trillions of bacteria living on and in our bodies. We might be able modify them to treat disease. Scientists have modified the genomes of bacteria to create microbes capable of treating or preventing cancer.
What they did: The team selected a microbe commonly found on skin cells and modified it with a gene that codes for the protein on the surface of certain cancer cells. The team injected skin cancer cells into the heads of mice and then applied the engineered microbe to the mice's heads. They observed that the progression of cancer in the mice who had received the engineered microbe was significantly slower than the mice who were given a regular microbe.
Next steps: Although the team still has to find the right microbe that they are confident will trigger the same immune reaction in humans, human trials should be underway within the next couple of years. You can read the complete story.
–Jessica Hamzelou
Ban ChatGPT and you will cause more harm than good
–Rohan is a senior at Moravian Academy, Bethlehem in Pennsylvania.
ChatGPT's release has caused a stir in the educational halls. While universities have released guidelines on its use, it seems that the idea of a more measured response to this powerful chatbot has barely made an impact in K-12 classrooms. High schoolers in the United States have faced a silent coup as AI websites are blocked.
It's a shame. If educators actively engage with students about the technology's capabilities and limitations–and work with them to define new academic standards–generative AI could both democratize and revitalize K-12 education on an unprecedented scale. Click here to read the complete story.
My brain and liver were older than expected. Should I be concerned?
Jessica Hamzelou, our senior biotech journalist, took a test last year to determine her biological age. These tests assess chemical markers in your DNA to determine how much wear you have experienced and how many years you still have left.
Jessica's test results indicated that her biological age is 35. This was the age Jessica was at the time she took the test. She's therefore aging normally. The company re-analyzed the results and now gives her a biological age for nine different systems including her liver, blood, brain, and heart.
Jessica was disappointed by their findings. How much can we really take from such results? Continue reading the story.
–Jessica Hamzelou
The Checkup is Jessica's weekly newsletter that gives you all the latest information on biotechnology. Subscribe to receive the newsletter every Thursday.
Must-read
I've combed the internet to find you today's most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology.
1 Amazon jumps on the hype train of generative AI
It hopes to make money from its corporate customers. (WSJ $)
The company will sell the tools that businesses need to create ChatGPT. (Wired $)
Generative AI will change everything. What's left after the hype has faded? (MIT Technology Review)
2 Discord's leaker has now been identified
The FBI arrested a man aged 21 in Massachusetts. (NYT $)
This doesn't mean that the leakage will stop. (Economist $)
Members of Discord have explained the leakage. (WP $)
3 Intel is ready to meet the US chipmaking challenge
The Biden administration will now decide how much to give. (FT $)
Plus, the US also throws cash at Taiwan's chipmaking machines. (Bloomberg $)
+ Chinese Chips will continue to power your everyday life. (MIT Technology Review)
4 Children who are at risk of abuse in the Metaverse
Safety experts have urged Meta to stop plans to allow teens to enter virtual worlds. (Bloomberg $)
The metaverse already has a groping issue. (MIT Technology Review)
France cracks down on influencers
New legislation aims to curb the social media scams. (Motherboard)
ChatGPT: Not as intelligent as it seems
One reason is that answering questions doesn't really measure intelligence. (New Yorker $).
The model is a hacker's dream. (Wired $)
+ Cloning group chats with AI is easy. (The Verge)
(MIT Technology Review) The people behind ChatGPT tell the inside story about how it was created. (MIT Technology Review)
Telegram offers 7 different swatting services.
Synthetic voices are used to make threats against the police, such as bombings and shootings. (Motherboard)
The AI voice cloning program is frighteningly convincing. (Slate $)
In Latin America, doctors rely on WhatsApp for communication
It's when it's unclear what is billable or not. Rest of World
Childhood nostalgia is becoming more expensive
Online, VHS tapes as well as pop culture memorabilia fetch high prices. (NYT $)
10 These public charging points for phones aren't really a security threat
The FBI has misled us about the danger of 'juice jacking.' (Slate $)
Quotes of the Day
They've fired everyone I know at least a few times. I act as if I have already been fired."
Daniel Olayiwola explains to the New York Times what it is like to work for Amazon in an environment that has extremely strict performance metrics.
The Big Story
Women could benefit from psychedelics
[TAG0]
August 20, 2022
Psychedelics have a moment. Psychedelics are being used more and more as therapeutics after decades of vilification and prohibition. Clinical trials are studying drugs like MDMA, psilocybin, ketamine and other substances to treat depression and substance abuse.
As these drugs, which were once banned by the scientific community are now making a comeback, they may be particularly promising for women.
Are we seeing the start of a better future for women's healthcare? Psychiatrists are optimistic but are also concerned with the possibility of abuse. Click here to read the entire story.
–Taylor Majewski
You can still enjoy nice things
This is a place of comfort, entertainment and distraction during these strange times. (Have any ideas? Send me an email or tweet me your ideas. )
The Super Mario Bros. theme song is the first video game piece to be added to the US Library of Congress.
See what you think about this ranking if you are a Picard enthusiast.
This account on Twitter that documents the origins and history of iconic images can be both entertaining and informative.
Thanks Stefan! There is a lot happening on Floor796.
Find some maple syrup!
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By: Rhiannon Williams
Title: The Download: cancer-fighting bacteria, and ChatGPT in the classroom
Sourced From: www.technologyreview.com/2023/04/14/1071615/download-cancer-fighting-bacteria-and-chatgpt-in-the-classroom/
Published Date: Fri, 14 Apr 2023 12:10:00 +0000
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