That is immediately’s version of The Obtain, our weekday publication that gives a every day dose of what’s occurring on this planet of know-how.
These are the most effective methods to measure your physique fats
—Jessica Hamzelou
Everyone knows that being chubby isn’t nice in your well being—it’s linked to metabolic illnesses like diabetes and cardiovascular issues. However weighing your self gained’t inform you all you might want to learn about your illness danger.
A pal of mine is a super-fit marathon runner. She’s all lean muscle. And but in line with her physique mass index (BMI), which is a measure of weight relative to top, she’s chubby. Which is frankly ridiculous.
I, then again, have by no means been all that muscular. I wish to suppose I’m a wholesome weight—however nurses up to now have suggested me to eat extra butter and doughnuts primarily based on my BMI. That is recommendation I by no means anticipated to obtain from a well being skilled. (I ought to add right here that my pal and I are roughly the identical top and put on the identical dimension in garments.)
The BMI is flawed. Fortunately, there are a number of high-tech options, however a easy measure that entails mendacity in your again might additionally inform you about how your physique dimension would possibly affect your well being. Learn the total story.
This story is from The Checkup, our weekly publication supplying you with the within monitor on all issues biotech and well being. Join to obtain it in your inbox each Thursday.
The US should do extra to spice up demand for carbon removing, observers warn
In 2022, the US made an enormous wager on the carbon removing business, committing $3.5 billion to construct 4 main regional hubs in an effort to scale up the sector. However business observers worry that market demand isn’t constructing quick sufficient to help it.
Some at the moment are calling for the Division of Power to redirect a portion of the cash earmarked to construct direct-air-capture (DAC) vegetation towards purchases of greenhouse-gas removing as a substitute.
Breakthrough Power, the Invoice Gates–backed local weather and clear power group, has launched a commentary calling for extra authorities help for demand to make sure that the business doesn’t stall out in its infancy. Learn extra about what they need to say.
—James Temple
The must-reads
I’ve combed the web to search out you immediately’s most enjoyable/essential/scary/fascinating tales about know-how.
1 Tesla has unveiled its Cybercab robotaxi
Elon Musk optimistically anticipates they’ll be obtainable “earlier than 2027.” (Tech Crunch)
+ He has an extended historical past of overpromising and undelivering. (WP $)
+ Musk was obscure on particulars, however claimed it might value lower than $30,000. (FT $)
2 Hurricane Milton has left thousands and thousands of Florida residents with out energy
Hundreds of individuals have been rescued from flooded areas. (WSJ $)
+ Fortunately, satellite-connected smartphones can maintain them linked. (WP $)
+ Meteorologists are receiving dying threats amid storm misinformation. (Rolling Stone $)
3 The US and UK will work collectively to guard kids on-line
The 2 international locations are forming a working group to sort out sexual abuse and harassment. (BBC)
+ Fashionable gaming platform Roblox is failing to guard younger customers, a report claims. (FT $)
+ defend your youngster’s images on-line. (The Guardian)
+ Baby on-line security legal guidelines will really damage youngsters, critics say. (MIT Know-how Overview)
4 China is spreading antisemitic claims forward of the US election
Pretend accounts are spreading harmful conspiracy theories about politicians. (WP $)
+ US authorities worry Russia, China, Iran and Cuba will sow doubts in regards to the outcomes. (Reuters)
5 Large Pharma is combating again in opposition to compounded weight reduction medicine
Unbranded variations proliferated throughout a scarcity of big-name medicine. Now, the biggest firms need them gone. (Wired $)
6 Uber and Lyft exploited a authorized loophole to keep away from paying NY drivers
Drivers have reported being locked out of the app nearly each hour. (Bloomberg $)
+ Uber’s facial recognition is locking Indian drivers out of their accounts. (MIT Know-how Overview)
7 Viral debate movies are inescapable on-line
The extra aggressive, theatrical, and unbalanced, the higher. (Vox)
8 How Wikipedia editors are tackling the inflow of AI trash content material
They’re making an attempt to defend the location from deceptive, garbled AI articles. (404 Media)
+ AI educated on AI rubbish spits out AI rubbish. (MIT Know-how Overview)
9 make the ocean quieter
Because of versatile propellers and noise-dampening metamaterials. (Economist $)
10 This social app permits Gen Z to filter out tell-tale purple Solo cups
To take care of a squeaky clear on-line picture. (TechCrunch)
Quote of the day
“As ordinary, Elon Musk is making an attempt to compete within the Tour de France on a tricycle.”
—Dan O’Dowd, billionaire co-founder of Inexperienced Hills Software program and founding father of the software program security Daybreak Undertaking group, was left unimpressed by Tesla’s cybercab occasion, he tells Rolling Stone.
The large story
Individuals are nervous that AI will take everybody’s jobs. We’ve been right here earlier than.
January 2024
It was 1938, and the ache of the Nice Despair was nonetheless very actual. Unemployment within the US was round 20%. New equipment was remodeling factories and farms, and everybody was nervous about jobs.
Had been the spectacular technological achievements that have been making life simpler for a lot of additionally destroying jobs and wreaking havoc on the financial system? To make sense of all of it, Karl T. Compton, the president of MIT from 1930 to 1948 and one of many main scientists of the day, wrote within the December 1938 subject of this publication in regards to the “Bogey of Technological Unemployment.”
His essay concisely framed the controversy over jobs and technical progress in a method that is still related, particularly given immediately’s fears over the affect of synthetic intelligence. It’s a worthwhile reminder that worries over the way forward for jobs aren’t new and are greatest addressed by making use of an understanding of economics, reasonably than conjuring up genies and monsters. Learn the total story.
—David Rotman
We are able to nonetheless have good issues
A spot for consolation, enjoyable and distraction to brighten up your day. (Received any concepts? Drop me a line or tweet ’em at me.)
+ Marty the robotic is a Boston icon, rolling up and down Cease & Store’s aisles with out complaining.
+ Punctuation actually issues—a easy comma value these firms thousands and thousands!
+ Cool: these pumpkins are thriving in Bangladesh sandbars.
+ For all our Warhammer heads on the market: there’s just one shade of inexperienced that issues.
