Curated from MIT Technology Review — Here’s what matters right now:
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 . Introducing: our 35 Innovators Under 35 list for 2025 The world is full of extraordinary young people brimming with ideas for how to crack tough problems. Every year, we recognize 35 such individuals from around the world—all of whom are under the age of 35. These scientists, inventors, and entrepreneurs are working to help mitigate climate change, accelerate scientific progress, and alleviate human suffering from disease. Some are launching companies while others are hard at work in academic labs. They were selected from hundreds of nominees by expert judges and our newsroom staff. Get to know them all—including our 2025 Innovator of the Year— in these profiles . Why basic science deserves our boldest investment —Julia R. Greer is a materials scientist at the California Institute of Technology, a judge for MIT Technology Review’s Innovators Under 35 and a former honoree (in 2008). A modern chip the size of a human fingernail contains tens of billions of silicon transistors, each measured in nanometers—smaller than many viruses. These tiny switches form the infrastructure behind nearly every digital device in use today. Much of the fundamental understanding that moved transistor technology forward came from federally funded university research. But that funding is under increasing pressure, thanks to deep budget cuts proposed by the White House. These losses have forced some universities to freeze graduate student admissions, cancel internships, and scale back summer research opportunities—making it harder for young people to pursue scientific and engineering careers. In an age dominated by short-term metrics and rapid returns, it can be difficult to justify research whose applications may not materialize for decades. But those are precisely the kinds of efforts we must support if we want to secure our technological future. Read the full story . The must-reads I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology. 1 The US is considering annual chip supply permits in China For South Korean companies Samsung and SK Hynix, specifically. ( Bloomberg $) + US lawmakers still hold power over chips in China. ( CNN ) 2 America has recorded its first case of screwworm in over 50 years And the warming climate is making it easier for the flies to thrive. ( Vox ) + Experts fear an approaching public health emergency. ( The Guardian ) 3 Drone warfare is dominating Ukraine’s frontline Amid relentless assaults, overhead and land drones are being put to work. ( The Guardian ) + How cutting-edge drones forced land-locked tanks to evolve. ( NYT $) + On the ground in Ukraine’s largest Starlink repair shop. ( MIT Technology Review ) 4 OpenAI is working out why chatbots hallucinate so much Examining a model’s incentives provides some clues. ( Insider $)
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Original reporting: MIT Technology Review