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This is today’s download.,Our weekly newsletter that provides a daily dose of what’s happening in the world of technology.
DeepMind has predicted the structure of every protein known to science
The news: DeepMind says its alphafold tool has successfully predicted the structure of all proteins known to science. Starting today, it is making its database of over 200 million proteins available to anyone for free. It’s a huge boost to the database of 1 million proteins it released last year and includes structures from plants, bacteria, animals and many other organisms.
Why is it important? The expanded database opens up huge opportunities for Alpha Fold to impact areas such as sustainability, fuel, food insecurity and neglected diseases, said Demis Hassabis, founder and CEO of DeepMind. Scientists can use the discovery to better understand diseases and accelerate innovation in drug discovery and biology, he said. Read the full story.
– Melissa Heikkila
AI has been selected as one of MIT Technology Review’s 10 Breakthrough Technologies this year because it represents such a huge advance for protein folding. Read our story on why it’s so exciting, and our profile of DeepMind founder Demis Hassabis explaining why this could be the company’s most important and long-lasting contribution to science.
As severe weather worsens, stitching together grids can save lives.
A severe heat wave that has hit record highs across much of the US in recent days has disrupted electrical systems, potentially knocking out power in vulnerable regions of the country. While much of the electricity remained online this winter, heavy use of energy-guzzling air conditioners and high temperatures contributed to scattered problems and close calls.
It’s not likely to get better anytime soon. Many grid operators may struggle to meet peak summer demand, posing a risk of blackouts, a new report from the North American Electric Reliability Corporation found. The country’s isolated and antiquated grid is in desperate need of an upgrade.
One solution is to further integrate the country’s regional grid by building long-distance transmission lines so that power can flow more quickly between regions where it is needed. However, that is a mission fraught with challenges. Read the full story.
– James Temple
It should be read
I’ve scoured the internet for the most entertaining/important/scary/amazing stories about technology today.
1 meta income decreased for the first time
The cracks in Mark Zuckerberg’s benchmark are starting to show. (NYT$)
+ But more and more people are logging into Facebook every day.. (WP$)
+ Zuck says the Meta is in a ‘very deep, philosophical competition’ with Apple.. (The Verge)
+ Discord is a natural home for annoying users on Instagram. (WSJ$)
+ Former Facebook and Bumble employees build their own ‘less toxic’ social network. (protocol)
2 Senators Have Advanced Children’s Online Safety Act.
But others argue that such safeguards should apply to users of all ages. (WP$)
+ Three senior senators have deep ties to the tech companies they oppose. (now $)
3. A Greek politician was targeted by Israeli spyware
He filed a lawsuit to force Greek authorities to investigate who was behind the attempted hijacking. (NYT$)
+ Karin Kanimba says the Rwandan government used Pegasus spyware to spy on her family. (motherboard)
+ The hacking industry is facing the end of an era. (MIT Technology Review)
4 Bitcoin price is rising again.
After the Federal Reserve raised interest rates. (CNBC)
5 Travel across the universe 
This fascinating guide will guide you from exoplanets to supermassive black holes. (New Scientist $)
+ Does the expansion of the universe mean that planets no longer orbit stars? (MIT Technology Review)
7 Your smart car is leaking your data.
While many are anonymous, the risk of privacy violations is real. (the sign)
8 High definition TVs are bad CGI.
Showing all its poorly crafted flaws. (Vulture $)
9 Is DALL-E’s art stolen?
While users can commercialize their AI creations, the model is trained on other tasks. (engaget)
+ Lawyers may choose to represent AIs in future court battles. (Slate)
+ OpenAI is ready to sell DALL-E to its first million customers. (MIT Technology Review)
10 Things Older Dogs Can Teach Us About Our Minds
Don’t just try to teach new tricks. (famous magazine)
Quote of the day
“This is not the Instagram we used to be.”
-Tatiana Bruning, the creator of a viral post asking Instagram to stop trying to be TikTok, laments the platform’s decision to go after its Gen Z audience, she told the Wall Street Journal.
The big story
She risked everything to expose Facebook. Now she tells her story.
July 2021
When Sophie Zhang went public with explosive revelations about political fraud she encountered while working as a data scientist at Facebook, she provided concrete evidence to support what outside critics have long said: Facebook facilitates election interference and can’t be bothered to fix it unless such activity hurts the company’s business interests. .
By speaking out and avoiding anonymity, Zhang risked legal action from the company, damage to her future job prospects, and possibly retaliation from the politicians she exposed in the process. Her story shows how Facebook enabled election meddling on a global scale and how we now know how to manage the company is pure opportunism. Read the full story.
– Karen Hao
We can still have something good.
A place of comfort, relaxation and distraction in these strange times. (Got an idea? Drop me a line orTweet at me.)
+ Japanese artist Hiroshige was known for his beautiful wood carvings, but these instructive drawings for kids on how to create shadow puppets are special.
+ Ah, Freya Walrus is a real boat-sinking pest.
+ Whip up these mouth-watering Mediterranean recipes and think you’re chilling in Rome.
+ This year’s Audubon Photography Award winners are amazing (thanks, Peter!).
+ If you’re a fan of text length, you’re a paragraph girl.
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