That is at this time’s version of The Obtain, our weekday e-newsletter that gives a day by day dose of what’s occurring on the earth of expertise.
What’s loss of life?
Simply as start certificates observe the time we enter the world, loss of life certificates mark the second we exit it. This observe displays conventional notions about life and loss of life as binaries. We’re right here till, immediately, like a light-weight switched off, we’re gone.
However whereas this concept of loss of life is pervasive, proof is constructing that it’s an outdated social assemble, not likely grounded in biology. Dying is in actual fact a course of—one with no clear level demarcating the edge throughout which somebody can not come again.
Scientists and lots of docs have already embraced this extra nuanced understanding of loss of life. And as society catches up, the implications for the dwelling could possibly be profound. Learn the total story.
—Rachel Nuwer
‘What’s loss of life?’ is a part of our mini-series The Greatest Questions, which explores how expertise helps probe a few of the deepest, most mind-bending mysteries of our existence.
Learn extra:
+ Why is the universe so complicated and delightful? For some motive the universe is stuffed with stars, galaxies, and life. However it didn’t need to be this manner. Learn the total story.
+ How did life start? AI helps chemists unpick the mysteries across the origins of life and detect indicators of it on different worlds. Learn the total story.
+ Are we alone within the universe? Scientists are coaching machine-learning fashions and designing devices to hunt for all times on different worlds. Learn the total story.
+ Is it attainable to actually perceive another person’s thoughts? How we predict, really feel and expertise the world is a thriller to everybody however us. However expertise could also be beginning to assist us perceive the minds of others. Learn the total story.
Textual content-to-image AI fashions may be tricked into producing disturbing pictures
What’s occurred: Widespread text-to-image AI fashions may be prompted to disregard their security filters and generate disturbing pictures. A gaggle of researchers managed to get each Stability AI’s Steady Diffusion and OpenAI’s DALL-E 2’s text-to-image fashions to ignore their insurance policies and create pictures of bare folks, dismembered our bodies, and different violent and sexual eventualities.
How they did it: This new jailbreaking technique, known as “SneakyPrompt”, makes use of reinforcement studying to create written prompts that appear like garbled nonsense to us however that AI fashions study to acknowledge as hidden requests for disturbing pictures. It primarily works by turning the way in which text-to-image AI fashions operate in opposition to them.
Why it issues: The analysis highlights the vulnerability of present AI security filters and may function a wake-up name for the AI neighborhood to bolster safety measures throughout the board, consultants say. It additionally demonstrates how troublesome it’s to forestall these fashions from producing such content material, because it’s included within the huge troves of information they’ve been educated on. Learn the total story.
—Rhiannon Williams
The ache is actual. The painkillers are digital actuality.
Loads of kids—and adults—hate needles. However digital actuality units like Smileyscope, a tool for teenagers that not too long ago acquired FDA clearance, may assist to make a distinction. It helps reduce the ache of a blood draw or IV insertion by sending the consumer on an underwater journey. Inside this watery deep-sea actuality, the swipe of an alcohol wipe turns into cool waves washing over the arm. The pinch of the needle turns into a mild fish nibble.
However how Smileyscope works will not be totally clear. It’s extra complicated than simply distraction, and never all stimuli are equally efficient. However the promise of VR has led corporations to work on units to handle a a lot harder downside: persistent ache. Learn the total story.
—Cassandra Willyard
This story is from The Checkup, our weekly well being and biotech e-newsletter. Enroll to obtain it in your inbox each Thursday.
The must-reads
I’ve combed the web to seek out you at this time’s most enjoyable/necessary/scary/fascinating tales about expertise.
1 Elon Musk endorsed an antisemitic submit on X
Leaving its executives racing to suppress the harm. (NYT $)
+ IBM has pulled its adverts from X after they appeared subsequent to antisemitic posts. (WP $)
+ Musk’s feedback are resonating with the far-right, unsurprisingly. (Motherboard)
2 Osama bin Laden’s letter to America has exploded on social media
Movies of American customers endorsing elements of the 9/11 manifesto have gone viral. (WP $)
+ TikTok says it’s aggressively working to take away the clips. (NYT $)
+ The Guardian newspaper has deleted its model of the letter from its web site. (404 Media)
3 SpaceX has pushed again its big rocket launch
A part in want of changing has delayed the launch till Saturday. (Ars Technica)
4 The primary CRISPR medication has been accepted within the UK
The therapy, known as Casgevy, edits the cells of individuals with sickle cell illness earlier than infusing them again in. (Wired $)
+ Remarkably, the remedy successfully cures the illness. (New Scientist $)+ Right here’s how CRISPR is altering lives. (MIT Expertise Evaluation)
5 Information dealer LexisNexis offered surveillance instruments to US border enforcement
Social media oversight, face recognition and geolocation knowledge, amongst others. (The Intercept)
6 OpenAI has steamrollered the AI trade
And startup founders are struggling to keep away from turning into roadkill. (Insider $)
+ Google has delayed releasing its OpenAI-challenging Gemini system. (The Data $)
+ Contained in the thoughts of OpenAI’s chief scientist. (MIT Expertise Evaluation)
7 Local weather-proofing our properties is a nightmare
Excessive climate occasions are on the rise—and our properties are weak. (The Verge)
+ The search to construct wildfire-resistant properties. (MIT Expertise Evaluation)
8 Vietnamese immigrants depend on YouTube for his or her information
Even when it’s not all the time clear if that information is from dependable sources. (The Markup)
9 Reddit is the most effective place for product evaluations now
Faux evaluations and Search engine optimisation-bait lists aren’t useful. Trustworthy assessments from actual persons are. (Vox)
10 Meet the inventor of the lickable TV 
Internet-licks and chill? (The Guardian)
Quote of the day
“We fly, we break some issues, we study some issues, after which we return and fly once more.”
—William Gerstenmaier, the vp of construct and flight reliability at SpaceX, explains the corporate’s strategy to inevitable rocket launch setbacks to Bloomberg.
The large story
Accountable AI has a burnout downside
Margaret Mitchell had been working at Google for 2 years earlier than she realized she wanted a break. Solely after she spoke with a therapist did she perceive the issue: she was burnt out.
Mitchell, who now works as chief ethics scientist on the AI startup Hugging Face, is way from alone in her expertise. Burnout is turning into more and more widespread in accountable AI groups.
All of the practitioners MIT Expertise Evaluation interviewed spoke enthusiastically about their work: it’s fueled by ardour, a way of urgency, and the satisfaction of constructing options for actual issues. However that sense of mission may be overwhelming with out the correct assist. Learn the total story.
—Melissa Heikkilä
We are able to nonetheless have good issues
A spot for consolation, enjoyable and distraction in these bizarre instances. (Acquired any concepts? Drop me a line or tweet ’em at me.)
+ The cute story of how this couple met will heat your coronary heart. 
+ Why Intercourse in area is a such a difficult enterprise.
+ Let it go—why Frozen’s legacy refuses to die.
+ Why not deal with your self to a White Toreador tequila cocktail this weekend?
+ Uncanny Valley make-up is the stuff of nightmares, fairly frankly.
