Download: Unlock Lithium and Control Tesla Hemorrhage Heat

This is the current issue of The Download, our weekly newsletter, which provides a daily overview of the current developments in the world of technology. How a new extraction process could unlock the global lithium

A new lithium extraction method could reduce costs and emissions from one of the world's most important materials for electric vehicles and energy storage. This technique uses a weak acid to dissolve silicate minerals. This releases not only lithium, but also other useful materials, including aluminum oxide and silicon oxide. “On a large scale, we believe that this will be the world’s most cost-effective type of lithium procurement,” says Yet-Ming Chiang, an MIT professor who has compiled a study on the process published yesterday in Science. The start-up Rock Zero is already working on the commercialization of research. Read the whole story about a new way to unlock global lithium. – Casey Crownhart

The fatal Ebola outbreak proves difficult to control

The alarm was triggered on May 5th. Four health workers in the Democratic Republic of Congo had died of an unknown disease within four days. Tests in Kinshasa revealed the nausea: the Bundibugyo virus, one of the causes of Ebola. A few weeks ago there was an outbreak of Hantavirus on board a cruise ship. Three people died, but the outbreak could be kept under control. The image for Ebola is darker for several reasons, including the disease itself, the available treatments and the local environment. –Jessica Hamzelou

This story comes from The Spark, our weekly newsletter, which gives you inside information about biotechnology. Sign up to receive it every Thursday in your inbox. How the Magnifica Humanitas of the Pope provides a template for individuals to meet the AI moment

——Pater Séamus Finn, a leading expert in faith-based and socially responsible investing in the oblates of Immaculate Conception Maria, and sister Susan Francois, deputy church manager and treasurer of the sisters of St. Joseph of Peace

The new Encyclical of Pope Leo XIV. on artificial intelligence contains a statement that requires serious attention from technologists and policy-makers: “Technology is never neutral.”

Magnifica Humanitas is a call to act courageously and in solidarity, while AI changes human life, and represents the predominant choice between the tower construction of Babel and the reconstruction of our common humanity. It warns that companies alone cannot determine the direction of such a transformation. As governments only slowly regulate AI, institutional investors jump into the gap. So they can build a better future. The mandatory reading

I've searched the internet to find the funniest, most important, scariest and most fascinating stories about technology for you. 1 Anthropic is now higher than OpenAIAfter a new round of financing, the company reached a value of $965 billion. (AP messages)

+ Demand for Claude increased annual revenue to $47 billion. (WSJ $)

+ The financing round could be the last of Anthropic before a stock exchange. (TechCrunch)

+ What is the AI bubble? (MIT Technology Review)

2 A Blue Origin rocket explodes and represents a setback for NASA's lunar plans

New Glenn went to flames in tests on a launch ramp in Florida. (CNBC)

+ Blue Origin is significantly involved in NASA's lunar base plans. (The Edge)

+ It also wants with Elon Musks SpaceX compete. (Reuters $)

3 opponents track the locations of the US troops via mobile data

The Pentagon has long ignored warnings about this threat. (Reuters $)

+ Targeting uses commercial location data. (cabled $)

+ LLMs could speed up mass surveillance. (MIT Technology Review)

4 Anthropic plans a comprehensive introduction of Mythos AI in the coming weeks

Despite concerns about its cybersecurity capabilities. (CNET)

+ Claude Opus 4.8 is now available with the promise to be more honest. (The Edge)

5 Grok monitored a series of crimes during an AI security test

The task of the models was to govern a simulated society. (Glück)

+ Grok committed 180 crimes while Claude ruled with restraint. (Gizmodo)

6 Amazon has deleted an AI list after worker gaming

The employees artificially increased the usage values. (FT $)

+ We can create better AI benchmarks. (MIT Technology Review)

7 Political issues of AI and crypto groups postpone elections

They have brought their desire candidates closer to power. (Axios)

8 China's technology boom triggers a new wave of industrial tourism

Visitors visit AI laboratories and EV factories. (Rest of the world)

9 Alibabas MuleRun aims to imitate the OpenClaw trend

The AI agent platform is positioned as a safer alternative. (SCMP)

10 mysterious changes have occurred in the sun's magnetic field

You could change the space weather. (404 media)

Quote of the day

“What Peter Thiel does is terrible. His reconciliation in Argentina is even worse.”

– Elisa Lilita Carrió, an Argentine politician, writes on X that Peter Thiel's move to her country has upset her even more than his leadership of Palantir. Another

How the James Webb space telescope destroyed the universe

When the James Webb World Space Telescope started its full operation in 2022, the astronomers were impressed by the flood of data that arrived. “In the past, we looked at a galaxy, an exoplanet or a star formation,” says NASA scientist Heidi Hammel. “It was like a fire hose.”

Since then, JWST has continuously delivered discoveries, from distant galaxies to new planetary atmospheres. “We open a completely new window to the universe,” says Hammel. —Jonathan O'Callaghan

We can still have beautiful things

A place for comfort, fun and distraction to decorate your day. (Do you have any ideas? Write me a message.)

+ Cubrick fans will love this Lego replica of Dr. Strangelove. + Here is a fascinating explanation why seven inlanders have a navy. + This fascinating 4K remaster of a supertaifun transforms weather data into cinema art. + Discover Queen’s genius with this track-by-track breakdown by “Bohemian Rhapsody”. Deep insight

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Download: DeepSeek's latest AI breakthrough and the race to create world models

Plus: China has Metas 2 billion dollar takeover of the AI startup Manus blocked. Download: Presentation of the 10 things that are important in AI

Plus: According to reports, an unauthorized group has accessed Anthropics myths. Stay connected

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