The Download: TikTok moral panics, and DeepMinds record-breaking AI – MIT Technology Review

1 Hurricane Ian is likely to be Floridas deadliest in 87 yearsThe majority of the 100+ casualties are believed to have drowned. (WP $)+ Areas that embrace solar power fare better in extreme weather. (Slate $)+ Bangkoks flooding problem is steadily worsening. (New Yorker $)

2 Its not too late to avoid a winter of extreme illnessAccepting flu and covid shots can help to lessen the blow. (The Atlantic $)+ Covid vaccines don't harm menstrual cycles, a new study says. (Economist $)+ This nanoparticle could be the key to a universal covid vaccine. (MIT Technology Review)

3 You shouldnt worry about the US election getting hackedAt least, thats what the DBI and CISA are saying. (Motherboard)+The alt-rights tech tactics have evolved since the Capitol riots. (Slate $)+ Election misinformation is still thriving in non-English languages. (CNET)

4 Pollution particles can reach babies in the wombDepending on how much pollution the mother is exposed to, soot particles can cross the placenta. (Bloomberg $)

5 Big Tech destroys millions of data storage devices a yearEven though they could wipe and resell them, companies are scared stiff of confidential data falling into the wrong hands. (FT $)

6 Inside the race to end HIVusing CRISPRIn theory, the technology could return cells to a near-standard state. (Wired $)+ The scientist who co-created CRISPR isnt ruling out engineered babies someday. (MIT Technology Review)

7 Chinese apps are still thriving in IndiaDespite the Indian governments efforts to push users toward native apps. (Rest of World)+ Censorship-evading apps are being stamped out in China. (TechCrunch)

8 The rise and rise of facial recognition in US airportsSelf-check in kiosks are being phased out in favor of the controversial technology. (NYT $)+ If you get your face scanned the next time you fly, heres what you should know. (MIT Technology Review)

9 What its like to visit an Instagram tourist trapIt sounds like a whole lot more trouble than its worth. (Vox)

10 Its time to embrace robot dolphins Theyre an ethical alternative to the real thing in captivity. (Hakai Magazine)

Quote of the day

The spam finds its way into my inbox, too.

Commissioner Ellen L. Weintraub of the Federal Election Commission, who helps police US political campaigns, tells the Washington Post that even she cant escape the deluge of political spam emails.

The big story

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The Download: TikTok moral panics, and DeepMinds record-breaking AI - MIT Technology Review