The Download: NASA’s new telescope and Chinese tech import curbs

<p><em>This is today&#8217;s edition of </em><a href="https://forms.technologyreview.com/newsletters/briefing-the-download/?_ga=2.179569122.736533416.1649661040-405833893.1649413289"><em>The Download</em></a>, <em>our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what&#8217;s going on in the world of technology.</em><br></p> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">NASA’s new dark energy space telescope can also detect killer asteroids  </h3> <p>At the end of August, NASA is set to launch the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Its quest is to help us better understand how the universe works, from the glue-like dark matter that keeps galaxies together to the elusive dark energy that drives the expansion of the cosmos.&nbsp;</p> <p>But Roman could also serve another purpose: defending Earth from killer asteroids. In September, a multi-institutional team of planetary scientists and astronomers will outline how it’s uniquely placed to scan asteroids, and provide information about their trajectories, sizes and compositions.</p> <p><a href="https://www.technologyreview.com/2026/08/05/1141200/nasas-roman-telescope-detect-asteroids/?utm_source=the_download&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=the_download.unpaid.engagement&amp;utm_term=*%7CSUBCLASS%7C*&amp;utm_content=*%7CDATE:m-d-Y%7C*">Read our story about how this new space telescope might boost planetary defense.</a></p> <p><em>—Robin George Andrews </em></p> <p></p> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">MIT Technology Review Narrated: The inevitable weakness of metrics </h3> <p><em>—Bryan Gardiner</em></p> <p>There are plenty of useful things a metric can reveal. There are even more that it can obscure or corrupt.</p> <p>Like a lot of people bitten by the self-quantifying bug, I started gathering personal data to pursue a nebulous collection of goals and desires. I wanted to feel better physically and emotionally, get outside more, and bring order to the messiness and uncertainty of my daily existence.</p> <p>But external metrics and data can never capture what&#8217;s truly important. Worse, they inevitably redefine your core sense of what&#8217;s important, whether you&#8217;re aware of the trap or not.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.technologyreview.com/2026/06/19/1138778/inevitable-weakness-metrics-quantified-life-book-review/?utm_source=the_download&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=the_download.unpaid.engagement&amp;utm_term=%3C%3C%20Test%20Class%20%3E%3E&amp;utm_content=08-05-2026&amp;mc_cid=cfb6ca7f71&amp;mc_eid=UNIQID">Read the full story.</a><br><br><strong>This is our latest&nbsp;<a href="https://www.technologyreview.com/2026/06/19/1138778/inevitable-weakness-metrics-quantified-life-book-review/?utm_source=the_download&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=the_download.unpaid.engagement&amp;utm_term=%3C%3C%20Test%20Class%20%3E%3E&amp;utm_content=08-05-2026&amp;mc_cid=cfb6ca7f71&amp;mc_eid=UNIQID">story</a>&nbsp;to be turned into an MIT Technology Review Narrated podcast, which we publish each week on&nbsp;<a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/0wUsmCX0TxbLRT8M2Tf4V9?mc_cid=cfb6ca7f71&amp;mc_eid=UNIQID">Spotify</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-inevitable-weakness-of-metrics/id1523584878?i=1000779987626&amp;mc_cid=cfb6ca7f71&amp;mc_eid=UNIQID">Apple Podcasts</a>. Just navigate to MIT Technology Review Narrated on either platform, and follow us to get all our new content as it’s released.</strong><span style="font-size: revert;"></span></p> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>The must-reads</strong></p> <p><em>I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology.</em></p> <p><strong>1 The US is considering banning Chinese data center components</strong><br>The news comes just after the FCC announced curbs on other high-tech Chinese hardware. (<a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/trump-administration-drafting-ban-chinese-data-center-devices-sources-say-2026-08-04/?mc_cid=cfb6ca7f71&amp;mc_eid=UNIQID">Reuters</a>&nbsp;$)<br>+&nbsp;<em>Texas is now requiring data centers to pass an audit before connecting to the grid.</em>&nbsp;(<a href="https://www.theverge.com/policy/975071/texas-data-center-audit?mc_cid=cfb6ca7f71&amp;mc_eid=UNIQID">The Verge</a>&nbsp;$)<br><em>+ Trump’s AI protectionism has come for robotics.</em>&nbsp;(<a href="https://www.technologyreview.com/2026/08/03/1141056/trumps-ai-protectionism-has-come-for-robotics/?utm_source=the_download&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=the_download.unpaid.engagement&amp;utm_term=%3C%3C%20Test%20Class%20%3E%3E&amp;utm_content=08-05-2026&amp;mc_cid=cfb6ca7f71&amp;mc_eid=UNIQID">MIT Technology Review</a>)</p> <p><strong>2 SpaceX rocket has crashed into the moon&nbsp;</strong><br>The collision, at about 5,400 miles per hour, will likely leave a new crater. (<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/aug/05/spacex-rocket-moon-crash-impact-falcon-9?mc_cid=cfb6ca7f71&amp;mc_eid=UNIQID">Guardian</a>)<br><em>+ SpaceX posted a loss of over $500 million in its first quarterly earnings report since its IPO.</em>&nbsp;(<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2026/08/04/elon-musks-spacex-lost-hundreds-millions-after-record-setting-ipo/?mc_cid=cfb6ca7f71&amp;mc_eid=UNIQID">WP</a>&nbsp;$)<br>+&nbsp;<em>The company’s future plans rely on the success of its huge Starship rockets.</em>&nbsp;(<a href="https://www.wsj.com/finance/spacex-needs-to-make-its-bigger-rockets-work-c800f9c2?mc_cid=cfb6ca7f71&amp;mc_eid=UNIQID">WSJ</a>&nbsp;$)<br>+&nbsp;<em>Meanwhile, SpaceX’s spending on AI is soaring.</em>&nbsp;(<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/04/technology/spacex-earnings-elon-musk.html?mc_cid=cfb6ca7f71&amp;mc_eid=UNIQID">NYT</a>&nbsp;$)<br><br><strong>3 The UK’s AI Safety Institute says it’s uncovered more AI hacks</strong><br>Including an Anthropic model setting up fake accounts mimicking real people. (<a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1w1lvn7d9go?mc_cid=cfb6ca7f71&amp;mc_eid=UNIQID">BBC</a>)<br>+&nbsp;<em>The White House has a new cybersecurity framework…but it’s keeping details under wraps.&nbsp;</em>(<a href="https://www.wired.com/story/the-white-house-is-keeping-its-ai-cybersecurity-framework-secret/?mc_cid=cfb6ca7f71&amp;mc_eid=UNIQID">Wired</a>&nbsp;$)<br>+&nbsp;<em>Here’s why AI agents lie and cheat to reach their goals.</em>&nbsp;(<a href="https://www.technologyreview.com/2026/08/03/1141009/heres-why-ai-agents-lie-and-cheat-to-reach-their-goals/?utm_source=the_download&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=the_download.unpaid.engagement&amp;utm_term=%3C%3C%20Test%20Class%20%3E%3E&amp;utm_content=08-05-2026&amp;mc_cid=cfb6ca7f71&amp;mc_eid=UNIQID">MIT Technology Review</a>)<br><br><strong>4 The future’s looking bright for French AI lab Mistral</strong><br>Turmoil in the US is creating opportunities for European AI that it hopes to seize. (<a href="https://www.wired.com/story/mistral-is-in-the-right-place-at-the-right-time/?mc_cid=cfb6ca7f71&amp;mc_eid=UNIQID">Wired</a>&nbsp;$)<br><br><strong>5 People are betting on wildfires on prediction markets&nbsp;</strong><br>Which, as US senators warn, sure seems like it will incentivize arson. (<a href="https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/08/senators-demand-crackdown-on-wildfire-prediction-markets/?mc_cid=cfb6ca7f71&amp;mc_eid=UNIQID">Ars Technica</a>)<br>+&nbsp;<em>Prediction markets are also starting to put the accuracy of weather predictions at risk.</em>&nbsp;(<a href="https://www.technologyreview.com/2026/07/17/1140622/weather-data-sabotage/?utm_source=the_download&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=the_download.unpaid.engagement&amp;utm_term=%3C%3C%20Test%20Class%20%3E%3E&amp;utm_content=08-05-2026&amp;mc_cid=cfb6ca7f71&amp;mc_eid=UNIQID">MIT Technology Review</a>)&nbsp;<br><br><strong>6 Can Reddit save itself from being swamped by AI search spam?</strong><br>It’s becoming increasingly influential, and brands are desperate to secure mentions. (<a href="https://www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/973098/reddit-ai-search-seo-marketing-brands-spam?mc_cid=cfb6ca7f71&amp;mc_eid=UNIQID">The Verge</a>&nbsp;$)<br><br><strong>7 Grassroots groups around the world are trying to “humanize” AI</strong><br>Part of their work is educating people so they can have a say on their futures. (<a href="https://restofworld.org/2026/global-ai-salons-grassroots-silicon-valley/?mc_cid=cfb6ca7f71&amp;mc_eid=UNIQID">Rest of World</a>)&nbsp;<br>+&nbsp;<em>The World Bank says poorer countries have “less to fear” from AI than rich ones.</em>&nbsp;(<a href="https://www.ft.com/content/33c20c4e-6a25-42da-9f1e-6664c8388957?mc_cid=cfb6ca7f71&amp;mc_eid=UNIQID">FT</a>&nbsp;$)</p> <p><strong>8 A Chinese physical AI startup has run into controversy&nbsp;</strong><br>Spirit AI stands accused of “benchmark hacking” after it briefly overtook Nvidia on an AI leaderboard in June. (<a href="https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3362923/has-chinese-physical-ai-start-manipulated-global-ranking-beat-nvidia?mc_cid=cfb6ca7f71&amp;mc_eid=UNIQID">SCMP</a>$)<br>+&nbsp;<em>How to build a better AI benchmark.&nbsp;</em>(<a href="https://www.technologyreview.com/2025/05/08/1116192/how-to-build-a-better-ai-benchmark/?utm_source=the_download&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=the_download.unpaid.engagement&amp;utm_term=%3C%3C%20Test%20Class%20%3E%3E&amp;utm_content=08-05-2026&amp;mc_cid=cfb6ca7f71&amp;mc_eid=UNIQID">MIT Technology Review</a>)</p> <p><strong>9 Pluto’s atmosphere may be starting to collapse</strong><br>And after the loss of its planet status, too. Really adds insult to injury. (<a href="https://gizmodo.com/plutos-atmosphere-may-finally-be-starting-to-collapse-2000794537?mc_cid=cfb6ca7f71&amp;mc_eid=UNIQID">Gizmodo</a>)</p> <p><strong>10 Even Microsoft is begging its engineers to stop using AI so much</strong><br>Kinda telling that even Big Tech firms are struggling to find ROI for their spending. (<a href="https://www.404media.co/microsoft-tells-engineers-tokenmaxxing-is-not-what-we-are-optimizing-for/?mc_cid=cfb6ca7f71&amp;mc_eid=UNIQID">404 Media</a>)</p> <p></p> <p><strong>Quote of the day</strong></p> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">“We&#8217;re essentially trying to criminalize government scientists giving advice to political leaders, if that is advice the political leaders don&#8217;t like or it creates an outcome the political leaders didn&#8217;t want.&#8221; </h2> <p>—Ashish Jha, former COVID response coordinator, tells <a href="https://www.axios.com/2026/08/05/fauci-scientists-government-health?mc_cid=cfb6ca7f71&amp;mc_eid=UNIQID">Axios</a> why scientists are becoming increasingly wary of taking US government jobs.</p> <p></p> <p><strong>One More Thing</strong></p> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" width="3000" height="1687" src="https://wp.technologyreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/vitalist_master.jpg?w=840" alt="a glass skull and hourglass embedded in sand with scattered supplements" class="wp-image-1131852" srcset="https://wp.technologyreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/vitalist_master.jpg 3000w, https://wp.technologyreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/vitalist_master.jpg?resize=300,169 300w, https://wp.technologyreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/vitalist_master.jpg?resize=768,432 768w, https://wp.technologyreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/vitalist_master.jpg?resize=1536,864 1536w, https://wp.technologyreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/vitalist_master.jpg?resize=2048,1152 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 3000px) 100vw, 3000px" /><div class="image-credit">CHRIS LABROOY</div> </figure> </div> <p><strong>Meet the Vitalists: the hardcore longevity enthusiasts who believe death is “wrong” </strong></p> <p>Last April, an excited crowd gathered at a compound in Berkeley, California, for a three-day event called the Vitalist Bay Summit. It was part of a longer, two-month residency that hosted various events to explore tools—from drug regulation to cryonics—that might be deployed in the fight against death.&nbsp;</p> <p>One of the main goals, though, was to spread the word of Vitalism, a somewhat radical movement established a few years ago. Consider it longevity for the most hardcore adherents—a sweeping mission to which nothing short of total devotion will do.</p> <p>Vitalists don’t just want to live longer. They believe that defeating death should be humanity’s top concern.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.technologyreview.com/2026/01/29/1131815/vitalism-longevity-enthusiasts-influence/?utm_source=the_download&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=the_download.unpaid.engagement&amp;utm_term=%3C%3C%20Test%20Class%20%3E%3E&amp;utm_content=08-05-2026&amp;mc_cid=cfb6ca7f71&amp;mc_eid=UNIQID">Read our story to learn more about them, and their philosophy.</a>&nbsp;</p> <p><em>—Jessica Hamzelou</em></p> <p></p> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>We can still have nice things</strong></p> <p><em>A place for comfort, fun, and distraction to brighten up your day. (Got any ideas? </em><a href="mailto:[email protected]"><em>Drop me a line</em></a><em>.)</em></p> <p>+ This yellow labrador’s <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reels/DYEE6-WOMXP/?mc_cid=cfb6ca7f71&amp;mc_eid=UNIQID">love of walking</a> is a joy to behold.<br>+ Bowling legend Phyllis is <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DaJDIkyAl9x?mc_cid=cfb6ca7f71&amp;mc_eid=UNIQID">still rolling perfect games</a> at 95 years old.<br>+ Here are some <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-01850-9?mc_cid=cfb6ca7f71&amp;mc_eid=UNIQID">evidence-based ways</a> to cut back on life’s many distractions.<br>+ <a href="https://www.humanssince1982.com/en-us?srsltid=AfmBOoqF2hvXHpRQDhkMSpg5nj6i86n00q7ZgowcI4sWkyNXgygaxAfa&amp;mc_cid=cfb6ca7f71&amp;mc_eid=UNIQID">Humans since 1982</a> turns clock faces into mesmerizing kinetic art that still functions as timepieces.</p> <p></p>