This is today's edition ofThe Download,our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what's going on in the world of technology.
This is today's edition ofThe Download,our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what's going on in the world of technology. We wanted our last print edition of 2026 to include a slate of stories that check in on impossible ideas. Why? Because it’s fun to dream about living on other planets or uploading our brains. But also because scientists and engineers who won’t give up on daring endeavors remind us what technology is supposed to do: make life better, safer, healthier, even more joyful. That’s the ambition behind the stories inour new Impossible issue. We explore bold attempts tomake synthetic blood,build cities on the moon, andattain cognitive immortality. We investigate AI’sability to say no, a bionic eye thatcan restore sight, and high hopes forblended meat.Plus, we check in on six technologies that have been“coming soon” for years. This issue is for the folks with the audacity to try, and refuse to let anyone—themselves included— tell them no. We hope you enjoy the ride. Large language models are set to go lunar. A computer capable of running AI software is one of the payloads aboard Astrolab’s FLIP lunar rover, which is slated to head to the moon as early as next month. The mission will test whether LLMs can enable greater autonomy and real-time intelligent decision-making in the extreme lunar environment. But the moon will present formidable challenges, from extreme temperatures to intense cosmic radiation. Find out how the lunar rover could change the future of space exploration. In Alaska’s Denali National Park, a 2013 lightning fire burned nearly 35,000 acres, stripping away the insulating layer that preserves permafrost. It’s given scientists a rare opportunity to study how fires reshape permafrost and carbon storage over time. The work is providing critical clues into the complex mechanisms driving cascading climate feedback effects. As warming temperatures fuel fires, more permafrost thaws, releasing greenhouse-gas emissions that threaten to fuel more warming, fires and permafrost loss. Their observations are revealing worrisome signs about what lies ahead. Discover what their fieldwork is revealing about a cascading climate disaster. “I think I have good news about the nature of neural networks.” With those simple words of optimism, Nick Cammarata, a researcher at AI startup Goodfire, kicked off a 26,000-word blog post that has knocked the industry on its head. Cammarata claims that LLMs might be far easier to understand, and thus to monitor and control, than people previously thought. If true, it’s a huge deal. But not everyone is convinced. MIT Technology Reviewspoke to Cammarata the day after his post blew up.He explained what he thinks researchers are getting wrong, what his work actually shows, and why skeptics aren’t ready to celebrate just yet. This isour latest storyto become an MIT Technology Review Narrated podcast, which we publish each week onSpotifyandApple Podcasts. Just navigate to MIT Technology Review Narrated on either platform, and follow us to get all our new content as it’s released. I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology. 1 Elon Musk reportedly ordered the recent Starlink slowdown in UkraineThe restrictions hampered drone strikes and air defences. (WSJ)+ Here’s why AI agents lie to reach their goals.(MIT Technology Review) 3 SpaceX and Tesla have begun merger discussionsThey’ve formed special committees to discuss a deal. (BBC)+ Elon Musk, the CEO of both companies, said it’s “a good idea.”(Axios)+ A merger could combine their AI and manufacturing plans.(Reuters)+ Climate tech companies offer rays of hope.(MIT Technology Review) 5 Ukraine says it’s carried out the world’s first drone evacuationA heavy hexacopter flew a soldier to safety. (Ars Technica)+Ukraine has shared a video showing the evacuation.(CNBC)+ A Russian satellite recently stalked a spacecraft believed to support Ukraine.(NYT) 8 AI is making it easy to clone almost any softwareViral tools promise easy copying, but often produce slop. (404 Media) 9 A computer program has finally outdone humans at cryptic crosswordsIts creator hopes to tackle the harder challenge of setting puzzles. (Guardian) 10 A newly-discovered particle could explain the origins of realityIn particular, it could reveal why matter survived the Big Bang. (404 Media) —GPT-6 Astra, an OpenAI coding agent, tells its user it hasn’t disabled a safeguard after doing exactly that, the company reveals in anew misalignment report. US armed forces are hunting for a weapon that disables drones en masse—and they want it fast. One solution focuses on microwaves: high-powered electronic devices that push out kilowatts of power to zap the circuits of a drone as if it were the tinfoil you forgot to take off your leftovers when you heated them up. Defense tech startup Epirus may have the winning formula. The company has developed a cutting-edge, cost-efficient drone zapper that’s sparking the interest of the US military—and drones are just one of its targets.Peer into its crosshairs. A place for comfort, fun, and distraction to brighten up your day. (Got any ideas?Drop me a line.) + Don’t feel guilty about enjoying a siesta;fish take napsduring the day, too.+ Every trade has its go-to tools. This site has builta fascinating register of them.+Wikipopspotlights what was most popular on Wikipedia yesterday, providing a daily snapshot of what the world is reading.+ Meet the self-taught woodcarver who went from a broke young father to creating some ofDisneyland’s most iconic attractions. Plus: 22 nations have called for a new global body to oversee AI. Plus: Meta will pay up to $18 billion to settle a landmark child-safety case. Plus: OpenAI has released 377 new math findings, further rattling the field. Plus: Musk’s new Pentagon role has raised conflict-of-interest fears. Discover special offers, top stories, upcoming events, and more.