This is today’s edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what’s going on in the world of technology. A new biosensor can detect bird flu in five minutes Over the winter, eggs suddenly became all but impossible to buy. As a bird flu outbreak rippled through dairy and poultry farms, grocery stores struggled to keep them on shelves.The shortages and record-high prices in February raised costs dramatically for restaurants and bakeries and led some shoppers to skip the breakfast staple entirely. But a team based at Washington University in St. Louis has developed a device that could help slow future outbreaks by detecting bird flu in air samples in just five minutes. Read the full story. —Carly Kay This story is from the next edition of our print magazine, which is all about the body. Subscribe now to read it and get a copy of the magazine when it lands! This Texas chemical plant could get its own nuclear reactors Nuclear reactors could someday power a chemical plant in Texas, making it the first with such a facility onsite. The factory, which makes plastics and other materials, could become a model for power-hungry data centers and other industrial operations going forward.The plans are the work of Dow Chemical and X-energy, which last week applied for a construction permit with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the agency in the US that governs nuclear energy.While it’ll be years before nuclear reactors will actually turn on, this application marks a major milestone for the project, and for the potential of advanced nuclear technology to power industrial processes. Read the full story. —Casey Crownhart MIT Technology Review Narrated: Exosomes are touted as a trendy cure-all. We don’t know if they work. People are spending thousands of dollars on unproven exosome therapies for hair loss, skin aging, and acne, as well as more serious conditions like long covid and Alzheimer’s. This is our latest story to be turned into a MIT Technology Review Narrated podcast, which  we’re publishing each week on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Just navigate to MIT Technology Review Narrated on either platform, and follow us to get all our new content as it’s released. The must-reads I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology. 1 Donald Trump is confident Apple can make iPhones in the US Tim Cook is probably less sure about that. (9to5Mac)+ Politicians are obsessed with the fantasy of an America-made iPhone. (404 Media)+ If you need a new phone, you’re better off buying one now. (Wired $) 2 Trade groups are weighing up suing Trump to fight his tariffsThe Chamber of Commerce and other groups feel they may not have another option. (WSJ $)+ Trump has hit China with a 104% tariff. (CNBC)+ What does he really hope to achieve? (Vox)+ Even the conservative podcasters that helped him win aren’t happy. (FT $)+ Trump’s tariffs will deliver a big blow to climate tech. (MIT Technology Review) 3 The UK government is building a “murder prediction” toolBut research shows that algorithmic crime prediction systems don’t work. (The Guardian)+ Predictive policing algorithms are racist. They need to be dismantled. (MIT Technology Review) 4 DOGE has converted magnetic tapes to digital recordsThe problem is, magnetic tapes are stable and safe. Digital records are both hackable and vulnerable to bit rot. (404 Media)+ Government technologists aren’t happy about the switch. (Economist $)+ Can AI help DOGE slash government budgets? It’s complex. (MIT Technology Review) 5 The crypto industry isn’t benefiting from Trump quite yetIn fact, VC investment has fallen. (Bloomberg $)+ However, prosecutors are being told to stop pursuing certain crypto crimes. (WP $) 6 Tech bros are building a Christian utopia in AppalachiaThese groups have traditionally existed only online. Can building a town bring them together? (Mother Jones $) 7 California’s only nuclear power plant is using AIIt’s the first time generative AI has been used onsite at a power plant.(The Markup)+ Interest in nuclear power is surging. Is it enough to build new reactors? (MIT Technology Review) 8 Custom 3D-printed railway shelters are being trialed in JapanIn a bid to help rural stations replace ageing infrastructure. (Ars Technica) 9 We’re learning more about how the Titanic sankThanks to a new scan of its wreckage. (BBC) 10 Would you ride this headless horse robot?Kawasaki’s outlandish concept model looks decidedly unsafe. (Vice)+ A skeptic’s guide to humanoid-robot videos. (MIT Technology Review) Quote of the day “iPhone manufacturing isn’t coming back to America.” —An anonymous source familiar with Apple’s plans has some bad news for the Trump administration, the Washington Post reports. The big story Inside effective altruism, where the far future counts a lot more than the present Since its birth in the late 2000s, effective altruism has aimed to answer the question “How can those with means have the most impact on the world in a quantifiable way?”—and supplied methods for calculating the answer. It’s no surprise that effective altruisms’ ideas have long faced criticism for reflecting white Western saviorism, alongside an avoidance of structural problems in favor of abstract math. And as believers pour even greater amounts of money into the movement’s increasingly sci-fi ideals, such charges are only intensifying. Read the full story. —Rebecca Ackermann We can still have nice things A place for comfort, fun and distraction to brighten up your day. (Got any ideas? Drop me a line or skeet ’em at me.) + Why is everybody suddenly obsessed with Dubai chocolate? + Inside one academic’s quest to locate the famous photograph hanging on the wall of The Shining’s Overlook Hotel.+ Adorable: a Japanese town has created its own trading card game featuring older men in the community.+ I think it’s safe to say Val Kilmer really didn’t enjoy being in the largely forgotten film Spartan.

Apple's stock will face another tumultuous day as markets fear China's and the European Union's reciprocal tariff increases could get another Trump reaction.Tim Cook visits Luxshare factory in China in 2017 - Image Credit: AppleThe tit-for-tat tariff battle has wreaked havoc on the stock market, with the valuation of many companies shrinking over a matter of days due to the Trump administration's sweeping tariffs. This has naturally included Apple, which is set to face another day of stock market turmoil.At the close of markets on Tuesday, Apple was at $172.42 following four days of rough trading. However, pre-market trading brought the price to an even lower level, hovering at around $169 before starting the trading day marginally up at $172.18. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Following our previous look at an opening for an Architectural Project Manager at Bevyhouse, we are using this week’s edition of our Job Highlights series to explore an open role on Archinect Jobs for a Director of Residential Capital Planning, Design and Construction at the University at Buffalo. The role, based in Buffalo, NY, calls for an individual who will “direct the planning, development, implementation, and management of renewal, renovation, and new construction projects in support of more than 2.5 million square feet of space over two campus locations.” Among the qualifications required for the role are a degree in architecture, engineering, or a related field, as well as a minimum of five years experience in a medium to large organization. Related on Archinect: University of Buffalo architecture students displayed 3D printed "Archi-texture" in special Hong Kong Design Centre exhibition. Image still from “sh/kirts” video courtesy of Architecture and Planning | University of...

This year’s Xbox Games Showcase finally has a date, and just like the past two years, it will be followed by a separate Direct for a major upcoming title – Obsidian Entertainment’s The Outer Worlds 2. Alongside new gameplay, the Direct takes fans inside the studio’s walls, with development team members providing new information and insights. The duration is unknown, and given how wildly the past two Directs for Starfield and Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 varied, it’s hard to say. However, it offers hope that The Outer Worlds 2 will launch this year. Obsidian debuted its latest gameplay trailer at The Game Awards 2024 and touted the sci-fi RPG as being twice as big as the first game. There are new weapons, NPCs, and worlds to explore, and it looks to offer a notable visual jump (with ray traced reflections seemingly supported). Stay tuned for more details in June. The Outer Worlds 2 is coming to PS5, PC and Xbox Series X/S.

Arthur J.E. Child Comprehensive Cancer Centre. Photo credit: Adrian Ozimek The Arthur J.E. Child Comprehensive Cancer Centre, designed by DIALOG, is a landmark facility that aims to be more than a cancer treatment center, but also a project that redefines the future of healthcare by integrating architecture and wellness into one space. Arthur J.E. Child Comprehensive Cancer Centre. Photo credit: Adrian Ozimek DIALOG, in collaboration with Stantec, is responsible for every aspect of the facility’s development, from architecture and engineering to landscape architecture and urban design. Arthur J.E. Child Comprehensive Cancer Centre. Photo credit: Adrian Ozimek At the core of the building lies “the heart,” which is an all-season garden. Two curving L-shaped forms come together in an “embrace,” which symbolizes the care patients will receive. Arthur J.E. Child Comprehensive Cancer Centre. Photo credit: Adrian Ozimek The building is organized into five interdisciplinary “villages,” each designed to foster collaboration between caregivers, patients, and researchers. These villages include the Radiation Therapy, Welcoming, Outpatient, Research, and Inpatient Villages, which enable a modular layout that integrates research and clinical spaces. Arthur J.E. Child Comprehensive Cancer Centre. Photo credit: Adrian Ozimek DIALOG, who was also responsible for the mechanical and electrical engineering, incorporated dynamic glass to reduce energy loads and an Automated Guided Vehicle system to optimize logistics and operational efficiency. Arthur J.E. Child Comprehensive Cancer Centre. Photo credit: Adrian Ozimek Wide, clear pathways and intuitive wayfinding systems also ensure ease of movement for people of all abilities. All public and patient-facing areas have also been designed to cater to people with visual and hearing impairments through the use of tactile signage and enhanced audio systems to ensure that patients, families, and staff can all navigate the space. Arthur J.E. Child Comprehensive Cancer Centre. Photo credit: Adrian Ozimek The post Arthur J.E. Child Comprehensive Cancer Centre opens in Calgary appeared first on Canadian Architect.

As soon as Colossal Biosciences declared that it brought the dire wolf back from extinction, everyone felt a sense of wonder.Read More

Astro Bot cleaned up at the 2025 BAFTA Games Awards after winning five awards.Sony and Team Asobi's acclaimed 3D platformer was named Best Game during last night's ceremony in London. It also took home the awards for Animation, Audio Achievement, Family, and Game Design.The title has dominated throughout awards season, securing notable victories at the New York Game Awards, The Game Awards, DICE Awards, and GDCAs.Its latest win comes just a few weeks after Team Asobi studio director Nicolas Doucet espoused the virtues of making a "small game" at GDC 2025."A lot of the choices we made with Astro Bot could be labelled double-A or maybe lacking in ambition—like the size of the team, the size of the game, the fact there's no text, no voice, and its not an open world," he said during a talk at the conference in March."But that doesn't really matter. We still made a game that made people really happy, and in fact it was probably the simplicity that a lot of players made time for."Other winners at the BAFTAs included comedy slapformer Thank Goodness You're Here!, which took home the British Game award.Localthunk's immensely popular deck-building roguelike Balatro won out in the Debut Game category, while Arrowhead Game Studios frantic cooperative shooter Helldivers 2 nabbed the Multiplayer and Music awards.Related:The Chinese Room's psychological horror title Still Wakes The Deep won three awards for New Intellectual Property, Performer in a Leading Role (Alec Newman), and Performer in a Supporting Role (Karen Dunbar).You can find the full list of winners below.2025 BAFTA Games Awards WinnersAnimation: Astro BotArtistic Achievement: NevaAudio Achievement: Astro BotBest Game: Astro BotBritish Game: Thank Goodness You're Here!Debut Game: BalatroEvolving Game: Vampire SurvivorsFamily: Astro BotGame Beyond Entertainment: Tales of Kenzera: ZauGame Design: Astro BotMultiplayer: Helldivers 2Music: Helldivers 2Narrative: Metaphor: RefantazioNew Intellectual Property: Still Wakes the DeepPerformer in a Leading Role: Alec Newman (Still Wakes the Deep)Performer in a Supporting Role: Karen Dunbar (Still Wakes the Deep)Technical Achievement: Senua's Saga: Hellblade IIFellowship Award: Yoko Shimomura

Donald Trump is making it even more expensive for US consumers to shop online from Chinese retailers like Temu and Shein. In an executive order amendment published Tuesday night, Trump raised the tariff rate for packages valued under $800 entering the US from China and Hong Kong that previously were exempt. The increase essentially triples what shoppers would have paid previously. Under a previous tariff package hitting Chinese imports, sub-$800 packages were subject to a 30 percent tariff on the total value of the package, or $25 per postal item. Now, those rates have jumped to 90 percent of the value or $75 per postal item. The White House didn’t immediately clarify which of the two rates packages would be subject to — the executive order suggests carriers can opt for “either” method. The skyrocketing tariffs on de minimis packages is part of the ongoing trade war Trump is waging on the rest of the world — China in particular. After China announced retaliatory tariffs on the US, Trump again increased the taxes on the country’s products, which now amount to a staggering 104 percent. China is an epicenter of manufacturing for the world, and the US is the world†… Read the full story at The Verge.

Godot 4.5 Dev2 Released / Uncategorized / April 9, 2025 Today we have the second dev release of the Godot 4.5 cycle, following hot on the heels of Godot 4.5 dev1 released in March. These releases add new features and improvements to the Godot engine leading up to the Godot 4.5 release. These are pre-beta releases and obviously are not supposed to be used for production work. In Godot 4.5 Dev2 the following are the highlight new features: Dedicated 2D navigation server Reorganized shader editor UI Changing editor language no longer required a restart Fragment density map support (for VR rendering optimization) Wayland native sub-window support on Linux Several more smaller fixes and improvements Key Links Godot 4.5 Dev 2 Release Announcement Interactive Changelog You can learn more about the Godot 4.5 dev2 release and see several of the new features in action in the video below.

The import tariffs imposed by U.S. President Trump are once again impacting U.S. gamers, this time affecting Razer's Blade 16 gaming laptop.Tariffs are essentially taxes placed on the cost of importing certain goods. While it's possible for companies in the supply chain to simply eat these costs, more often than not these taxes are passed onto consumers. And unfortunately for gamers, rising prices are very likely to impact tech and gaming goods.But some products are now being temporarily pulled from sale. As spotted by The Verge, although the Blade 16 had initially been listed for sale to the U.S. as recently as April 1, the option to order the laptop has now disappeared from the website entirely.PlayWhereas European gamers can order the all-new gaming laptop right now (well, if it's in stock — it's not in the UK), the U.S. site only invites prospective buyers to hit the "Notify Me" button to get updates — and there aren't any prices listed whatsoever. The Buy Now page takes you to a 404 error page.It's not just Razer that's quietly removed sale information until the markets settle down, either. The tariffs against China and Taiwan — where many PC components are made — will also affect U.S. players as firms like Micron, a memory manufacturer, warned of surcharges. PC company Framework has "temporarily paused" some U.S. sales completely.Last week, the Nintendo Switch 2 pre-order date — initially listed as today, April 9 — was removed in the United States after import tariffs enacted by President Trump sent financial markets spiraling. Just a few days later, the issue spread across the border, with Nintendo Canada also confirming pre-orders would now be delayed there.Nintendo fans and analysts are now concerned Nintendo will raise the price of the Switch 2 and its games even further, even as it suffers a backlash to its pricing following the console’s reveal.For more, check out everything announced at the Switch 2 Nintendo Direct.Vikki Blake is a reporter, critic, columnist, and consultant. She's also a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually High Chaos. Find her at BlueSky.