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. Trumps tariffs will deliver a big blow to climate tech US president Donald Trumps massive, sweeping tariffs sent global stock markets tumbling yesterday, setting the stage for a worldwide trade war and ratcheting up the dangers of a punishing recession. Experts fear that the US cleantech sector is especially vulnerable to a deep downturn, which would undermine progress on reducing greenhouse-gas emissions. Read the full story.James TempleCyberattacks by AI agents are coming Agents are the talk of the AI industrytheyre capable of planning, reasoning, and executing complex tasks like scheduling meetings, ordering groceries, or even taking over your computer to change settings on your behalf. But the same sophisticated abilities that make agents helpful assistants could also make them powerful tools for conducting cyberattacks. They could readily be used to identify vulnerable targets, hijack their systems, and steal valuable data from unsuspecting victims. At present, cybercriminals are not deploying AI agents to hack at scale. But researchers have demonstrated that agents are capable of executing complex attacks, and cybersecurity experts warn that we should expect to start seeing these types of attacks spilling over into the real worldand soon. Read the full story.Rhiannon WilliamsThe must-reads Ive combed the internet to find you todays most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology. 1 Did the Trump administration use AI to calculate its new tariffs? It appears to use an oversimplified calculation several major chatbots recommend. (The Verge)+ The economically-flawed formula has shocked analysts. (FT $)+ The severe tariffs may harm Americas data center ambitions. (Reuters)2 The EU is preparing to slap X with major financial penalties Even if it risks provoking Elon Musks ire. (NYT $)3 Googles tech will be used to surveil the US-Mexico border As part of plans to upgrade the virtual wall between the countries. (The Intercept)+ The number of illegal border crossings hit a record low last month. (Semafor)4 Hurricane season is set to be busier than usual Forecasters are predicting at least 17 tropical storms and four major hurricanes. (WP $)+ They arent as confident about this early forecast as they were last year. (CNN)+ Heres what we know about hurricanes and climate change. (MIT Technology Review)5 Myanmars internet shutdown is thwarting aid efforts Aid and rescue workers are struggling to help people caught up in its recent devastating earthquake. (Rest of World)6 Google is yet to publish safety reports for its latest AI modelsIt appears to be launching models faster than it can publicly verify their safety. (TechCrunch) 7 Online influencing has a major gender pay gapAlthough the majority of content creators are female, they earn less per collaboration than their male counterparts. (Fast Company $) + Why cant tech fix its gender problem? (MIT Technology Review)8 How to make solar panels on the moonMoon dust could help to power future lunar bases. (New Scientist $) + Nokia is putting the first cellular network on the moon. (MIT Technology Review) 9 The economy may be collapsing, but at least the memes are good Social media is bringing the lols in uncertain times. (NY Mag $)10 Bonobos communicate in similar ways to humans The great apes combine basic sound into larger structuresjust like us. (Ars Technica)+ How machine learning is helping us probe the secret names of animals. (MIT Technology Review)Quote of the day There will be blood. Bruce Kasman, JPMorgan's chief global economist, is not optimistic about Donald Trump's aggressive tariff policy, Insider reports. The big story The weeds are winning October 2024 Since the 1980s, more and more plants have evolved to become immune to the biochemical mechanisms that herbicides leverage to kill them. This herbicidal resistance threatens to decrease yieldsout-of-control weeds can reduce them by 50% or more, and extreme cases can wipe out whole fields. At worst, it can even drive farmers out of business. Its the agricultural equivalent of antibiotic resistance, and it keeps getting worse. Weeds have evolved resistance to 168 different herbicides and 21 of the 31 known modes of action, which means the specific biochemical target or pathway a chemical is designed to disrupt. Agriculture needs to embrace a diversity of weed control practices. But thats much easier said than done. Read the full story. Douglas Main 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.)+ Sweet Moroccan flatbreads sound like a fantastic way to start the day.+ Val Kilmer was more than just a heartthrobhe was a really great actor too.+ Drop everything: theres an uncut version of the White Lotus series three theme.+ All aboard the giant almond car!