This is todays edition ofThe Download,our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of whats going on in the world of technology.Palmer Luckey on the Pentagons future of mixed realityPalmer Luckey has, in some ways, come full circle.His first experience with virtual-reality headsets was as a teenage lab technician at a defense research center in Southern California, studying their potential to curb PTSD symptoms in veterans. He then built Oculus, sold it to Facebook for $2 billion, left Facebook after a highly public ousting, and founded Anduril, which focuses on drones, cruise missiles, and other AI-enhanced technologies for the US Department of Defense. The company is now valued at $14 billion.Now Luckey is redirecting his energy again, to headsets for the military. In September, Anduril announced it would partner with Microsoft on the US Armys Integrated Visual Augmentation System (IVAS), arguably the militarys largest effort to develop a headset for use on the battlefield. Luckey says the IVAS project is his top priority at Anduril.He spoke to MIT Technology Review about his plans. Read the full interview.James ODonnellThis AI system makes human tutors better at teaching children mathThe US has a major problem with education inequality. Children from low-income families are less likely to receive high-quality education, partly because poorer districts struggle to retain experienced teachers.Artificial intelligence could help. A new tool could improve the one-on-one tutoring sometimes used to supplement class instruction in these schools, by letting tutors tap into more experienced teachers expertise during virtual sessions. Heres how it works.Rhiannon WilliamsThe must-readsIve combed the internet to find you todays most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology.1 Google is developing an AI agent called JarvisItll be able to do entire tasks for you, like buying things or making bookings. (The Information$)+What are AI agents?(MIT Technology Review)2 Far-right sheriffs are preparing to disrupt the electionAnd the means theyre planning to use are getting more and more violent. (Wired$)+Election officials are receiving an unprecedented number of threats. (The Atlantic$)+Groups are coordinating online to spread lies about the election. (NBC)3 Check out the first images of the suns flares from a new NASA telescopeThese storms are whats behind the increased visibility of shimmering lights in our night skies recently. (NYT$)4 Elon Musk seems to have briefly worked illegally in the USWhich makes his current obsession with borders look a tad hypocritical. (WP$)+Why is he backing Trump so enthusiastically?(Vox)5 An AI transcription tool used in hospitals invents things no one saidOpenAI has said its Whisper tool shouldnt be used in high-risk domains. But thats exactly whats happening. (AP)6 China is restricting access to materials needed to make chipsIt has a near-monopoly, so any squeeze on supply is likely to have an outsized impact. (NYT$)+Whats next in chips.(MIT Technology Review)7 A Neuralink rival says its eye implant restored vision to blind peopleIts an exciting findingbut still very early days for testing the technology. (Wired$)8 Nuclear power is back in fashionBut whether building new reactors is the best way to rapidly cut emissions is debatable. (Nature)+ Why artificial intelligence and clean energy need each other. (MIT Technology Review)9 Is Boeing fixable?Its been in chaos for the best part of five years, and the problems just keep piling up. (FT$)10 People have a lot of love for Microsoft ExcelIts been around for 40 years, during which time its gathered a surprisingly devoted fanbase. (The Guardian)Quote of the dayTodays win may not be parfait, but its still pretty sweet.Meredith Rose, senior policy counsel for consumer advocacy group Public Knowledge, hails a US Copyright Office ruling which should make it much easier to fix McDonalds McFlurry machines,Ars Technicareports.The big storyLongevity enthusiasts want to create their own independent state. Theyre eyeing Rhode Island.GETTY IMAGESMay 2023Jessica HamzelouEarlier this month, I traveled to Montenegro for a gathering of longevity enthusiasts. All the attendees were super friendly, and the sense of optimism was palpable. Theyre all confident well be able to find a way to slow or reverse agingand they have a bold plan to speed up progress.Around 780 of these people have created a pop-up city that hopes to circumvent the traditional process of clinical trials. They want to create an independent state where like-minded innovators can work together in an all-new jurisdiction that gives them free rein to self-experiment with unproven drugs. Welcome to Zuzalu. Read the full story.We can still have nice thingsA place for comfort, fun and distraction to brighten up your day. (Got any ideas? Drop me a line or tweet em at me.)+ I learned a lovely new word recently:sonder.+ Feeling less brave than youd like to? This Maya Angeloupoemis for you.+ You can usemisoto boost the flavor of so many more things than youd imagine.+ Such a tender moment captured inthis photoof kids buying ice cream.