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. Why AI could eat quantum computings lunch Tech companies have been funneling billions of dollars into quantum computers for years. The hope is that theyll be a game changer for fields as diverse as finance, drug discovery, and logistics. But while the field struggles with the realities of tricky quantum hardware, another challenger is making headway in some of these most promising use cases. AI is now being applied to fundamental physics, chemistry, and materials science in a way that suggests quantum computings purported home turf might not be so safe after all. Read the full story. Edd Gent Whats next for reproductive rights in the US This week, it wasnt just the future president of the US that was on the ballot. Ten states also voted on abortion rights. Two years ago, the US Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, a legal decision that protected the right to abortion. Since then, abortion bans have been enacted in multiple states, and millions of people in the US have lost access to local clinics. Now, some states are voting to extend and protect access to abortion. Missouri, a state that has long restricted access, even voted to overturn its ban. But its not all good news for proponents of reproductive rights. Read the full story. Jessica Hamzelou This story is from The Checkup, our weekly newsletter giving you the inside track on all things biotech. Sign up to receive it in your inbox every Thursday. The must-reads Ive combed the internet to find you todays most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology. 1 Black Americans received racist texts threatening them with slavery Some of the messages claim to be from Trump supporters or the Trump administration. (WP $)+ What Trumps last tenure as president can teach us about whats coming. (New Yorker $)+ The January 6 rioters are hoping for early pardons and release. (Wired $)2 China is shoring up its economy to the tune of $1.4 trillion Its bracing itself for increased trade tensions with a Trump-governed US. (FT $)+ The countrys chip industry has a plan too. (Reuters)+ Were witnessing the return of Trumponomics. (Economist $)+ Heres how the tech markets have reacted to his reelection. (Insider $)3 How crypto came out on topTrump is all in, even if he previously dismissed it as a scam. (Bloomberg $) + Enthusiasts are hoping for less regulation and more favorable legislation. (Time $)4 A weight-loss drug contributed to the death of a nurse in the UKSusan McGowan took two doses of Mounjaro in the weeks before her death. (BBC)+ Its the first known death to be officially linked to the drug in the UK. (The Guardian) 5 An academics lawsuit against Meta has been dismissed Ethan Zuckerman wanted protection against the firm for building an unfollowing tool. (NYT $)6 How the Republicans won onlineThe right-wing influencer ecosystem is extremely powerful and effective. (The Atlantic $) + The left doesnt really have an equivalent network. (Vox)+ X users are considering leaving the platform in protest (again.) (Slate $)7 What does the future of America's public health look like?Noted conspiracy theorist and anti-vaxxer RFK Jr could be in charge soon. (NY Mag $) + Letting Kennedy go wild on health is not a great sign. (Forbes $)+ His war on fluoride in drinking water is already underway. (Politico)8 An AI-created portrait of Alan Turing has sold for $1 millionJust why? (The Guardian) + Why artists are becoming less scared of AI. (MIT Technology Review)9 How to harness energy from space A relay system of transmitters could help to ping it back to Earth. (IEEE Spectrum)+ The quest to figure out farming on Mars. (MIT Technology Review)10 AI-generated videos are not interesting Thats according to the arbiters of what is and isnt interesting over at Reddit. (404 Media)+ Whats next for generative video. (MIT Technology Review)Quote of the day "That's petty, right? How much does one piece of fruit per day cost?" A former Intel employee reacts to the news the embattled company is planning to restore its free coffee privileges for its staffbut not free fruit, Insider reports. The big story Recapturing early internet whimsy with HTML December 2023 Websites werent always slick digital experiences. There was a time when surfing the web involved opening tabs that played music against your will and sifting through walls of text on a colored background. In the 2000s, before Squarespace and social media, websites were manifestations of individualitybuilt from scratch using HTML, by users who had some knowledge of code. Scattered across the web are communities of programmers working to revive this seemingly outdated approach. And the movement is anything but a superficial appeal to retro aestheticsits about celebrating the human touch in digital experiences. Read the full story. Tiffany Ng 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 tweet 'em at me.) + Sandwiches through the ages is a pretty great subject for a book.+ Art Garfunkel and Paul Simon are getting the band back together! (kind of)+ Instant mashed potatoes have a bad reputation. But it doesnt have to be this way.+ Heres what an actual robot apocalypse would look like (thanks Will!)