Whoop opens blood-testing service to what it says is a 350,000-person waitlist
Whoop Advanced Labs marries subscription blood tests with its fitness device monitoring for tech-powered wellness advice.
The Download: carbon removal factories’ funding cuts, and AI toys
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. The Trump administration may cut funding for two major direct-air capture plants The US Department of Energy appears poised to terminate funding for a pair of large carbon-sucking factories that were originally set…
September 2025
The US may be heading toward a drone-filled future
On Thursday, I published a story about the police-tech giant Flock Safety selling its drones to the private sector to track shoplifters. Keith Kauffman, a former police chief who now leads Flock’s drone efforts, described the ideal scenario: A security team at a Home Depot, say, launches a drone from the roof that follows shoplifting…
Scientists can see Earth’s permafrost thawing from space
Something is rotten in the city of Nunapitchuk. In recent years, a crack has formed in the middle of a house. Sewage has leached into the earth. Soil has eroded around buildings, leaving them perched atop precarious lumps of dirt. There are eternal puddles. And mold. The ground can feel squishy, sodden. This small town…
Opera launches its AI-centric Neon browser
Neon will write code snippets, includes an agent that will do tasks for you, and handles repeatable prompts.
Notion Capital raises $130M growth fund to tackle Europe’s follow-on gap
The growth fund is nearly twice the size of its previous one.
How to Maximize Savings During Prime Big Deal Days
On October 7–8, Amazon Business customers get exclusive savings and rewards. Here’s how to make the most of the day.
A Fintech Startup Founder Was Just Sentenced to 7 Years in Prison for Defrauding JPMorgan Out of $175 Million
JPMorgan discovered that Charlie Javice had made up millions of fake users.
California Governor Newsom signs landmark AI safety bill SB 53
SB 53 requires large AI labs – including OpenAI, Anthropic, Meta, and Google DeepMind – to be transparent about safety protocols. It also ensures whistleblower protections for employees at those companies.
She’s an Actor About to Be Signed By a Talent Agency. She’s Also AI.
The creators of Tilly Norwood, an “AI actress,” think she can be the “next Natalie Portman.”