December 26, 2024

This international surveillance project aims to protect wheat from deadly diseases

When Dave Hodson walked through wheat fields in Ethiopia in 2010, it seemed as if everything had been painted yellow. A rust fungus was in the process of infecting about one-third of the country’s wheat, and winds had carried its spores far and wide, coating everything in their path. “The fields were completely yellow. You’d…

Alternative meat could help the climate. Will anyone eat it?

December 5, 2024
This article is from The Spark, MIT Technology Review’s weekly climate newsletter. To receive it in your inbox every Wednesday, sign up here. Last week, we celebrated Thanksgiving here in the US, and I had hearty helpings of ham and turkey alongside my mashed potatoes and green bean casserole. Meat is often the star on…

OpenAI’s new defense contract completes its military pivot

December 4, 2024
At the start of 2024, OpenAI’s rules for how armed forces might use its technology were unambiguous.  The company prohibited anyone from using its models for “weapons development” or “military and warfare.” That changed on January 10, when The Intercept reported that OpenAI had softened those restrictions, forbidding anyone from using the technology to “harm…

6 Steps to a Simple and Effective Content Strategy

December 4, 2024
Strategy can be an intimidating word, but it doesn’t have to be. Follow these simple guidelines to make sure your next piece of content — and every one thereafter — rings true to your brand.