Underground hydrogen is emerging as a potentially transformative energy resource. Researchers are investigating how naturally occurring hydrogen is formed beneath Earth’s surface, how much may exist, and whether it can be economically extracted, transported, and stored.
Let’s explore why geologic hydrogen—also known as natural or white hydrogen—could become one of the most important clean-energy opportunities of the 21st century.
This story is from The Spark, a weekly climate technology newsletter. Sign up to receive it in your inbox every Wednesday.
Must-read technology and climate news
We’ve searched the internet for the most important, fascinating, surprising, and concerning technology stories of the day.
1. Republicans fear data center backlash could hurt the election
Republican lawmakers are warning AI companies to address growing public concerns about the environmental and infrastructure impacts of data centers. (Axios)
+ Anger over data centers could threaten the seats of Ohio’s Republican senators. (Washington Post $)
+ Voters are attempting to recall officials over data center disputes. (New York Times $)
+ Could data centers eventually be built in space? (MIT Technology Review)
2. Personalized vaccine prevents skin cancer recurrence in landmark trial
Merck and Moderna developed the personalized mRNA vaccine, which produced encouraging results in a major clinical trial. (BBC)
+ Shares of both companies rose following the mRNA cancer vaccine news. (Axios)
+ Meanwhile, US government agencies are moving away from some mRNA vaccine programs. (MIT Technology Review)
3. Chinese startup completes first reusable rocket landing
LandSpace’s Zhuque-3 reached orbit and successfully recovered its first stage. (SCMP)
+ The achievement could help China compete with SpaceX on launch costs and rocket reusability. (New York Times $)
4. Former Meta executive says Zuckerberg prioritized growth over child safety
A former Meta executive testified in a major trial examining the alleged effects of social media on children. (Reuters $)
+ The testimony said Zuckerberg ignored warnings about potential harm to young users. (The Guardian)
5. US warns that hackers are targeting Siemens devices in water facilities
Water utilities are facing cyberattacks believed to be connected to Iranian threat actors. (CNBC)
+ Officials say the attackers used AI-generated exploit code against critical infrastructure systems. (The Register)
6. Indian workers are training AI robots that could replace their jobs
Robotics companies are paying workers to record videos of themselves performing everyday tasks, creating training data for future AI-powered robots. (Bloomberg $)
+ Gig workers are also helping train humanoid robots from their homes. (MIT Technology Review)
7. Programmers claim they have bypassed Claude’s AI watermark
Several programmers say they have discovered ways to circumvent Anthropic’s invisible watermarking system, with workarounds now circulating online. (Wired $)
+ Microsoft is developing another approach to verify whether digital content is authentic. (MIT Technology Review)
8. New AI tools aim to identify promising scientific discoveries early
Artificial intelligence could help investors and researchers spot commercially valuable scientific breakthroughs sooner, although experts caution that the technology still has significant limitations. (Nature)
9. Dinosaur gastroliths may reveal how birds first learned to fly
New research suggests that swallowed stones may have shifted dinosaurs’ centers of gravity, making it easier for their descendants to generate lift and evolve powered flight. (The Economist $)
10. Some Earth microbes can survive on the Moon
Scientists have found that certain life forms from Earth may survive for up to a week in parts of the lunar environment, raising new questions about biological contamination and future lunar exploration. (404 Media)
Quote of the day
“If he loses and data centers are held accountable, politicians across the country will pay attention, and the next politician will stay away. This has been a dormant issue throughout the campaign.”
—A memo from members of the National Republican Senatorial Committee. The memo says Democrats have made data centers the “centerpiece” of their campaign to defeat Ohio Senator Jon Husted—and that the strategy appears to be working.
Source: www.technologyreview.com