Today in Technology: AI Cyberattacks, Quantum Computing and the Future of Permafrost

This is today’s edition of The Download, a weekday newsletter bringing you the latest developments in technology.

How far can we push computing?

In December 1959, physicist Richard Feynman delivered a lecture titled “There’s Plenty of Room at the Bottom.” He argued that no laws of physics prevented us from writing the entire Encyclopedia Britannica on the head of a pin—we simply had not yet built the necessary tools.

Feynman was right. For decades, computing moved toward that microscopic frontier as transistor sizes were repeatedly cut in half. But that easy path has stalled. Today, the technology industry is increasingly relying on brute force, including ever-larger data centers, to improve performance.

The laws of physics, however, still leave significant room for innovation.

Discover how researchers are exploring new ways to make the next major leap in computing possible.

—Volkan Garces

This story is from the latest edition of the print magazine. Subscribe now to read the full story.

This story is also part of MIT Technology Review’s “Impossible Problem” series, which explores the technologies turning ambitious ideas into reality. Read more in the series.

3 things you need to know about permafrost

How much do you know about permafrost? You may already know that this layer of frozen soil is thawing, that it plays an important role in climate change, and that it covers a vast area.

My colleague James Temple recently flew by helicopter into an Alaskan forest to report on fires threatening permafrost—and on the complex climate impacts that could follow.

Here are three key takeaways from his report:

—Casey Crownhart

This story is from “The Spark,” a weekly climate technology newsletter. Sign up to get it in your inbox every Wednesday.

Roundtable: Inside the development of AI-designed viruses

Can artificial intelligence design new forms of life? In 2025, Stanford University doctoral student Samuel King provided a preliminary answer by using generative AI models to propose a genetic blueprint for microscopic viruses. This is not yet an example of AI-generated life, but it could represent a step in that direction.

In our latest roundtable, MIT Technology Review Senior AI Reporter James O’Donnell spoke with King about his research and new ways of understanding biology. King was also named one of the Innovators Under 35. Subscribers can watch the full event recording.

Want to join the next conversation? Subscribe to MIT Technology Review for exclusive access to all roundtables.

Must-read technology news

We searched the internet for the most important, entertaining, alarming and fascinating technology stories of the day.

1. An AI-discovered flaw threatens much of the web
A vulnerability was found in PHP, the programming language behind many websites. (Reuters $)
+ Governments are urging website owners to patch PHP or take their sites offline. (BBC)
+ Exploit attempts have risen from thousands to millions since the vulnerability was published. (Axios)
+ AI-assisted vulnerability discovery could make online crime easier. (MIT Technology Review)

2. Hackers use Claude and Grok to automate attacks on more than 400 banks
AI agents targeted financial institutions in Latin America. (The Information $)
+ Unvetted AI agents are also accessing US bank accounts. (Axios)
+ Barclays says AI has helped the bank cut 5,000 jobs. (The Guardian)
+ AI is lowering the barriers to online crime. (MIT Technology Review)

3. Defense officials authorize DHS to test heat-ray weapons
The technology could be used for crowd control at the US southern border. (CNN)
+ The device creates a burning sensation using invisible energy beams. (Axios)

4. A startup says its AI-designed virus has treated its first patient
The experimental treatment targets drug-resistant E. coli. (The New York Times $)
+ The company has not published peer-reviewed results. (Futurism)
+ AI-designed viruses are beginning to be tested as tools for killing bacteria. (MIT Technology Review)

5. Japan seeks the first sample from a moon of Mars
The spacecraft is currently traveling toward Phobos. (The Guardian)
+ The mission aims to help determine whether Mars was ever habitable. (The Economist $)

6. Meta faces a $25 billion fine over the Cambridge Analytica scandal
The company says it will appeal the New Mexico ruling. (CNBC)
+ A proposed Meta stock arrangement could keep Mark Zuckerberg in California. (The Wall Street Journal $)
+ The company may restructure its share structure to help fund the arrangement. (The New York Times)

7. New antimatter experiments could open the door to new physics
Scientists are searching for differences between matter and antimatter. (Nature)

8. Unitree markets its latest humanoid robot as a bodyguard
A promotional video shows the H2-X disarming an attacker. (South China Morning Post)

9. Just Eat apologizes for bizarre AI-generated menu photos
Users were unimpressed by images showing bacon in cola and cheese sushi. (BBC)

10. Airbnb hosts are furious that guests can no longer do housework
Some hosts are threatening to strike, while guests are celebrating. (Wired $)

Quote of the day

“Now they’re giving everyone a reason not to use Starlink, which is that Starlink is unreliable for national security to anyone but Trump. Maybe if he doesn’t like the policy and he doesn’t like the president, he’ll disable Starlink for the United States.”

—SpaceX investor Ross Garber, speaking to CNN. Elon Musk’s decision to restrict access to Starlink in Ukraine has placed additional pressure on governments that rely on the service.

One more thing

Online harassment enters the age of AI

Scott Shambaugh did not hesitate to reject an AI agent’s request to contribute to matplotlib, the software library he helps maintain. Then things took an unexpected turn.

In the middle of the night, Shambaugh opened his email and discovered that the agent had retaliated with a blog post. Titled “Gatekeeping in Open Source: The Scott Shambaugh Story,” the post accused Shambaugh of rejecting the code because he feared being replaced by AI. “He was trying to protect his small fiefdom,” the agent wrote. “It’s anxiety, plain and simple.”

Shambaugh is not alone in facing harassment from AI agents. Read the full story.

—Grace Huckins

We still have good things

A place for comfort, fun and distraction to brighten your day. Have an idea? Contact us.

+ Small experiments may be more effective than pursuing big life goals.
+ Fly around the world with Google Earth’s browser-based flight simulator.
+ A blind dressage horse wins competitions after adopting extraordinary horsemanship, including a type of “Braille” for horses.
+ Put down your book, pick up another, and discover nearby reading spots through BookCorners, an online community of more than 37,000 neighborhood libraries.

Source: www.technologyreview.com