The popularity of commercial nuclear reactors has grown in recent years as concerns about climate change and energy independence have outweighed concerns about meltdowns and radioactive waste.
The problem is that nuclear power plants are expensive and slow to build.
A new generation of nuclear power technology could reinvent what a reactor looks like and how it works. Advocates hope the new technology could refresh the industry and help replace fossil fuels without emitting greenhouse gases.
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I’ve scoured the internet to find you today’s funniest/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology.
1 Social media giants have agreed to give ratings on teen safety
Meta, TikTok and Snap will undergo an independent assessment on how effectively they protect the mental health of teen users. (WP $)
+ Discord, YouTube, Pinterest, Roblox, and Twitch have also agreed to grading. (LA Times $)
2 FDA refuses to review Moderna’s mRNA flu vaccine
It is the latest in a long series of anti-vaccination steps being taken by the agency. (Ars Technica)
+ Experts worry that this will have a negative impact on investment in future vaccines. (Guardian)
+ Moderna says it was surprised by this decision. (cnn)
3 EV battery factories move towards manufacturing energy cells
Energy storage systems are in, electric vehicles are out. (foot $)
4 Why OpenAI scrapped ChatGPT’s 4o model
The qualities that make it attractive to some users also make it incredibly risky for others. (WSJ $)
+ Bereaved users have set up their own Reddit community to express condolences. (futurism)
+ Why were people saddened by the sudden shutdown of GPT-4o? (MIT Technology Review)
5 Drug Cartels Have Started Money Laundering Through Crypto
And law enforcement is struggling to stop them. (bloomberg $)
6 Morocco wants to create AI for Africa
The country’s Digital Transition Minister has a plan. (rest of the world)
+ What Africa needs to do to become a major AI player. (MIT Technology Review)
