The Download: how to make better cooling systems, and farming on Mars

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.

How 3D printing could make better cooling systems

A new 3D-printed design could make an integral part of cooling systems like air conditioners or refrigerators smaller and more efficient, according to new research.

Heat exchangers are devices that whisk away heat, and they’re everywhere—used in data centers, ships, factories, and buildings. The aim is to pass as much heat as possible from one side of the device to the other. Most use one of a few standard designs that have historically been easiest and cheapest to make.

Energy demand for cooling buildings alone is set to double between now and 2050, and new designs could help efficiently meet the massive demand forecast for the coming decades. Read the full story.

—Casey Crownhart

MIT Technology Review Narrated: The quest to figure out farming on Mars

If we’re going to live on Mars we’ll need a way to grow food in its arid dirt. Researchers think they know a way.

This is our latest story to be turned into a MIT Technology Review Narrated podcast, which 
we’re publishing each week on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Just navigate to MIT Technology Review Narrated on either platform, and follow us to get all our new content as it’s released.

The must-reads

I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology.

1 Thousands of US health agency workers have been laid off
Experts warn that patients will die preventable deaths as a result. (Wired $)
+ How will the US respond to the measles and bird flu outbreaks? (Reuters)  
+ US cuts could lead to serious delays in forecasting extreme weather. (Undark)
+ The wide-ranging cuts are also likely to lose America money. (The Atlantic $)

2 Donald Trump is set to discuss a proposal to save TikTok  
He’s due to meet with aides today to thrash out a new ownership structure. (NYT $)
+ Oracle and Blackstone are among the companies in talks to make an offer. (WSJ $)
+ The White House is playing the role of investment bank. (The Guardian)

3 X has asked the Supreme Court to exempt its users from law enforcement
It claims to be worried by broad, suspicionless requests. (FT $)

4 Things aren’t looking good for Mexico-based Chinese companies 
Trump’s tariff plans could imperil an awful lot of deals. (WSJ $)
+ The US Chips Act is another probable casualty. (Bloomberg $)

5 US lawmakers want to regulate AI companions
A proposed bill would allow users to sue if they suffer harm from their interactions with a companion bot. (WP $)
+ We need to prepare for ‘addictive intelligence.’ (MIT Technology Review)

6 Covid hasn’t gone away
And life for the covid-conscious is getting increasingly difficult. (The Atlantic $)

7 Brands are trying to game Reddit to show up in ChatGPT recommendations
Catering to AI search is a whole business model now. (The Information $)
+ Your most important customer may be AI. (MIT Technology Review)

8 Nothing could destroy the universe
Humans have long been obsessed with nothingness. (New Scientist $)

9 Would you flirt with a chatbot?
Tinder wants you to give it a go. (Bloomberg $)
+ The AI relationship revolution is already here. (MIT Technology Review)

10 Trading in your Tesla is TikTok’s favorite trend
Clips of Tesla owners ditching their cars are going viral. (Fast Company $)
+ This guy returned his Cybertruck out of fear his daughter would get bullied. (Insider $)
+ Sales of new Teslas are slumping too. (NYT $)

Quote of the day

“I’d get on in a heartbeat.”

—Butch Wilmore, one of the pair of astronauts who was stuck in space for nine months, explains how he’d be willing to fly on the beleaguered Starliner again, the Washington Post reports.

The big story

Bringing the lofty ideas of pure math down to earth

April 2023

—Pradeep Niroula

Mathematics has long been presented as a sanctuary from confusion and doubt, a place to go in search of answers. Perhaps part of the mystique comes from the fact that biographies of mathematicians often paint them as otherworldly savants.

As a graduate student in physics, I have seen the work that goes into conducting delicate experiments, but the daily grind of mathematical discovery is a ritual altogether foreign to me. And this feeling is only reinforced by popular books on math, which often take the tone of a pastor dispensing sermons to the faithful.

Luckily, there are ways to bring it back down to earth. Popular math books seek a fresher take on these old ideas, be it through baking recipes or hot-button political issues. My verdict: Why not? It’s worth a shot. Read the full story.

We can still have nice things

A place for comfort, fun and distraction to brighten up your day. (Got any ideas? Drop me a line or skeet ’em at me.)

+ Why are cats the way they are? This database might help us find out.
+ John McFall could become the first disabled person in space.
+ ASMR at the V&A is just delightful.
+ Addicted to lip balm? You’re not the only one.