Monday, February 2, 2026
HomeArtificial IntelligenceThat is right now's version of The Obtain, our weekday e-newsletter by...

That is right now’s version of The Obtain, our weekday e-newsletter by MIT Know-how Overview that gives a each day dose of what is going on on on the earth of expertise.

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—James Ball

What do psychedelic medicine do to our brains? AI might assist us discover out

The large image: Psychedelic medicine have lengthy been touted as attainable therapies for mental-health problems like melancholy and PTSD. However little or no is absolutely identified about what these substances really do to our brains. Understanding how they work might assist unlock their potential.

A brand new methodology: Some scientists are utilizing AI to determine it out. A workforce at McGill College in Montreal used pure language processing to review written “journey experiences” of customers’ experiences with a spread of medicine. The workforce then built-in this information with information of which neurotransmitter receptors within the mind every drug is understood to work together with. Collectively, these steps let the workforce establish which receptors are linked to particular drug experiences.  

What subsequent: The work might make clear how hallucinogens set off particular psychological states, whether or not that be euphoria, anxiousness, or a way of being at one with the world. It might additionally assist design new medicine for psychological well being problems—one thing some corporations are already attempting to do. Learn the total story.

—Jessica Hamzelou

The must-reads

I’ve combed the web to seek out you right now’s most enjoyable/necessary/scary/fascinating tales about expertise.

1 Russia has stepped up its marketing campaign of bombing civilians in Ukraine
It simply bombed a theater in Mariupol that a whole lot of individuals had been sheltering in. (AP)
  + US intelligence estimates Russia has misplaced greater than 7,000 troops already. (NYT $)
  + Zelensky urged extra US corporations to give up Russia. (Quartz)
  + Biden pledged an additional $800 million for Ukraine’s warfare effort, together with drones and anti-aircraft programs. (Reuters $)
  + The tractor has develop into an emblem of Ukrainian resistance. (Vice)
  + Ukrainian influencers are documenting what’s occurring. (The Verge)
  + What’s the danger of nuclear warfare? It’s not zero. (NYT $) 

2 Fb and YouTube eliminated a deepfake of the Ukrainian President 
It purported to point out him surrendering to Russia—however it was rapidly debunked. (CNN)
  + Not earlier than inflicting a good bit of chaos yesterday, although. (Vice)
  + The largest risk of deepfakes is not the deepfakes themselves. (TR)  

3 There’s a hyperlink between covid-19 deaths and web entry
It’s not clear precisely why, although. (Vox)
  + Covid circumstances are on the rise once more around the globe. (Ars Technica)
  + Citizen science is making a comeback. (Wired $) 

4 NASA launched its first picture from the James Webb Telescope 🔭
And it’s a stunner. (Ars Technica)
 + NASA’s early warning system to detect asteroids received its first check. (CNN

5 Components of Kenya are slowly sliding underwater 
And a whole lot of 1000’s of individuals are being displaced in consequence. (The Guardian)
  + How rising groundwater attributable to local weather change might devastate coastal communities. (TR)
  + The promise of photo voltaic canal panels. (The Subsequent Net

6 How Chinese language professors received caught up in a spying panic within the US
And, in some circumstances, noticed their livelihoods torn to shreds in consequence. (New Yorker $)
  + The US authorities is ending the China Initiative. Now what? (TR

7 Inside a ransomware gang’s group chats
The Conti gang extorted $180 million from corporations final yr. Now it needs to diversify into crypto initiatives. (Wired $)

8 Netflix thinks it might probably guilt you into paying for these passwords you share
Simply after it considerably hiked costs. Good luck with that. (Gizmodo)

9 How is Instagram going to keep away from internet hosting stolen NFTs?
It seems like a minor consideration however it’s actually not, given the world of NFTs is awash with them. (The Subsequent Net)
  + Spotify is planning to affix within the crypto craze. (FT $) 

10 Elon Musk is beefing with Chechnya’s brutal dictator on Twitter
Warning: extraordinarily excessive ranges of poisonous masculinity detected. (Vice)

“I believe he’s a warfare felony.”

—President Joe Biden delivers his sharpest rebuke but of Russian chief Vladimir Putin.

We are able to nonetheless have good issues

A spot for consolation, enjoyable and distraction in these bizarre occasions. (Acquired any concepts? Drop me a line or tweet ’em at me.)

  + Glad St Patrick’s Day to those that have a good time it! And earlier than you resolve whether or not to have a good time it, you would possibly need to take this quiz
  + These social media accounts are sure to cheer you up. 
  + A surprisingly touching interview with the residing legend that’s Denzel Washington.
  + GUTTED to study the world’s largest ‘potato’ is, the truth is, not a potato
  + The place you’ll discover a few of the greatest sunsets and sunrises on the earth. 
  + My internal baby was thrilled by this completely pointless, but completely hilarious, weapon.
  + A kind of bat not seen in 40 years has been present in Rwanda.

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