The American West is bracing for a hot, dry and dangerous summer

How space weather could wreck NASA's return to the moon

Sponsored by KPMG The Download Your daily dose of what's up in emerging technology Megadrought in America 05.19.21 Good morning! Today: the American West is in for a hot, dry, and dangerous summer, and how space weather could complicate the timing of NASA's return to the moon. Get your friends to sign up here to get The Download every day. The American West is bracing for a hot, dry and dangerous summer   What’s happening: Water levels are running dangerously low in rivers, reservoirs, and aquifers across much of the American West, raising serious dangers of shortages, fallowed agricultural fields, and extreme wildfires in the coming months. Nearly 85% of the West is suffering through drought conditions right now, according to US Drought Monitor, following years of dry, hot conditions aggravated by climate change. The response: Regions are already scrambling to address the rising dangers, with California’s Governor Gavin Newsom has proposed spending more than $5 billion to meet emergency water needs and shore up regional water infrastructure. Researchers, officials, and emergency responders are also bracing for another terrible fire season, which is off to an early start.  Longer-term: Extreme periods of drought and flooding are only going to become more common going forward. If regions don’t fundamentally rethink how they’re managing water, it will too often mean simply going from one type of disaster to another. Read the full story. —James Temple How space weather could wreck NASA’s return to the moon A pressing deadline: In theory, NASA is going to return humans to the moon in 2024. In practice, it looks increasingly unlikely to hit that deadline. Most experts expect Biden to reset it for later in the decade. The problem is, 2024 might actually be a safer option. A new study published in the journal Solar Physics suggests there’s a heightened risk of space weather events—storms of radiation and supercharged solar particles—in the latter half of the decade. What that means: This would pose increased danger to any crewed missions to the moon between 2026 and 2029. If NASA is serious about getting back to the moon and wants to keep astronauts as safe as possible, it may be prudent to accelerate efforts to ensure that it happens before 2026—or wait till the decade is over. The risk: Space weather could be extremely dangerous for any astronauts flying to the moon or trying to live and work on a lunar outpost at the surface. Life support systems and power could shut down, and solar activity could produce life-threatening levels of radiation. Read the full story.  —Neel V. Patel The city inside our heads In the latest print issue of MIT Technology Review, the back page is dedicated to resurfacing how the magazine has covered the topic of cities over the decades. We've got a story from 1941 about how World War Two presented an opportunity to remake cities from scratch, a story from 1968 about how America could turn increasing urbanization to its advantage, and a story from 1972 about how to make cities better for the people who live in them. Check them out, and then dive into the full magazine. And if you haven't already, subscribe so you get the next edition of MIT Technology Review, all about change, as it lands. We can still have nice things A place for comfort, fun and distraction in these weird times. (Got any ideas? Drop me a line or tweet 'em at me.)   + This website gives you the info you need to go out and spot a satellite tonight.    + Japanese artist Tatsuya Tanaka makes adorable miniature art.   + Someone's remade the video for Closer by Nine Inch Nails (coincidentally, one of my fave bands)… in Animal Crossing. Seriously, shot-for-shot. Here's the two side by side if you don't believe me.     + Check out Rosie Woods' incredible murals.   + Learning is not just for the young. It's for life.   + Cuban snails. They're all beautiful, and no two are the same. Thanks Patricia!   + If you love your partner, give them the gift of some alone time. (NYT $) Sponsor Message Thriving in an AI World KPMG research across 950 business decision-makers in seven industries reveals that artificial intelligence is becoming ubiquitous and executives widely believe in its ability to deliver value. Explore how AI is being used to solve major industry problems.   Read the report. The must-reads I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology. 1 Coronavirus cases are plummeting across the US 📉 You can thank the vaccines. (Axios)   + But there's growing evidence that they do not work equally well for everyone. (Gizmodo)   + And more evidence that mixing and matching vaccines can work. (Nature)   + Why mixing can boost immunity. (TR)    + Fauci says people are misinterpreting the new CDC guidance. (Axios)   + The CDC director is shaking up reporting lines at the agency amid mounting criticism. (Politico)  2 Israeli WhatsApp groups are fueling mob violence against Palestinians At least 100 have been created in the last week alone. (NYT $)   + India is pressurizing WhatsApp to withdraw its latest privacy policy update. (TechCrunch)   3 Crypto prices are going crazy Bitcoin plunged then rallied by about 30% each time in a single day. (Bloomberg $)   + That's partly due to a crackdown in China. (Ars Technica)   + Rick and Morty's maker is going to create the first blockchain animated series (whatever that means.) (Hollywood Reporter)  4 Ford has unveiled its first electric pick-up truck 🛻 And it's affordable. (The Atlantic $)   + Ford's CEO on reinventing an American icon. (The Verge)   + Tesla influencers have a lot to answer for when it comes to encouraging dangerous driving. (WSJ $)   5 Black women in tech make 90 cents for every dollar a white man makes Now, how do we close that gap? (Recode)   + Five women are suing Amazon, alleging race and gender discrimination. (WP $)  6 Inside the complex new world of trans tech A crop of new apps aim to provide help, but to critics, they're part of the problem. (The Verge)   7 The strange anxiety of influencers 🤳 There's something deeply nihilistic about the cultures at the TikTok collab houses. (Harpers)   + The CEO of TikTok's parent company is stepping down so he can spend more time daydreaming. (FT $)   8 China's Mars rover has returned its first images Yup, it's dusty and rocky. But it’s proof it stuck the landing. (CNET)   9 Tech for disabled people is flourishing. So where's the money for it? The disconnect between what Big Tech develops and funds, and what people really need, can be incredibly stark. (Rest of World)   10 The amazing story of the Scrooge McDuck bandit A too-ridiculous-to-be-true tale of a German folk hero—and serial bomber. (New Yorker $) A special offer just for you.  Get unlimited access to MIT Technoloogy Review, plus 2 months FREE, when you subscribe today. It's time to make MIT Technology Review your go-to resource for thought-provoking insights, analysis and news about the world of technology. Subscribe now. Quote of the day “Am I to trust these people, having never met them? How can I judge whether someone is vaccinated by making momentary eye contact with them?” —Tori Saylor, 27, who is immunocompromised, tells the New York Times why she finds the CDC's new guidelines on masks so troubling.   Top image credit: JUSTIN SULLIVAN | GETTY IMAGES Please send snails to hi@technologyreview.com. Follow me on Twitter at @charlottejee. Thanks for reading! —Charlotte Was this newsletter forwarded to you, and you'd like to see more? Sign up today Join the MIT Technology Review Global Panel Examine today's tech trends, see survey results, and contribute to our custom research Apply today   Follow us: MIT Technology Review One Main Street Cambridge, MA 02142

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