The Obtain: longevity for the uber-rich, and wrongful prosecutions of Chinese language scientists

That is at this time’s version of The Obtain, our weekday publication that gives a day by day dose of what’s happening on this planet of expertise.

Contained in the billion-dollar assembly for the mega-rich who wish to stay perpetually

Again in September, Jessica Hamzelou, our senior biotech reporter, traveled to Gstaad, a swanky ski-resort city within the Swiss Alps, to attend the primary in-person Longevity Buyers Convention.

Over the two-day occasion, scientists and biotech founders made the case for numerous approaches to prolonging the variety of years we’d spend in good well being. The vast majority of them have been attempting to win over deep-pocketed traders.

As the sphere of longevity makes an attempt to outline itself as scientifically sound, loads of “anti-aging remedies” based mostly on little-to-no human proof proceed to enter the market. However can billions of investor cash—a few of it from ethically doubtful sources—ever provide a concrete path to evidence-based life extension? Learn the complete story.

Learn extra in regards to the quest to increase our wholesome years:

+ How scientists wish to make you younger once more. Analysis labs are pursuing expertise to “reprogram” ageing our bodies again to youth. Learn the complete story.

+ Growing older clocks intention to foretell how lengthy you’ll stay. These clocks promise to measure organic age and assist determine anti-aging medication, however there are lingering questions over their accuracy. Learn the complete story.

An enormous settlement for one Chinese language-American scientist gained’t finish wrongful prosecutions

Final week, our senior investigative reporter Eileen Guo wrote a few historic settlement gained by Chinese language-American scientist Sherry Chen, who was wrongly accused of being a Chinese language spy.

Her case illustrates simply how exhausting it’s to go up in opposition to a robust federal company and maintain it accountable. It’s additionally an anomaly—it’s often extremely tough to show racial bias in courtroom, however a broad sample of misconduct by her accusers was confirmed definitively.

Nonetheless, Chen’s win doesn’t essentially imply others in her scenario may have a neater time getting justice. Learn the complete story.

—Zeyi Yang

Zeyi’s story is from China Report, his weekly publication masking all the things it’s essential learn about China. Join to obtain it in your inbox each Tuesday.

Podcast: Farming a battle zone

Tune into the newest episode of our In Machines We Belief podcast, the place we have a look at how shortages of all the things from seeds to fertilizer would possibly speed up the adoption of applied sciences that may assist provides go additional in war-torn Ukraine. Take heed to it on Apple Podcasts, or wherever else you often pay attention.

The must-reads

I’ve combed the web to search out you at this time’s most enjoyable/necessary/scary/fascinating tales about expertise.

1 Donald Trump goes to run for the presidency once more 
He’s ignoring the critics, significantly these inside his personal social gathering. (Vox)
+ Republicans aren’t thrilled by their midterms efficiency. (The Atlantic $)
+ His resolution to run hasn’t precisely come as a shock. (New Yorker $)
+ Trump and Elon Musk are actually social media rivals, technically. (Insider $)

2 FTX boss Sam Bankman-Fried is hustling for cash (once more)
He’s desperately attempting to repair the $8 billion gap within the crypto change’s funds. (WSJ $)
+ The Bahamas arm of FTX has filed for chapter, too. (Bloomberg $)

3 Twitter is enjoying with hearth within the EU
The more and more risky platform might fall foul of its new guidelines policing Large Tech. (FT $)
+ Twitter’s Blue Verified service is relaunching on 29 November. (Reuters)
+ Social media giants might be pressured to reveal particulars about their algorithms within the UK. (FT $)
+ Musk has a snarky new nickname: Elmo. (Insider $)
+ What precisely is Musk pondering proper now? (Vox)

4 NASA’s Artemis 1 mission has lastly taken off
After months of setbacks, it took flight within the early hours. (CNN)
+ The mission hopes to make clear what house does to our our bodies. (Vox)
+ Watch the second NASA’s DART spacecraft crashed into an asteroid. (MIT Know-how Overview)

5 Taylor Swift has uncovered simply how terrible Ticketmaster’s system is
Shopping for live performance tickets is more and more like battling a rigged lottery. (WP $)

6 The world’s inhabitants has reached 8 billion individuals
However that’s neither a purpose to panic—nor calm down. (Economist $)
+ New international map exhibits populations are rising quicker in flood-prone areas. (MIT Know-how Overview)

7 Tens of millions of Indians are counting on companies managed by one man
Mukesh Ambani’s conglomerate has made him uber-powerful. (Remainder of World)

8 Boston Dynamics is suing a rival over its robotic canine
It claims Ghost Robotics’ four-legged design was a bit too much like its personal. (The Register)
+ This robotic canine simply taught itself to stroll. (MIT Know-how Overview)

9 TikTok has emboldened manufacturers to clap again at prospects
Sadly, it means they’re extra irritating than ever. (Wired $)
+ The platform can be repackaging MTV Cribs for a brand new technology. (The Guardian)

10 Your subsequent Tinder match might be AI-generated
For simply $19, you too might be “the most effective you’ve ever seemed.” (Motherboard)
+ Nobody is aware of what’s subsequent for AI copyright. (The Verge)

Quote of the day

“The upper-ups, they principally performed chess and board video games. There was no partying. They have been undersexed, if something.”

—Dr George Lerner, crypto change FTX’s in-house efficiency coach, tells the New York Occasions that stories of hedonistic conduct on the agency are wildly overblown.

The large story

The supply apps reshaping life in India’s megacities

From 7am till properly previous nightfall, seven days per week, N. Sudhakar sits behind the counter of his hole-in-the wall grocery retailer within the south Indian metropolis of Bangalore. Packed ground to ceiling with all the things from 20-kilogram sacks of rice to one-rupee ($.01) shampoo sachets, this one-stop store provides a lot of the day by day wants for a lot of within the neighborhood. It’s a carbon copy of the roughly 12 million family-run “kiranas” discovered on nearly each avenue nook in India.

More and more, the expertise business is presenting shops like his with a brand new problem. Throughout the highway, a gentle stream of supply drivers line as much as seize groceries from a “darkish retailer”—a mini-warehouse constructed to allow ultra-fast deliveries run by Dunzo, a Bangalore-based startup.

In India’s megacities, the city center class is regularly getting hooked on on-line purchasing. These buyers make up a fraction of the inhabitants, however their spending energy is appreciable, and in additional prosperous pockets of massive cities, the battle for India’s avenue nook is properly underway. Learn the complete story.

—Edd Gent

We are able to nonetheless have good issues

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

+ In the event you loved the ebook Fleishman is in Hassle, a TV adaptation begins streaming on Hulu tomorrow.
+ John Wick is again, and he’s angrier than ever.
+ In case your Birkenstocks are wanting a bit grubby, don’t fear—somebody simply paid $218,000 for Steve Jobs’ outdated pair (thanks Allison!)
+ I had no concept Skyfall was very almost referred to as one thing else solely.
+ Paper peepshows have been the nineteenth century’s reply to digital actuality—and simply as cool.