It’s funny, sometimes the future feels like it’s arriving in tiny, almost unnoticeable increments. A slightly smarter app, a faster phone. But then you hear about projects so ambitious, so mind-bogglingly complex, that they remind you we’re still capable of taking giant, world-changing leaps.
Today, I want to talk about two of those. On one hand, we have a team trying to build a computer that could solve problems we currently think are impossible. On the other, we have engineers literally carving a highway through the bottom of the ocean. It’s a great reminder that humans are still pretty good at making sci-fi a reality.
Let's start with the computer.
A Quantum Computer That Runs on… Light?
Imagine a room that looks like a data center had a baby with a Willy Wonka-style ice cream factory. It’s filled with about 100 shiny, stainless-steel cabinets. Inside each one are hundreds of chips, but these aren't your standard computer chips.
On these chips, thousands of tiny particles of light—photons—are zipping through a maze of optical switches and beam splitters. Every single photon has to be tracked perfectly. Why? Because measuring exactly where each one ends up is the key to answering questions that would take our best supercomputers millions of years to even think about.
Of course, this machine doesn't quite exist yet. It’s the grand vision of a company called PsiQuantum.
Founded back in 2016 by a group of brilliant physicists from the UK, they’re taking a unique approach in a very crowded field. While giants like Google and IBM are building their quantum computers in one way, PsiQuantum is betting everything on light. Their goal is to be the first to build a truly useful quantum machine, one that can tackle real-world problems. It's a massive gamble, but if they pull it off, it could genuinely change everything.
From Quantum Mazes to Undersea Highways
Now, let's go from the theoretical to the brutally physical. I want you to picture being 1,000 feet beneath the North Sea. It’s dark, it’s damp, and you can practically feel the weight of millions of tons of seawater right above your head.
That’s exactly where one of our colleagues found himself, exploring what will soon be the world's longest and deepest subsea road tunnel. Seriously. This is an engineering project happening right now under the fjords of Norway.
When it’s done, it will be a 16.6-mile highway that, at its deepest point, sits 1,280 feet below sea level. It’s one of those things that feels like it shouldn’t be possible. At a time when it can feel like big, ambitious projects are getting harder and harder to pull off, this is a powerful reminder that we can still build incredible things.
(By the way, if you want to hear this story, it’s part of the MIT Technology Review Narrated podcast. You can find it on Spotify or Apple Podcasts—it’s a great listen.)
So, What Else Is Happening in the Tech World?
Okay, beyond these massive projects, it’s been a wild week for tech news. Here’s a quick rundown of the stories that really caught my eye.
- Meta's Layoff Controversy: This one is pretty troubling. A lawsuit is alleging that Meta used AI to target workers with health issues for layoffs. The suit claims the AI flagged employees who took maternity or disability leave. It’s a scary look at how algorithmic decision-making can go very, very wrong.
- OpenAI's First Gadget: It looks like OpenAI is jumping into the hardware game. They're apparently working on a mobile smart speaker that would serve as a screenless "AI companion." The idea is you could just talk to ChatGPT anywhere, and it would use a camera to understand what's around you. It’s planned for next year, and I’m both intrigued and a little creeped out.
- The US Military Deploys Drone Boats: For the first time, the US military has sent explosive drone boats into combat, reportedly attacking an Iranian submarine and naval port. It's a major step in the evolution of naval warfare and shows just how central drones are becoming to modern conflict.
- DeepMind’s CEO Wants an AI Watchdog: Demis Hassabis, the head of Google's DeepMind, is calling for a US-led international body to test powerful "frontier" AI models. His idea is that this group would vet them for national security threats and could even coordinate an industry-wide slowdown if things get too dangerous. It’s a big deal to hear this coming from one of the industry's top leaders.
- The Soaring Cost of Powering AI: We all know AI takes a ton of energy, but the numbers are starting to get staggering. Data centers are expected to add billions in power costs across 13 states alone. This isn't sustainable, and it’s forcing a real conversation about Big Tech’s massive energy footprint. Speaking of which…
- Elon Musk's xAI Under Fire: Reuters is reporting that Elon Musk's xAI has been installing gas turbines in Memphis without the proper permits, and the pollution is hitting Black communities the hardest. It’s another example of the "move fast and break things" ethos clashing with real-world consequences.
- A Bid for PayPal?: It seems PayPal might be in play. The payments giant Stripe and private equity firm Advent have reportedly made a joint bid of over $53 billion to buy the company. PayPal has been losing ground to Apple and Google Pay, so a shake-up like this isn't totally surprising.
- More AI IPOs on the Horizon: A major Chinese AI company, DeepSeek, is apparently planning to file for an IPO this year. They just released a really impressive model, so it’s another sign of just how hot the AI market is globally.
- Metal Jaws on Sea Worms: Okay, for something completely different—scientists have discovered a super hard, lightweight "bio-metal" in the jaws of sea worms. It sounds bizarre, but it could have some really cool applications in engineering. Nature is wild.
- The Electric Fitness Suit: And finally, there's a new $3,000 fitness suit that, get this, electrocutes you while you work out to supposedly boost your gains. Some celebrities apparently love it. I think I'll stick to my regular gym routine, thanks.
All this talk about AI’s power and its problems brings to mind a pretty stark quote I saw this week.
"By economic and engineering measures, generative AI might be the worst technology ever deployed."
That’s from Alex Reisner at The Atlantic, who wrote a fascinating piece on why GenAI's scaling problem is becoming an engineering nightmare. It’s a sobering perspective in a world full of AI hype.
One Last Thing: Don't Mess With This Security Researcher
Before we wrap up, I have to share this incredible story. It’s about a cybersecurity researcher named Allison Nixon.
Nixon is the chief research officer at a firm called Unit 221B (a nod to Sherlock Holmes), and she’s built a career out of tracking down cybercriminals and helping put them behind bars. As you can imagine, she’s made some enemies.
Recently, an anonymous hacker started posting death threats against her online. Others joined in, sharing AI-generated nude photos of her. They thought they could scare her into silence. Big mistake.
Instead of backing down, Nixon decided to use her formidable skills to do what she does best: investigate. She resolved to unmask the people threatening her and hold them accountable for their crimes. They quickly learned they picked the wrong person to mess with. It’s a wild story of a digital detective turning the tables, and it’s well worth a read.
And Now, for Something Nice
Okay, that was a lot. Before you go, let's end on a lighter note. It’s important to remember we can still have nice things.
- A musician discovered that the true masters of heavy metal breakdowns are... birds. Yes, really.
- There's a photographer named Fontanesi who creates these surreal, spectacular hybrid images out of everyday scenes. They’re stunning.
- Ever wonder how Steven Spielberg broke into Hollywood? Over 30 actors and friends tell the story in this fantastic article.
- And finally, there’s a new game that lets you decide the World Cup winner based on things like life expectancy and happiness instead of soccer. It’s a fun way to test your global knowledge.
That’s all for now. It’s a crazy world out there, but it’s never boring. Talk soon.
