🦣 Mammoth DNA's Jurassic Moment, 💎 Google's $23B Cybersecurity Bet, and 🤖 The Humanoid Robot Race
Thomas's Innovation Wrap #86
Greetings,
Here’s your weekly wrap of technology, innovation, and finance news.
🔬 Biology
Ancient DNA preservation is having a Jurassic Park moment. Scientists have found woolly mammoth DNA exceptionally preserved in a freeze-dried state, allowing reconstruction of not just the genome, but also the 3D structure of its chromosomes. This “chromoglass” state could potentially survive for up to 530 million years, offering a window into the Cambrian era.
In genome editing, University of Sydney researchers have developed a new gene-editing tool, SeekRNA, which is promising greater accuracy and flexibility than CRISPR (see the paper).
“We are very much in the early days of what gene editing can do. We hope that by developing this new approach to gene editing, we can contribute to advances in health, agriculture and biotechnology,” said joint author Professor Ruth Hall from the University of Sydney.
Researchers have sequenced the oldest high-quality human genome yet - a 200,000-year-old Denisovan, while analysis of ancient dingo DNA reveals their arrival in Australia in two waves between 3,000 and 8,000 years ago.
Scientists have created mice with fully functional human immune systems and gut microbiomes. These “TruHuX” mice could accelerate drug development by providing a more accurate model for human immune responses.
"THX mice provide a platform for human immune system studies, development of human vaccines and testing of therapeutics," said Paolo Casali, MD, who led this groundbreaking study.
🤖 Robotics
CNBC highlights why tech giants are betting big on AI-powered humanoid robots in this 17-minute video (see the video), with Elon Musk predicting Tesla's Optimus could propel the company to a $25 trillion market cap.
Skild AI has raised $300 million to develop a "general purpose brain" for robots, aiming for plug-and-play intelligence across various platforms.
Specialised robots are making strides in various industries. Jacobi Robotics is using AI to automate warehouse palletising, while robot-packed meals are coming to frozen-food aisles. In robot design, Northwestern University engineers have developed a $3 actuator mimicking human muscles, potentially democratising soft robotics technology.
China showcased 45 intelligent robots at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference, including Healthy Loong, an open-source humanoid robot. Elsewhere, AI-powered drones are revolutionising search and rescue operations, highlighting the growing synergy between robotics and AI in solving real-world problems.
🍔 Alternative Foods
US startup Savor is creating "butter" from carbon dioxide, using a process more akin to fossil fuel processing than dairy farming. This approach to synthetic fat production could provide calories while freeing up land for more sustainable uses, but convincing people to spread petrochemicals on their sandwiches might be a tough sell, even if it tastes like the real deal.
"If we had an emergency, this could feed the whole planet for a really long time," she says.
In the lab-grown meat world, researchers at Yonsei University in Seoul have developed "switchable flavour compounds" (SFCs) that activate when heated, simulating the Maillard reaction that gives cooked meat its distinctive flavour.
"We actually smelled the meaty flavour upon heating the SFCs," says Hong, though he wouldn't confirm whether the team had actually eaten the meat.
💎 Artificial Intelligence
Google researchers have created self-replicating digital life from random data, potentially shedding light on biological life's origins.
Laurie says what makes this work unique is that the system had no formal rules, goals or processes to encourage or kick-start artificial life – it simply arrived. “It all fizzes around and then suddenly: boom, they’re all the same,” he says.
Researchers are working to decipher large language models' inner workings, while a study reveals that even superhuman AI systems can be vulnerable to exploits (see the paper).
"The paper leaves a significant question mark on how to achieve the ambitious goal of building robust real-world AI agents that people can trust," says Huan Zhang, a computer scientist at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
In business, Pinterest unveiled Canvas, an AI model for image enhancement, DocuSign and Elastic are transforming contract management and enterprise search, and Writer upgraded its enterprise AI platform. The New York Times examined Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella's AI strategy, while KoBold Metals used AI to discover a massive copper deposit in Zambia.
A rich lode of copper, deep in the bedrock, appeared before them, its contours revealed by a complex A.I.-driven technology they’d been painstakingly building for years.
In a lengthy piece, MIT Technology Review explores the complexities of defining AI, highlighting diverse perspectives and ongoing debates within the field.
💊 Health
The weight loss drug wars are heating up, with Mounjaro (tirzepatide) outperforming Ozempic (semaglutide) in a recent study. Patients on Mounjaro were 3.24 times more likely to lose 15% of their body weight. However, both drugs share a common side effect: nausea. Scientists have now identified the brain circuit responsible, potentially leading to future weight loss drugs that won't turn your stomach.
"The implication is that if we can now selectively target the satiety circuits without targeting the aversion circuits, we could potentially develop better drugs with fewer side effects," says Amber Alhadeff, a neuroscientist at the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and a co-author of the study, published today in Nature.
French startup Bioptimus has released H-optimus-0, an open-source AI model for disease research and diagnosis.
The model, called H-optimus-0, is capable of performing complex tasks including identifying cancerous cells and detecting genetic abnormalities in tumors, the Paris-based company said in a statement. Bioptimus described the system as the largest model for pathology that is open source and widely accessible.
In early detection, Aarhus University researchers have developed hyperpolarized 13C-pyruvate MRI to detect early kidney fibrosis, while Cornell University scientists have created a bioelectric device that swiftly detects and classifies coronavirus variants, potentially adaptable to other viruses like influenza and measles.
🌞 Renewables
Italian company Energy Dome is proposing a CO2-filled dome for renewable energy storage. This inflatable solution can store power for 8 to 24 hours by compressing and liquefying CO2, then releasing it through a turbine. The concept has attracted funding from Bill Gates's Breakthrough Energy Catalyst.
"What we provide is a technology which is intended to be in the daily storage market. It means to switch energy from day to night, from today to tomorrow," he says.
China has launched the world's largest sodium-ion battery in Hubei province. This 50MW/100MWh system can meet the daily electricity needs of 12,000 households, diversifying energy storage options beyond lithium-ion batteries.
The Biden administration is awarding $1.7 billion to boost EV manufacturing across eight states. The funding aims to create union jobs and support auto-based communities, covering electric motorcycles to heavy-duty commercial truck batteries.
In the UK, plans are underway for Europe's first hydrogen-ready power plant at the Stanlow oil refinery. Scheduled for 2027 completion, it's part of an initiative to slash the refinery's emissions by 95% by 2030, potentially transforming this industrial dinosaur into a clean energy trailblazer.
💻 Chips and Computing
The AI chip race intensifies as AMD acquires European AI lab Silo for $665 million, while SoftBank snaps up UK AI chipmaker Graphcore. Amidst this flurry, TSMC joins the trillion-dollar club, riding the AI wave.
Qualcomm and Microsoft are banking on "AI PCs" to revive sales, featuring processors tailored for AI tasks. However, the industry faces challenges in developing software that fully utilises these new capabilities.
For now, available AI features are largely gimmicks, said a Best Buy Co. employee shortly after launch in June, who asked not to be identified for fear of professional repercussions.
In the mobile chip market, MediaTek is set to overtake Qualcomm Snapdragon in 5G smartphones, driven by its dominance in affordable devices.
Applied Materials is pushing chip wiring technology forward, enabling copper wiring in 2nm and more advanced process nodes. Meanwhile, the US government launched a $1.6 billion competition for chip packaging R&D to bolster domestic semiconductor innovation.
Australia ups its computing game with Virga, its most powerful supercomputer yet.
The system reportedly costs $14.5 million, so you can see what we mean by it being somewhat modest. For context, the current #1 ranked computer—the AMD-powered Frontier supercomputer—reportedly cost around $600 million.
⚙️ Mobility
Joby Aviation's hydrogen-electric eVTOL completed a 523-mile flight. Meanwhile, Southwest Airlines partnered with Archer Aviation to develop electric air taxis for California, aiming to transform urban travel.
Paris approved air taxis for Olympics, with German startup Volocopter operating from a floating "vertiport" on the River Seine. French President Macron has been invited as the first passenger, offering a glimpse into urban air mobility's future.
On the ground, Baidu's robotaxi service Apollo Go gained popularity in China, with shares surging and profitability expected by 2025. Last week, a Baidu autonomous car hit a person crossing against the light. The passenger was fine.
3D printing is reshaping automotive manufacturing, with the global automotive additive manufacturing market expected to grow from $2.05 billion in 2022 to $11.26 billion by 2030.
"As the auto industry is moving towards more of a lightweight focused hybrid or even electrified vehicle platforms additive manufacturing plays into that so well because it allows really efficient ways of creating efficient designs," explained Willig, in an interview.
💲 Finance
Bridgewater's co-CIO Greg Jensen sees AI boosting investors, potentially improving "so much of what human investors and analysts can do" over the next five years.
"Having machine learning generate the ideas, generate the algorithms — that's been kind of a dream for me," he said.
Alphabet/Google is in talks to buy 4-year-old cybersecurity startup Wiz for as much as US$23 billion. Wiz raised $1bn at a $12bn valuation in May.
An acquisition of Wiz, a cloud and cybersecurity company, could help Google catch up to Microsoft and Amazon in an increasingly competitive cloud market.
The United Nations Development Programme plans to raise $1 billion for African tech hubs, while Shein is investing 200 million euros in European and British sustainability startups.
Some wealthy individuals are exploring cryonic preservation with "revival trusts" to ensure their fortunes survive alongside their frozen bodies.
"The idea of cryopreservation has gone from crackpot to merely eccentric," said Mark House, an estate lawyer who works with Scottsdale, Ariz.-based Alcor Life Extension Foundation, one of the world's largest cryonics facility with 1,400 members and about 230 people already frozen. "Now that it's eccentric, it's kind of in vogue to be interested in it."
🛰️ Space
Europe has rejoined the space race with the successful launch of its Ariane 6 rocket. The July 9th debut restored Europe's ability to launch large satellites independently after a year-long gap. Officials hailed it as a historic moment, with the Ariane 6 designed to be more cost-effective than its predecessor to compete with SpaceX's Falcon 9.
"Ariane 6 will power Europe into space. Ariane 6 will make history," Josef Aschbacher, the director general of the European Space Agency (ESA), said via X today in the leadup to launch.
Meanwhile, SpaceX continues its rapid pace, launching another batch of Starlink satellites, including some with direct-to-cell capabilities. The company has also made its Starlink Mini dish available to all US customers, offering a more portable internet connectivity option.
In space tourism, companies are developing stratospheric balloon experiences to take passengers to the edge of space for a fraction of the cost of rocket-based alternatives. These pressurised capsules, suspended from massive balloons, aim to offer views of Earth's curvature from altitudes of around 30 kilometres.
⚡ Other Snippets
Volkswagen is accelerating its solid-state battery ambitions, striking a deal with QuantumScape where VW's battery unit PowerCo will receive a license to mass-produce cells based on QuantumScape's technology. QuantumScape stock was up 63% last week.
"QuantumScape's technology is poised to enter a pivotal stage where PowerCo's specialized expertise, resources and global factories can help facilitate the transition to industrial-scale production," said PowerCo CEO Frank Blome.
Digital twins are revolutionising Olympic swim training for Paris 2024.
After three years of work, Douglass’s improved technique shaved 0.44 second off her 200-meter-breaststroke time. A few months later, in 2023, she broke the American record in the event with a time of two minutes, 19.3 seconds, dipping under the previous record from 2012 by 0.29 second.
HBO released “Wild Wild Space,” a series that showcases the rivalry between two space entrepreneurs – Rocket Lab’s Peter Beck and Astra Space’s Chris Kemp. If anyone knows how to legally stream it in Australia, let me know…
We're trying to build NASA at one one-millionth the budget. And people take this shit really seriously, right? If you're declaring to the world that you have a product that works, it better bloody work.
Have a great week,
Thomas
About Thomas Rice
Thomas Rice co-founded Minotaur Capital, a technology-driven, AI-led global equities fund, and is based in Sydney, Australia. He can be found on the platform-formerly-known-as-Twitter at @thomasrice_au.