Today’s picks
1. In an AI blow-up, would insurance pay out?
This piece asks whether insurance would actually pay out if an AI boom turned into a blow-up, examining the limits of insurability and financial stability risks. It also notes that credit default swaps are regaining popularity as investors hedge against a debt disaster. It is worth reading for connecting AI risk, insurance and credit derivatives in one frame.
2. The Vera C. Rubin Observatory may have just discovered our solar system’s sixth dwarf planet
The Vera C. Rubin Observatory may have found the solar system’s sixth dwarf planet. The object lies farther from Earth than Pluto and was previously hidden in the glow of Milky Way stars. If confirmed, the find would add a new member to the dwarf planet roster and highlight the survey telescope’s discovery potential. The result merits attention pending independent verification.
3. OpenAI just scooped human researchers on a million-dollar quantum math problem
OpenAI has reported a result on a million-dollar quantum math problem ahead of human researchers, another striking demonstration of AI’s growing role in discovery. The report describes how such results are intensifying competition at the frontiers of mathematics and physics. It is worth reading for what it suggests about the pace of AI-assisted research and the questions it raises about credit and the role of human scientists.
4. After its Odyssey, IMAX hits the big time
This article uses IMAX’s rising popularity to examine a shift in how audiences view cinemas: they increasingly seek immersive, premium, and irreplaceable big-screen experiences rather than treating theaters as mere venues. It explains why premium formats are gaining ground and how exhibition is repositioning itself in the streaming era. Worth reading for a clear lens on changing viewing habits and the cinema business.
5. Would you pay to have the ‘best baby’? Liberal eugenics and the troubling quest for human perfection
The article begins with the author’s personal experience of spinal muscular atrophy and examines how eugenics, long taboo, is returning in a commercial guise as “liberal eugenics.” It asks whether people would pay for the “best baby” and explores the ethical risks of pursuing human perfection. It is worth reading for connecting lived experience with debates over biotechnology, market choice, and moral responsibility.
6. Treatments for age-related infertility are being developed at last
New treatments for age-related infertility are finally being developed. Startups are betting that a deeper understanding of the biology of infertility can improve IVF and expand options for older patients. The field has long seen limited progress, making these early efforts worth watching, though clinical validation will be essential.
By publication
The Economist
- In an AI blow-up, would insurance pay out?
- After its Odyssey, IMAX hits the big time
- Treatments for age-related infertility are being developed at last
Scientific American
- The Vera C. Rubin Observatory may have just discovered our solar system’s sixth dwarf planet
- OpenAI just scooped human researchers on a million-dollar quantum math problem