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What Is DeepSeek, the Chinese AI Company Upending the Stock Market? (Maria)
The author writes, “A frenzy over an artificial intelligence chatbot made by Chinese tech startup DeepSeek was upending stock markets Monday and fueling debates over the economic and geopolitical competition between the U.S. and China in developing AI technology. DeepSeek’s AI assistant became the No. 1 downloaded free app on Apple’s iPhone store Monday, propelled by curiosity about the ChatGPT competitor. Part of what’s worrying some U.S. tech industry observers is the idea that the Chinese startup has caught up with the American companies at the forefront of generative AI at a fraction of the cost.”
A Specific Worry Grows Over Trump’s Crypto Coin (Reader Jim)
The author writes, “Just before he became president again, Donald Trump launched a cryptocurrency coin called $TRUMP, one that has made him billions on paper. The launch of what’s known as a memecoin has critics pointing to potential ethical issues, and one in particular appears to be gaining traction — the role of foreign buyers in the loosely regulated industry.”
What the Hell Is Going on at NIH? (Dana)
From Mother Jones: “Scientists sound the alarm about Trump’s unprecedented ‘Big Brother’ research crackdown.”
3 Pregnant WA Women Sue Trump for Birthright Citizenship Order (Reader Steve)
The author writes, “A lawsuit filed in federal court Friday against President Donald Trump alleges his executive order intending to ban birthright citizenship violates the rights of three noncitizen pregnant women in the Seattle area. The class action lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, argues some children could be left ‘stateless’ under the executive order, unrecognized as citizens in the U.S. or their parents’ countries of origin. Even if it was legally possible, some countries, including Venezuela, offer no consular services to verify citizenship in the U.S.”
Donald Trump’s No. 2 Pick for the EPA Represented Companies Accused of Pollution Harm (Laura)
From ProPublica: “The man tapped by President Donald Trump to be second-in-command of the federal agency that protects the public from environmental dangers is a lawyer who has represented companies accused of harming people and the environment through pollution. David Fotouhi, a partner in the global law firm Gibson Dunn, played a key part in rolling back climate regulations and water protections while serving as a lawyer in the Environmental Protection Agency during Trump’s first administration.”
China’s ‘Artificial Sun’ Just Smashed the Record for Stable Fusion Reaction (Sean)
From Futurism: “Scientists claim that China’s ‘Artificial Sun’ nuclear reactor has more than doubled its own previous world record, confining extremely high-energy plasma for a whopping 1,066 seconds this week (that’s in comparison to its previous record of 403 seconds, set in 2023.) … The goal is to essentially recreate the processes that power stars like the Sun inside nuclear fusion reactors here on Earth as a way to produce a renewable source of green energy — without running the risk of a nuclear meltdown.”
