The Download: Anthropic launches Claude Science, and California’s carbon manure math
At an event for pharmaceutical executives, biotech founders, and researchers yesterday, Anthropic announced Claude Science, a major new product intended to support scientific research like Claude Code supports software engineering.
Like Claude Code, Claude Science can autonomously carry out meaningful work from concise, high-level instructions, with tools for computational biology and drug development. The launch signals that Anthropic is doubling down on AI for science, and the company will also use the product in its own research into drugs for rare, neglected diseases.
Discover why Anthropic is betting big on AI for scientific research.
Something stinks in California’s climate policies.
Years ago, the state set up a system that pays cattle farmers to turn the methane emitted from cattle manure into natural gas. It's become wildly popular because the subsidies are extremely lucrative. But research suggests the program exposes the shortcomings of carbon offsetting and trading schemes.
Instead of forcing industries to directly cut their pollution or pay for it as a cost of doing business, legislators have opted for incentives that swap climate responsibilities between parties and regions. The system could ultimately lock in more warming.
Billions of dollars are pouring into efforts to reverse aging as scientists investigate ways to return cells to a younger state. But how close are these experimental treatments? And are they likely to work?
At a recent virtual Roundtables event, MIT Technology Review explored the answers with science editor Mary Beth Griggs and senior biotechnology reporter Jessica Hamzelou. Subscribers can now watch the full recording of the fascinating discussion.
For decades, physicists have hunted for weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs), a leading candidate for dark matter. But their search has run into a new problem: neutrinos.
These tiny particles from the sun and other stars can create a “neutrino fog” that drowns out any signal of dark matter. Hitting the neutrino fog does not, however, mean an end to the search. Researchers just have to shift the focus of their hunt.
They’re now casting a much wider net. New proposals include quantum sensors, liquid-helium detectors, and even searches in Jupiter’s atmosphere.
I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology.
1 The US has lifted restrictions on Anthropic’s Mythos and Fable models
Anthropic said it would begin restoring access today. (NYT $)
+ The US had imposed controls over security concerns. (Bloomberg $)
+ It lifted the restrictions after lengthy talks with Anthropic. (BBC)
+ But the crackdown has already opened doors for Chinese AI rivals. (CNBC)
2 The most detailed survey of the universe ever is now underway
It’s using the largest digital camera on Earth. (New Scientist $)
+ The project is based at the Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile. (NYT $)
+ It aims to transform our view of the cosmos. (MIT Technology Review)
3 Tech talent is fleeing the US due to H1-B visa chaos
They’re eyeing relocation to Canada, the UK, or the Gulf. (Rest of World)
+ While China is poaching AI talent from the US. (CNBC)
+ Visa rules are also affecting young scientists. (MIT Technology Review)
4 Trump raked in more than $1 billion from crypto businesses in 2025
He reported $635 million in royalties from a Trump meme coin. (BBC)
+ The rest largely came from his World Liberty Financial venture. (The Hill)
5 The UN warns that the rapid spread of AI may worsen global inequality
It’s proposed a shared framework for responsible AI development. (Guardian)
6 Companies are making LLMs talk like a caveman to curb AI spending
A senior OpenAI employee contributed to the “caveman” project. (404 Media)
7 Babies are born with the neural foundations for math
Brain recordings have identified the mechanisms. (New Scientist $)
8 An independent studio has bought the OpenAI movie Amazon dropped
Neon has purchased “Artificial,” which focuses on Sam Altman. (NYT $)
+ Amazon had dumped it after investing in OpenAI. (Gizmodo)
+ The depiction of Altman is reportedly unsympathetic. (Variety)
9 AI has re-created Gene Wilder’s voice for a new “Willy Wonka” series
Wilder’s wife said his estate is “delighted” with the new show. (NBC News)
+ Netflix partnered with AI company ElevenLabs on the project. (The Verge)
10 NASA aims to send a spare Mars rover—and soccer ball—to the moon
The nuclear-powered “Promise” may help establish a lunar base. (NYT $)
—The GitHub repository for the “caveman” plugin explains how the project curbs AI spending by turning verbose LLM outputs into concise text.
On average, it takes more than 10 years and billions of dollars to develop a new drug. A growing number of startups are betting that AI can make the process faster and cheaper.
By predicting how potential drugs might behave in the body and discarding dead-end compounds before they leave the computer, machine-learning models can cut down on the need for painstaking lab work.
Yet it is still early days for AI drug discovery. A lot of AI companies are making claims they can’t back up—and the technology is not a panacea. But the technology is beginning to move from promise to practice.
+ Explore the surprisingly diverse world of regional dartboards from across the UK.
+ Judge a book’s beauty by its cover with this collection of the best designs of the last decade.
+ This John Wick parody with almost no dialogue understands what audiences really came for.
+ Focus your mind or unwind with over 80 custom albums of ambient instrumental electronic music on Caught In Joy.
Plus: Meta is pausing an AI training program that tracks workers’ keystrokes.
Plus: Anthropic has called for a global slowdown in AI development.
Plus: NASA unveiled plans for three uncrewed missions to the Moon this year.
Plus: SpaceX is now valued higher than Amazon.
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