The Download: AI puzzles and a path to our nearest star system

September 1, 2026 · 9:00 am 2 sources

Image: MIT Technology Review

Coverage

Coverage

• How engineered microbes could help feed the world’s crops
  MIT Technology Review · September 1, 2026 09:00
  Fertilizer is crucial for the global food supply, but making it uses a lot of energy and produces a lot of emissions. Some companies hope microbes can help. A growing body of research shows that seeding the soil around a crop’s roots with beneficial microbes can help feed the plant, providing…
• The Download: engineered microbes for crops, and OpenAI’s culture problem
  MIT Technology Review · September 1, 2026 12:10
  This is today’s edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what’s going on in the world of technology. How engineered microbes could help feed the world’s crops Fertilizer is crucial for the global food supply, but making it uses a lot of energy and produces a…