{"id":16244,"date":"2026-07-06T13:08:07","date_gmt":"2026-07-06T13:08:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news678.top\/?p=16244"},"modified":"2026-07-06T13:08:07","modified_gmt":"2026-07-06T13:08:07","slug":"the-download-south-koreas-hottest-bachelors-and-advancing-eye-transplants","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news678.top\/?p=16244","title":{"rendered":"The Download: South Korea\u2019s hottest bachelors, and advancing eye transplants"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

This is today’s edition of <\/em>The Download<\/em>, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what’s going on in the world of technology.<\/em><\/p>\n

South Korea\u2019s hottest new bachelors are chip workers<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Baek, a 35-year-old manager at the South Korean semiconductor titan SK Hynix, was enrolled in a matchmaking company a year ago. In a move typical of anxious South Korean parents, his mother signed him up, hoping to find a good wife for her son.<\/p>\n

Lately, says Baek, he and his coworkers are having better luck finding dates\u2014perhaps because of the dazzling bonuses they just got. Flush with eye-popping profits from the AI chip boom, SK Hynix agreed to pay 10% of operating profits to employees, which translates to an extra $476,000 per employee this year. Samsung workers received a similar deal this May.<\/p>\n

With their newfound wealth, chip workers like Baek have become the most sought-after bachelors and bachelorettes in South Korea. <\/p>\n

Discover how AI chip profits are transforming South Korea’s dating market\u2014and stoking anxieties.<\/p>\n

\u2014Michelle Kim<\/em><\/p>\n

A device that revives eyeballs from dead donors could make eye transplants possible<\/strong><\/h3>\n

It\u2019s not easy to transplant a whole human eye. The surgery is difficult, and eyes start to degenerate as soon as they\u2019ve left the body. When surgeons attempted it a few years ago, the newly transplanted eye couldn\u2019t see.<\/p>\n

But researchers believe they might have a solution: a device that maintains and revives freshly removed eyeballs using a technique called perfusion. Treated eyes don\u2019t degrade as quickly and appear to retain the ability to transmit electrical signals\u2014and potentially see. <\/p>\n

The device could one day make whole-eye transplants a viable possibility. Here\u2019s how it works.<\/p>\n

\u2014Jessica Hamzelou<\/em><\/p>\n

The must-reads<\/strong><\/p>\n

I\u2019ve combed the internet to find you today\u2019s most fun\/important\/scary\/fascinating stories about technology.<\/em><\/p>\n

1 The UN\u2019s chief has warned that AI is outpacing global rules<\/strong>
He\u2019s called for globally harmonised guardrails. (Reuters $)
+ The UN also said AI could worsen global inequality.<\/em> (Guardian)<\/p>\n

2 An Israeli battlefield system identified 850,000 targets in Gaza and Lebanon<\/strong>
Elbit Systems says it detected targets in real time. (Guardian)
+ Congress wants to permanently integrate US and Israeli defence tech. <\/em>(Intercept)\u00a0
+\u00a0 How AI turned the Iran conflict into theater. <\/em>(MIT Technology Review)\u00a0<\/p>\n

3 EU transparency rules have exposed Microsoft\u2019s tax haven tactics<\/strong>
A new report shows how it shifts profits around to reduce tax bills. (NYT $)
+ Other US companies will soon need to provide similar reports.<\/em> (Engadget)<\/p>\n

4 A spacecraft has launched an audacious mission to rescue a NASA telescope
<\/strong>LINK will try to tug the SWIFT observatory to a higher orbit. (New Scientist $)
+ It will attempt to grab the telescope with three robotic arms.<\/em> (BBC)
+ The observatory studies gamma-ray bursts. <\/em>(NBC News)
+ We\u2019re putting more stuff into space than ever.<\/em> (MIT Technology Review)<\/p>\n

5 Chinese tech giants are disabling humanlike AI due to new regulations<\/strong>
ByteDance and Alibaba have shut down the features. (SCMP)
+ Beijing is tightening its AI regulations.<\/em> (Nikkei Asia)<\/p>\n

6 Anthropic wants to develop its own drugs
<\/strong>The company says it will pursue treatments for \u201cneglected\u201d diseases. (Verge)
+ It\u2019s also got a new AI for science product. <\/em>(MIT Technology Review)<\/p>\n

7 India is testing an alternative to Silicon Valley\u2019s AI playbook<\/strong>
It\u2019s based on small, offline, multilingual, open-source AI. (Rest of World)
+ India\u2019s AI infrastructure is also attracting investors. (<\/em>CNBC)<\/p>\n

8 Big Tech has suddenly flipped on the AI jobs wipeout scenario<\/strong>
Negative public opinion has sparked a more optimistic public stance. (WSJ $)
+ The AI jobs hysteria needs a reality check. <\/em>(MIT Technology Review)<\/p>\n

9 Midjourney has accused Hollywood studios of covertly using AI<\/strong>
It\u2019s escalated its legal fight with Disney, Universal, and Warner. (Gizmodo)<\/p>\n

10 A martian rock has lots of carbon on it, and it\u2019s not clear why<\/strong>
Scientists cannot yet tell whether biology played a role. (Ars Technica)<\/p>\n

Quote of the day<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s just his AI and my AI going back and forth.\u201d <\/strong><\/h2>\n

\u2014An anonymous employee explains why she\u2019s struggling to develop a good working relationship with her boss, Fortune reports.<\/p>\n

One More Thing<\/strong><\/p>\n

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The AI relationship revolution is already here<\/strong><\/h4>\n

AI is everywhere, and it\u2019s starting to alter our relationships with our spouses, kids, colleagues, friends\u2014and even ourselves.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Although the technology remains unpredictable and sometimes baffling, individuals from all across the world and from all walks of life are finding it useful, supportive, and comforting too. <\/p>\n

People are using large language models to seek validation, mediate marital arguments, and help navigate interactions with their community. They\u2019re using it for parenting support, self-care, and even to fall in love.<\/p>\n

Explore how AI is changing our relationships.<\/p>\n

\u2014Rhiannon Williams<\/em><\/p>\n

We can still have nice things<\/strong><\/p>\n

A place for comfort, fun, and distraction to brighten up your day. (Got any ideas? <\/em>Drop me a line<\/em>.)<\/em><\/p>\n

+ Radiohead’s seminal album \u201cOK Computer\u201d has been reimagined as a Nintendo 64 soundtrack.
+ Graphic design history meets stamp collecting in this beautifully curated archive of postage stamp design.
+ As Lionel Messi lights up another World Cup, his former coach breaks down his style of play in this fascinating analysis.
+ Armchair engineers will enjoy the brilliant product teardowns of everyday items like clicky pens and lighters on Mechanical Pencil.<\/p>\n