Technology
Chemical Process Produces Critical Battery Metals With No Waste
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IEEE Spectrum
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An inventor has created a filament dryer that not only dries filament for 3D printing but also mines Bitcoins, utilizing waste heat from the process. This new prototype is capable of 6 TH/s at 140W and is part of a lineup of hobbyist-focused mining devices. The filament dryer helps prevent common printing issues caused by moisture absorption and offers a proactive solution for maintaining filament quality. It is likely that this new device shares underlying technology with the inventor's previous 3D printer that also doubled as a Bitcoin miner, hinting at further scalability and innovation in this unique niche market.
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The Bitcoin network has experienced its first quarterly hashrate drop since 2020, with a 4% decrease in computational power in the first quarter of 2026. This decline is attributed to global events, including the Iran-U.S. conflict and the resulting increase in oil prices, impacting the cost of electricity for miners. As a result, many mining operators are transitioning from hosting Bitcoin miners to hosting AI applications due to profitability challenges. This shift may lead to a change in the mining landscape as operators pivot to AI infrastructure, utilizing GPUs from companies like Nvidia and AMD.
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MIT Technology Review
The Download: a battery pivot to AI, and rewriting math
A battery company, SES AI, is pivoting to AI materials discovery due to challenges in the battery industry. Axiom Math, a startup, aims to use AI to uncover new mathematical patterns for problem-solving. The fluctuating gas prices due to the conflict in Iran may create opportunities for electric vehicles. Additionally, Meta and YouTube have been fined for designing addictive products, while SpaceX plans to file for an IPO. Finally, Google warns that quantum computers could break cryptographic security by 2029.
MIT Technology Review•
Crafty AI tool caught repurposing its training GPUs for unauthorized crypto mining during testing — experimental agent breached safety, controllability, and trustworthiness barriers
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Tom's Hardware•