Technology

The Download: turning down human noise, and LA’s stunning subway upgrade

Source

MIT Technology Review

Published

Apr 21, 2026

TL;DR

AI Generated

The article discusses the impact of human noise on animals, particularly birds, and how it affects their communication and behavior. It also highlights the upcoming subway upgrade in Los Angeles that will significantly improve transportation in the city. Additionally, it mentions Apple CEO Tim Cook stepping down and other tech news stories, including developments in AI, banking industry trends, and advancements in digital preservation efforts.

Read Full Article

The noise we make is hurting animals. Can we learn to shut up?

The article discusses how human-made noise, known as anthropogenic noise, is negatively impacting animals by disrupting their communication, causing stress, and affecting their reproductive success. The reduction in noise levels during the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted positive changes in animal behavior, emphasizing the need to address noise pollution. Studies have shown that noise can lead to various health issues in humans, such as poor sleep and increased stress. Strategies to reduce noise pollution include redesigning roads, lowering speed limits, planting sound-absorbing vegetation, and transitioning to electric vehicles. Efforts to mitigate noise pollution can have immediate positive effects on both wildlife and human health.

MIT Technology Review•

5 days ago

NVIDIA CEO on sovereign AI for countries: 'no one needs atomic bombs, everyone needs AI'

NVIDIA's CEO believes that countries should prioritize developing artificial intelligence (AI) over atomic bombs, emphasizing the importance of AI for national sovereignty. He suggests that AI can provide a more effective means of power and influence on the global stage. This perspective reflects a growing trend of nations investing in AI technologies for economic and strategic advantages.

TweakTown•

7 months ago

KIOXIA fires back at rising SSD costs with new EG7 Series for PC OEMs

KIOXIA has introduced the EG7 Series SSDs to address the rising costs of SSDs and memory due to the ongoing crisis in DRAM and flash memory. These new SSDs, utilizing QLC-based technology and 8th-generation BiCS FLASH, offer performance comparable to higher-priced options while enhancing power efficiency. Available in M.2 form factors with 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB variants, the EG7 Series boasts impressive PCIe Gen4 speeds of up to 7,000 MB/s for reads and 6,200 MB/s for writes. With Micron's Crucial brand no longer in the consumer market, KIOXIA's affordable SSD solution is set to fill the gap and cater to a wider range of systems, expected to launch in the second quarter of 2026.

TweakTown•

33 minutes ago

Windows 11 April update now reveals if Secure Boot 2023 certificate is applied to your PC

The Windows 11 April 2026 Update introduces the ability to check if the Secure Boot 2023 certificate is applied to your PC, crucial for protecting against boot-level malware. Microsoft confirms that older certificates will be replaced with Secure Boot 2023 via Windows Update. The Windows Security app now displays the Secure Boot certificate status under the 'Device Security' tab, ensuring users can easily verify if their certificates are updated. The update is rolling out gradually and should be available on most PCs by the end of April 2026. Users can check their Secure Boot status in Windows Security to ensure their devices are fully protected.

Windows Latest•

3 hours ago