What it’s like to be in the middle of a conspiracy theory (according to a conspiracy theory expert) Mike Rothschild, a journalist and expert on conspiracy theories, shares his personal experience after his house burned down in Altadena, California. His story is part of MIT Technology Review’s series “The New Conspiracy Age,” which examines how conspiracy theories are reshaping science and technology. Rothschild will also join a subscriber-exclusive Roundtable conversation on surviving the age of conspiracies on November 20 at 1 PM ET. This startup thinks slime mold can help us design better cities Mireta, a new startup, is exploring how the unique properties of slime mold can be translated into algorithms to improve urban planning. Researchers believe this brainless organism could help optimize transit, reduce congestion, and minimize climate-related disruptions in cities. This story is featured in the latest print issue of MIT Technology Review magazine. The Must-Reads

US government officials are skipping COP30, followed by American corporate executives (NYT).
The UK may assess AI models for their ability to generate CSAM (BBC).
Google is suing a group of Chinese hackers for selling software enabling criminal scams (FT).
A major ‘cryptoqueen’ criminal has been jailed for using stolen money to buy cryptocurrency (BBC).
Carbon capture's creators fear it’s being misused, causing countries to delay reducing emissions (Bloomberg).
The UK will use AI to phase out animal testing, utilizing 3D bioprinted human tissues (The Guardian).
Louisiana is dealing with a whooping cough outbreak (Undark).
Ordinary people are using ChatGPT for emotional support and discussions (WP).
A newly-discovered mechanism is shedding light on why lost continents may have vanished (404 Media).
AI is taking Gen Z’s entry-level jobs, especially in consultancies (NY Mag).

Quote of the Day “We can’t eat money.” – Nato, an Indigenous leader from the Tupinamba community, protesting at the COP30 climate summit in Brazil. One More Thing How K-pop fans are shaping elections around the globe, using their digital skills to advocate for social change and pursue political goals.