What's Happening

Politics

And When I'm Back In Chicago — DNC Version

What's going on: The Democratic National Convention kicks off in Chicago today, nearly a month after President Biden stepped down and ushered Vice President Kamala Harris to the top of the ticket. The four-day event will unveil the Harris campaign’s official platform and feature plenty of speakers — including President Biden, the Obamas, and stars like Julia Louis-Dreyfus (a real VP-meets-Veep moment). Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz will also officially accept their party’s respective nominations, after more than 4,000 delegates nominate them (again). Meanwhile, tens of thousands of people are expected to protest the Biden administration’s handling of the Israel-Hamas war outside the DNC. The city says its police officers and the Secret Service are prepared, but some worry the demonstrations could be reminiscent of the last time Chicago hosted the DNC.

What it means: Democrats hope the convention will add to the wave of enthusiasm Harris has been riding since Biden left the race. The event also gives Harris an opportunity to re-introduce herself (and her running mate) to a national audience — about three months before Election Day. It comes as political analysts say people need to hear more from Harris about her vision for the country as she vies to win over moderates and voters in swing states. A recent poll from The New York Times and Siena College shows she’s narrowly leading in Arizona and North Carolina and trails behind former President Donald Trump inGeorgia and Nevada. The DNC won’t be the last time Harris goes before a national audience. She’ll face off against Trump at the debate on Sept. 10.

Related: Beyoncé and Taylor Swift? The Stars Expected (and Speculated) to Show at the DNC. (CNN)

Tech

What In the World(coin)? — The Controversy Building Over This Eye-Scanning Tech

What's going on: ChatGPT creator Sam Altman is hoping the eyes aren’t just the windows into the soul but into our “humanness” in general. His recent venture, Worldcoin, is using a device to scan people’s irises to differentiate between what is an actual human and what’s an AI robot (yes, really). When Worldcoin launched last year, it offered cryptocurrency to anyone who signed up and had their faces and eyes scanned. The result: The tech has collected the data of more than 6 million people across nearly 40 countries. Now, governments in Hong Kong, Spain, and Kenya have raised all kinds of privacy flags, allegations of bribery, and questions about how Worldcoin stores and collects its data. The European Union might even ban it.

What it means: Eye-scanning technology isn’t new — it’s been used on phones, at ATMs, and in nursing home safety measures. You might have had your iris scanned at the airport if you’ve used a service like Clear to get through security faster (privacy advocates also warned about this tech). But some experts say Worldcoin is clearly uncharted territory, as it could lead to a large database of irises and other biometrics with sparse oversight. This is also a tool Altman himself is predicting we may need in the future, largely thanks to his own AI technology. So, not a conflict at all...Safe to say, we’ll be keeping our eyes on this space.

Related: How AI Helped a Man With ALS Retrieve His Voice (NYT GIft Link) 

Health

Pharma Companies Are Preparing to Rollout a Pap Smear Alternative

What's going on: Major pharmaceutical companies are getting ready to roll out a new way to test for cervical cancer this fall. For decades, the pap smear has been the only (and often extremely uncomfortable) option available to women to test for the strains of HPV that cause cervical cancer. The CDC says 11,500 women in the US are diagnosed with cervical cancer annually and 4,000 die from it. Now, five companies will soon offer self-collection tests that’ll allow patients to say goodbye to the cold speculum and hello to cotton swabs. The tests will allow people to use the swabs at a doctor’s office, before sending the sample to the lab.

What it means: The new testing method offers patients a less painful and invasive experience. But health experts hope to take things a step further. The FDA is currently reviewing the efficacy of an at-home version of the test, which could lead to greater accessibility. The challenge there is ensuring that the swabs can be safely transported without risk of contamination. However, if approved, the at-home test could help reach about 30% of eligible women who don’t get screened. That includes women who live in rural areas, are Black or Latino, or in lower socioeconomic classes. Others struggle with the pain, finding childcare or can’t afford to take time off from work to take the test.

Related: How Pap Smears Could Be Used to Find Early Ovarian Cancer (Nature)