The Download: soccer’s data renaissance and China’s big nuclear plans

《下载》：足球的数据复兴与中国的核能宏图

This is today’s edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what’s going on in the world of technology. 这是今日份的《下载》，我们平日更新的简报，为您提供每日科技世界的动态。

Inside soccer’s data renaissance

走进足球的数据复兴

Imagine tuning in to the opening kickoff of a World Cup match and seeing a player intentionally kick the ball out of bounds. You may question the logic of surrendering possession seconds into a game. If you were Jesse Davis, though, you’d know that this play could be a prime setup to score. Davis is a professor of computer science at KU Leuven in Belgium and head of its Sports Analytics Lab, which has been at the vanguard of a data awakening in soccer. Using AI and data analytics, his team has uncovered hidden tactical patterns and challenged long-held assumptions about how the game should be played. Many of the insights hitting soccer pitches today trace back to the lab’s work. Read the full story on how computer scientists are changing the world’s most popular sport. —Andrew Zaleski 想象一下，当你打开电视观看世界杯开球时，看到一名球员故意将球踢出界外。你可能会质疑在比赛开始几秒钟就放弃球权的逻辑。但如果你是杰西·戴维斯（Jesse Davis），你就会知道这可能是一个绝佳的得分布局。戴维斯是比利时鲁汶大学的计算机科学教授，也是该校体育分析实验室的负责人，该实验室一直处于足球数据觉醒的前沿。通过人工智能和数据分析，他的团队揭示了隐藏的战术模式，并挑战了长期以来关于比赛应如何进行的既定假设。如今出现在足球场上的许多见解，都可以追溯到该实验室的研究成果。阅读关于计算机科学家如何改变这项全球最受欢迎运动的完整报道。——安德鲁·扎莱斯基（Andrew Zaleski）

This story is from the next edition of our magazine. Subscribe now to get a copy when it lands! 本文节选自我们下一期的杂志。立即订阅，即可在出版时收到副本！

Why China is betting on big nuclear reactors

中国为何押注大型核反应堆

In China, large reactors are coming together at a stunning pace. The country has nearly doubled its nuclear fleet since 2016, reaching nearly 60 gigawatts of total power capacity. Construction started on six new reactors in 2025, and two more have begun in 2026. It’s incredibly difficult to build the massive projects that dominate the nuclear industry today. Up-front investment can run well into the billions, and designs are complex. Yet China is moving ahead rapidly. By 2030, the country is on course to overtake both the US and the EU in installed nuclear capacity. Find out why bigger might be better when it comes to nuclear power. —Casey Crownhart 在中国，大型反应堆正以惊人的速度建成。自2016年以来，中国的核电规模几乎翻了一番，总装机容量已接近60吉瓦。2025年有六座新反应堆开工建设，2026年又有两座动工。建造当今核工业中占据主导地位的大型项目极其困难。前期投资可能高达数十亿美元，且设计复杂。然而，中国正在迅速推进。到2030年，中国的核电装机容量有望超过美国和欧盟。了解为什么在核能领域，“更大”可能意味着“更好”。——凯西·克朗哈特（Casey Crownhart）

This story is from The Spark, our weekly newsletter giving you the inside track on all things climate. Sign up to receive it in your inbox every Wednesday. 本文来自我们的每周简报《火花》（The Spark），为您提供气候领域的一切内幕消息。注册即可在每周三收到邮件。

The must-reads

必读精选

I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology. 我已梳理了互联网，为您找出今天关于科技最有趣、最重要、最令人恐惧或最引人入胜的故事。

Autonomous drones may have killed soldiers for the first time: A drone-maker said Russian troops were killed in a test. (New Scientist) 自主无人机可能首次造成士兵死亡：一家无人机制造商称，俄罗斯军队在一次测试中被杀。（《新科学家》）
Solar power has finally surpassed coal in US electricity generation: It’s the leading source of new power. (Guardian) 太阳能发电量终于在美国电力生产中超过了煤炭：它是新增电力的主要来源。（《卫报》）
Russia’s FSB has taken control of the country’s internet: The KGB successor now determines access. (Financial Times) 俄罗斯联邦安全局（FSB）已接管该国互联网：这个克格勃的继任机构现在决定着网络访问权限。（《金融时报》）
OpenAI says China is fomenting dissent over AI on ChatGPT: It claims to have found influence operations on the bot. (Reuters) OpenAI称中国正在ChatGPT上煽动关于AI的异见：该公司声称在聊天机器人上发现了影响力行动。（路透社）
SpaceX’s listing price is expected to be revealed today: It could lead to the biggest IPO ever. (NPR) SpaceX的上市价格预计将于今日揭晓：这可能引发史上规模最大的首次公开募股（IPO）。（美国国家公共电台）
EPA scientists say they’re pushed to downplay risks of household products: They’re under pressure to alter reviews of chemicals in products. (CNN) 美国环保署（EPA）科学家称他们被迫淡化家用产品的风险：他们面临着修改产品化学成分评估报告的压力。（CNN）
Anthropic has walked back a policy that “sabotaged” research: It would have limited Claude’s ability to develop competing AI models. (Wired) Anthropic撤回了一项“破坏”研究的政策：该政策曾限制Claude开发竞争性AI模型的能力。（《连线》）
Congress wants in on the data center backlash: Members are jumping on the fervor with new policy plans. (Axios) 国会想要介入针对数据中心的抵制浪潮：议员们正带着新的政策计划加入这场热潮。（Axios）
Your search results are getting sloptimized: Companies are gaming the chatbot internet. (Atlantic) 你的搜索结果正变得“缓慢优化”（sloptimized）：各大公司正在操纵聊天机器人互联网。（《大西洋月刊》）
Scientists have discovered that humans prefer to walk anticlockwise: It’s a discovery that could improve crowd and evacuation management. (Guardian) 科学家发现人类更喜欢逆时针行走：这一发现有望改善人群和疏散管理。（《卫报》）

Quote of the day

今日金句

“We’re the extracted and exploited colony of what is going to be one of the most highly valued entities in the world. People are going to die because of this pollution.” “我们是被剥削和压榨的殖民地，而对方即将成为世界上估值最高的实体之一。人们会因为这种污染而丧生。”

—Justin Pearson, who represents portions of Memphis in the Tennessee House of Representatives, tells Wired why his constituents are angry about the SpaceX IPO. ——贾斯汀·皮尔逊（Justin Pearson），田纳西州众议院孟菲斯部分地区的代表，向《连线》杂志讲述了他的选民为何对SpaceX的IPO感到愤怒。

One More Thing

额外一件事

Space is all yours—for a hefty price 太空属于你——只要付得起高昂的价格

Space tourism is now officially a thing. But does it represent a future in which the average person could book a celestial flight and bask in the splendor of Earth from above? Or is this just another way for the ultrawealthy to flash their cash while simultaneously ignoring and exacerbating our existential problems down on the ground? For now, such flights remain ridiculously far beyond the financial reach of most people. They also pose risks to both the passengers and the planet. But proponents of private spaceflight argue that it provides great opportunities for science and a sense of transcendence. Dive into the space tourism debate. —Margaret O’Mara 太空旅游现在正式成为现实。但这是否代表着未来普通人也能预订一次太空飞行，从高空沐浴在地球的壮丽景色中？还是说，这仅仅是超级富豪们炫耀财富的另一种方式，同时却无视并加剧了我们在地面上所面临的生存问题？目前，此类飞行对于大多数人来说仍然遥不可及。它们也给乘客和地球带来了风险。但私人航天的支持者认为，它为科学提供了巨大的机会，并带来了一种超越感。深入了解太空旅游的争论。——玛格丽特·奥马拉（Margaret O’Mara）

We can still have nice things

我们依然可以拥有美好事物

A place for comfort, fun and distraction to brighten up your day. 一个为您带来舒适、乐趣和放松，点亮您一天的地方。

A rare antelope species was rediscovered in a remote Kenyan forest. 一种罕见的羚羊物种在肯尼亚偏远森林中被重新发现。
This ingenious camping trailer pops up into a fully heated off-road bathroom. 这款巧妙的露营拖车可以弹开变成一个带有全套供暖系统的越野浴室。
Iconic internet memes are now safely preserved in the British Film Institute’s moving image archive. 标志性的互联网模因（Meme）现已安全保存在英国电影协会的动态影像档案馆中。
NASA’s experimental aircraft has successfully broken the sound barrier in a big win for supersonic flight. NASA的实验飞机成功突破音障，这是超音速飞行的一大胜利。