The latest edition of The Download highlights a controversial plan by Reflect Orbital to deploy space mirrors that could unintentionally brighten the night sky for millions. The company aims to launch a test satellite with an 18‑by‑18‑meter mirror, eventually scaling to 50,000 larger satellites that reflect sunlight on demand. Research shows these beams could shine as bright as 10,000 full moons and scatter light over tens of kilometers, raising concerns about dark skies, aviation, and wildlife.

In a separate story, Insilico Medicine used AI to propose a drug for pulmonary fibrosis and claimed the molecule was “discovered by” generative AI. However, its patent lists five humans as inventors, underscoring that only people can receive legal credit for inventions. As AI models increasingly generate drug designs, the line between human and machine authorship becomes blurrier.

Both stories illustrate the broader debate over how emerging technologies intersect with law, ethics, and the physical world.

The newsletter also covers a range of tech headlines, from data center backlash to new AI intelligence metrics.

Read the full story on the fierce debate over space mirrors and AI drug discovery.