The Download: What to make of OpenAI’s Atlas browser, and how to make climate progress

Inside Clear’s ambitions to manage your identity beyond the airport

Clear Secure is the most visible biometric identity company in the United States. Best known for its line-jumping service in airports, it’s also popping up at sports arenas and stadiums all over the country. You can also use its identity verification platform to rent tools at Home Depot, put your profile in front of recruiters on LinkedIn, and, as of this month, verify your identity as a rider on Uber.

And soon enough, if Clear has its way, it may also be in your favorite retailer, bank, and even doctor’s office—or anywhere else that you currently have to pull out a wallet (or wait in line).

While the company has been building toward this sweeping vision for years, it now seems its time has finally come. But as biometrics go mainstream, what—and who—bears the cost? Read the full story. 

—Eileen Guo

We can still have nice things

A place for comfort, fun and distraction to brighten up your day. (Got any ideas? Drop me a line or skeet ’em at me.)

+ Ancient manuscripts are jam packed with weird and wonderful beasts.
+ Horror writers tell us the spooky stories that send a shiver down their respective spines.
+ Here’s why living on a red dwarf isn’t quite as crazy as it sounds.
+ Kiki the sheep may not be able to walk, but she isn’t letting it get in the way of her getting around ❤️ (thanks Amy!)