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

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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.

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 .

This story is from the next edition of our magazine. Subscribe now to get a copy when it lands!

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 .

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.

I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology.

1 Autonomous drones may have killed soldiers for the first time A drone-maker said Russian troops were killed in a test. ( New Scientist $) + The US has used a sea drone to rescue a helicopter’s crew. ( NYT $) + Europe has a drone-filled vision for war. ( MIT Technology Review )

2 Solar power has finally surpassed coal in US electricity generation It’s the leading source of new power. ( Guardian ) + Meanwhile, Trump is increasing coal investments. ( BBC ) + The US is in a power struggle over coal. ( MIT Technology Review )