Technologies

One afternoon in May 2020, Jerry Tang, a Ph.D. student in computer science at the University of Texas at Austin, sat staring at a cryptic string of words scrawled across his computer screen:“I am not finished yet to start my career at twenty without having gotten my license I never have to pull out and run back to my parents to take me home.”The sentence was jumbled and agrammatical. But to Tang, it represented a remarkable feat: A computer pulling a thought, however disjointed, from a person’s mind.For weeks, ever since…

Heat pumps Don’t let the name fool you. Heat pumps are electric appliances that can both cool and heat buildings, and wider adoption could substantially reduce emissions. Sales have increased around the world; in the US, they have surpassed gas furnaces for the first time. New types that run at higher temperatures could help decarbonize industry, too.Why it matters Twitter killers…

WHO Google, Meta, Microsoft, OpenAI WHEN Now When OpenAI launched a free web app called ChatGPT in November 2022, nobody knew what was coming. But that low-key release changed everything. By January, ChatGPT had become the fastest-growing web app ever, offering anyone with a browser access to one of the most powerful neural networks ever built. We were dazzled and disturbed. And that was only the start. In February, Microsoft and Google revealed rival plans to combine chatbots with search—plans…

Many CRISPR treatments are in trials, but in 2022, Vertex Pharmaceuticals, based in Boston, was first to bring one to regulators for approval. That treatment was for sickle-cell. After their bone marrow was edited, nearly all the patients who volunteered in the trial were pain free.  Good news. But the expected price tag of the gene-editing treatment is $2 to $3 million. And Vertex has no immediate plans to offer it in Africa—where sickle-cell disease is most common, and where it still kills children. The company says…

The start of a new year offers a great opportunity to reflect while also thinking about what’s to come. That is especially true for us, as this year marks the 125th anniversary of MIT Technology Review.And so it’s fitting that we kick off the year with our annual list of 10 Breakthrough Technologies that our reporters and editors think will have the biggest impact on the world in the years to come. We began putting this list together in early summer last year, and have debated over it ever since.  Read the full list of…

We’ve entered the era of the heat pump.  Heat pumps are appliances that can cool and heat spaces using electricity. Many buildings today are still heated with fossil fuels, specifically natural gas. Switching to electric heat pumps that run on renewable energy could help homes, offices, and even manufacturing facilities cut their emissions dramatically.  While heat pumps have been used in buildings since the mid-20th century, the technology is breaking through in a new way. Global sales of heat pumps grew by 11% in…

To be sure, the dream of a decentralized Twitter-like service has been around for years. History is littered with failed attempts—most notably App.net and Identi.ca. A real competitor never broke out because not enough people had a strong reason to leave Twitter, or a place to go if they did. Now they have both. According to Similarweb, X’s traffic is down by nearly 20%, year over year. Another study, by Apptopia, found that the number of daily active users went from 141 million to 120 million. Meanwhile, decentralized…

These drugs aren’t perfect—common side effects include nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting. Many patients must stay on the drugs for life to keep the weight off, and the long-term impacts of these treatments remain unknown. The drugs are also expensive, costing more than $1,000 per month, and most insurance plans don’t cover them for weight loss.  Nevertheless, the treatments could improve the health of millions of people. Some studies even suggest that they alleviate symptoms of heart failure. Dozens of companies are now…

Geothermal heat, an abundant and carbon-­free energy source, offers an alternative to fossil fuels that doesn’t vary with the weather or time of day. However, conventional geothermal plants require specific geological conditions—in particular, permeable rocks with water sources. Because of this, geothermal accounts for less than 1% of global renewables capacity. But an emerging technology could let us exploit even more of the heat beneath our feet.  Enhanced geothermal systems have been in development since the 1970s.…

Imagine having your very own personal DJ in a stylish, portable gadget. With its strong bass, LED display, and Alexa integration, the Echo Dot 4th Gen with clock offers not just music but also smooth voice-assisted ease. With its powerful sound production, water-resistant construction, and ability to connect two speakers for a rich stereo experience, the equally amazing Tribit Max Sound Plus raises the bar. With its 360-degree light show that customers can customise, the ZEBRONICS Dawn 10 Wireless Portable…