The Download
What's up in emerging technology
Watch two astronauts take a spacewalk to give the ISS a power upgrade
Boeing sold two safety features on its 737 Max planes as “extras”
Facebook has admitted it stored up to 600 million customers’ passwords insecurely
Microsoft just booted up the first “DNA drive” for storing data
These cell-inspired robots can swarm together to move toward the light
From Our Current Issue
May 2, 2019
MIT Media Lab
10 years in: What's next for blockchain?
You've seen how powerful blockchain technology can be, but fundamental challenges still stand in the way of world-changing applications. Join us at Business of Blockchain to learn which projects and ideas have staying power.
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Connectivity
Ryugu is a heap of space rubble that might unlock the mysteries of water on Earth
Early results from the Japanese Hayabusa2 mission are not just giving us insights into space rocks—they can tell us about our own planet’s history, too.
Rewriting Life
CRISPR experts are calling for a global moratorium on heritable gene editing
Some of the biggest names in gene editing want to stop anyone from playing around with cells that pass on changes to the next generation.
Intelligent Machines
Quantum computing should supercharge this machine-learning technique
Certain machine-learning tasks could be revolutionized by more powerful quantum computers.
Intelligent Machines
Drones that perch like birds could go on much longer flights
A simple gripping mechanism allows unmanned aerial vehicles to save energy by resting on ledges and poles.
Connectivity
The man behind that Apollo boot print
Lunar soil expert David Carrier is to thank for the iconic photo of some of the first steps on the moon.
Intelligent Machines
The man who helped invent virtual assistants thinks they’re doomed without a new AI approach
Boris Katz has spent his career trying to help machines master language. He believes that current AI techniques aren’t enough to make Siri or Alexa truly smart.
Features
Sustainable Energy
The race to make a lab-grown steak
Meat production spews tons of greenhouse gas and uses up too much land and water. Is there an alternative that won’t make us do without?
View from the Marketplace
For data-savvy marketers, there’s a new keyword: Intent
As more companies look to machine learning for insights, marketers need to use new tools and technology to engage potential customers at the right time and place.
View from the Marketplace
The next “Deep Blue” moment: Self-flying drone racing
Spoiler: Coders wanted! And a chance to win more than $2 million in cash prizes.
View from the Marketplace
From innovation to monetization: The economics of data-driven transformation
Used strategically, an organization’s data gains value over time. But to unlock its potential requires first establishing the right technical and cultural foundations.
Executive Briefing
Getting smart about the future of AI
Watch Video
More videos
10 Breakthrough Technologies of 2019, curated by Bill Gates 17:18
Bill Gates on making AI smarter 01:38
Bill Gates on tackling climate change 01:31
Bill Gates on reinventing the toilet 01:32
Bill Gates on the case for nuclear power 01:10
China’s Clean Energy Transition 13:33
Next-Generation Robots Need Your Help 27:36
Access to broadband is as important as access to water and electricity 01:15
We shouldn't preserve "willy nilly" the cost of production 01:00
Coffee-fetching robots 02:08
Connectivity
10 Breakthrough Technologies of 2019, curated by Bill Gates 17:18
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SPONSORED
The new media’s role in politics
Forms of new media have introduced an unprecedented level of instability and distortion into the political communications system.
by Diana Owen, Professor of Political Science at Georgetown University
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SPONSORED
Reality regained: An inquiry into the data age
The explosion of data and advances in computing power are radically transforming daily life.
by Jannis Kallinikos
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SPONSORED
The crisis of social reproduction and the end of work
High-income societies are facing the rise of precarious employment.
by Helen Hester and Nick Snircek