Seven Must-Read Stories (Week Ending April 5, 2014)

Another chance to catch the most interesting, and important, articles from the previous week on MIT Technology Review.

MIT Technology Reviewarchive page

April 4, 2014

U.N. Climate Report Warns of Increased Risk to Crops
Crop yields are expected to decline due to climate change faster than scientists thought.
Why We Can’t Just Adapt to Climate Change
The difficulty of predicting local effects of climate change makes a compelling case for preventing it.
The Latest Chat App for iPhone Needs No Internet Connection
A startup’s software will let iPhone apps connect phones without the Internet.
Pay with Your Fingerprint
Samsung’s Galaxy S5 is the first smartphone that can use a fingerprint to authorize payments in stores and online.
A Bandage That Senses Tremors, Delivers Drugs, and Keeps a Record
A flexible electronic skin patch has strain gauges to measure tremors, and heating elements to release drugs held inside nanoparticles.
Say Hello to Microsoft’s Answer to Siri
Microsoft’s new personal assistant includes features found in Apple and Google’s own virtual helpers.
The Anatomy of a Forgotten Social Network
While network scientists have been poring over data from Twitter and Facebook, they’ve forgotten about Tumblr. Now they’ve begun to ask how this network differs from the rest.

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Karrie Jacobsarchive page

Muhammad bin Salman funds anti-aging research

Saudi Arabia plans to spend $1 billion a year discovering treatments to slow aging

The oil kingdom fears that its population is aging at an accelerated rate and hopes to test drugs to reverse the problem. First up might be the diabetes drug metformin.