Seven Must-Read Stories (Week Ending May 31, 2014)

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

June 2, 2014

10-4, Good Computer: Automated System Lets Trucks Convoy as One
A recent demonstration involving two trucks tethered by computer control shows how automation and vehicle-to-vehicle communication are creeping onto the roads.
Why Facebook is Becoming Like Google+
Mark Zuckerberg’s plan to “unbundle” Facebook makes his social network more like Google’s.
Google’s Experimental Smartphone Captures a Future Mapped in 3-D
Early testers are building a range of prototypes from drones to immersive video games using Google’s 3-D mapping smartphone.
Genome Editing to Reverse “Bubble Boy” Syndrome
Researchers used an emerging technique to correct the gene behind a fatal immune system disorder in an infant.
Military Funds Brain-Computer Interfaces to Control Feelings
A $70 million program will try to develop brain implants able to regulate emotions in the mentally ill.
A Battery Made of Iron Could Improve the Economics of Solar and Wind Power
A new type of flow battery could allow renewable-energy developers to store power until it’s most valuable.
How Statisticians Found Air France Flight 447 Two Years After It Crashed Into Atlantic
After more than a year of unsuccessful searching, authorities called in an elite group of statisticians. Working on their recommendations, the next search found the wreckage just a week later.

One insider says the company’s current staffing isn’t able to sustain the platform.

Digital clones of the people we love could forever change how we grieve.

I watched a bunch of crows on TikTok and now I'm trying to connect with some local birds.

Elon said no thanks to using his mega-constellation for navigation. Researchers went ahead anyway.

Illustration by Rose Wong

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