Seven Must-Read Stories (Week Ending August 16, 2014)

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

August 15, 2014

Spotting Cancer in a Vial of Blood
He watched his brother die from a cancer that no drug could cure. Now one of the world’s most renowned cancer researchers says it’s time for Plan B.
China’s Shale Gas Bust
China is betting long-term on unconventional gas, but it is running into problems developing its vast shale resources.
Smarter Software Speeds Up Smartphone Charging
Rather than trying to build a better battery, startup Qnovo bets it can improve the one that’s already in your smartphone.
A Mouse with the Same Cancer as You
For $12,000, a company grafts a patient’s cancer into rodents and tests drugs on them.
Bendable Displays Are Finally Headed to Market
Flexible displays haven’t been usable as touch screens, or durable—those problems have now been solved.
Turning a Regular Smartphone Camera into a 3-D One
Microsoft researchers say simple hardware changes and machine learning techniques let a regular smartphone camera act as a depth sensor.
Could a Genetic Test Predict the Risk for Suicide?
Scientists are hunting for the genetic basis of suicide and developing suicide DNA tests.