Seven Must-Read Stories (Week Ending February 7, 2015)

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

February 6, 2015

A Battery for Electronics That Lasts Twice as Long
A startup called SolidEnergy has developed a kind of lithium-ion battery that stores far more energy.
The Anti-Aging Pill
Facing a long wait for evidence, a longevity researcher takes an unusual path to market.
Holding Data Hostage: The Perfect Internet Crime?
Thousands of people will have their personal files held hostage this year, by software that uses virtually unbreakable encryption.
Smartphone Test for HIV and Syphilis Costs Pennies
A phone attachment using cheap disposable cartridges rapidly tests for HIV and syphilis in a Rwandan trial.
A Startup’s Neural Network Can Understand Video
Software that understands what it sees in video could lead to new forms of advertising, or make video editing easier.
Atom-Thick Silicon Makes Crazy-Fast Transistors
An exotic form of silicon, called silicene, could enable a new generation of faster computers.
The Facebook Page That Posts the Same Picture Every Day
A Facebook page that posts the same picture of an Italian singer every day has become the central part of a research project to understand how we use social media.