Seven Must-Read Stories (Week ending September 5, 2015)

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

September 4, 2015

Transplant Surgeons Revive Hearts After Death
A technology to keep organs alive outside the body is saving lives. And provoking ethical debates.
Robots Lay Three Times as Many Bricks as Construction Workers
Creators of a new bricklaying robot say its purpose is to leverage human jobs, not entirely replace them.
Your Smartphone Can Tell If You’re Bored
A group of researchers looked at how people used their phones to figure out when they were bored, then suggested they go read a BuzzFeed article.
3-D Printing Breaks the Glass Barrier
Researchers have cracked the challenge of printing glass through a nozzle.
Why Is Nest’s Smart Thermostat Getting Bigger?
A larger display may get users to pay more attention to it, which could help it become more of a smart-home hub.
Debate Ensues as Prenatal Tests Reach Beyond Down Syndrome
Doctors and genetic counselors question the expanding scope of blood tests during pregnancy.
How Artificial Intelligence Can Fight Air Pollution in China
IBM researchers are developing a system that can predict how bad pollution will be across the city of Beijing 72 hours in advance.