Seven Must-Read Stories (Week Ending July 9, 2016)

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

TR Staffarchive page

July 8, 2016

Hacking a Desktop Printer to Make Batteries and Circuits
Want to make a smart coffee mug that signals “hot”? A customized printer can make the flexible circuits and supercapacitors you’ll need.
Are Face Recognition Systems Accurate? Depends on Your Race.
The available evidence suggests that face matching systems don’t work equally well for different races.
Robotic Stingrays Made with Rat Heart, Algae, and Plastic Fins
Scientists control the bionic fish with light.
Merck Invests in RNA Startup to Target Cancer
If it works, mRNA therapy could provide a simple way to create customized cancer vaccines.
Tesla’s Dubious Claims About Autopilot’s Safety Record
Figures from Elon Musk and Tesla Motors probably overstate the safety record of the company’s self-driving Autopilot feature compared to humans.
Blood Tests That Spot Cancer DNA Offer “Quantitative Peace of Mind” for Survivors
A study shows that liquid biopsies can predict whether someone has been cured of colon cancer.
The Internet of Things Could Keep Dirty Coal Plants in Business
Digitization promises lower annual emissions but could increase them over plants’ lifetimes.

Keep Reading

Most Popular

These materials were meant to revolutionize the solar industry. Why hasn’t it happened?

Perovskites are promising, but real-world conditions have held them back.

Casey Crownhartarchive page

Workers disinfect the street outside Shijiazhuang Railway Station

Why China is still obsessed with disinfecting everything

Most public health bodies dealing with covid have long since moved on from the idea of surface transmission. China’s didn’t—and that helps it control the narrative about the disease’s origins and danger.