Hard Tech

A close-up of an engine test firing, showcasing various connected hoses and cables, with the engine emitting blue flames from the nozzle, reminiscent of a powerful jet engine.

Ian Brooke wants to revolutionize flight as we know it

This Y Combinator-backed startup has invented a new kind of jet engine, radically more efficient and versatile than anything before it.

Ross Pomeroy

A gloved hand holds a pair of tweezers gripping a small black square object against a background with concentric circles.

Batteries

Solid-state batteries are finally making their way out of the lab

Solid-state batteries could soon challenge lithium-ion as the dominant tech for powering smartphones, EVs, and more.

Kristin Houser

Silhouette of jagged cybersecurity rock formations against a vibrant yellow sky at dusk.

Employment

“Cybersecurity shortage” could reach 85 million workers by 2030

The global talent shortage could reach 85 million workers by 2030, causing approximately $8.5 trillion in unrealized annual revenue.

Michelle Meineke | Senior Writer | World Economic Forum

Engineering

Recycled tires can act as sunscreen for roads

Australian researchers blasted bitumen with a UV machine to discover how used tires can act as road “sunscreen.”

B. David Zarley

Drones

Walmart drone delivery now covers 4 million households

The Walmart drone delivery program is expanding from one state to six, bringing the service to as many as 4 million households.

Kristin Houser

This AI can finally tell humans why we’re losing

By combining traditional and deep learning approaches, a neurosymbolic AI has beaten bridge champions in a win for “white box” AI.

B. David Zarley

Engineering

Ancient creatures inspire record-breaking new technology

Inspired by the ancient compound eyes of the trilobite, researchers have created a record-breaking camera with a depth of field of just over a mile.

B. David Zarley

Aerospace

World’s fastest passenger jet hits near-supersonic speeds

Aircraft manufacturer Bombardier has unveiled the Global 8000, the fastest private jet in the world with a max operating speed of 721 mph.

Kristin Houser

Oceans

A new device can make drinking water from seawater at the push of a button

A new portable unit from MIT researchers could make it much easier to remove salt from water to create drinking water.

Adam Zewe | MIT News Office

Engineering

Elon Musk’s Hyperloop is possible. How badly do we want it?

The Hyperloop is physically possible, but engineering challenges will make its construction difficult. Also, accidents would be catastrophic.

Tom Hartsfield

Robotics

DeepMind’s pricey robot simulator is now available for free

AI research lab DeepMind, a sister company of Google, has purchased and open-sourced the powerful robot simulator MuJoCo.

Kristin Houser

Inventions

Ultrathin fuel cell uses the body’s own sugar to generate electricity

Batteries have a limit to how small they can be made, and they need to be charged. What if you could power your own medical device?

Jennifer Chu | MIT News Office

Clean Energy

Algae-powered computer runs for a year on light and water

An algae-powered computer demonstrates a sustainable, reliable way we could power small IoT devices in the future.

Kristin Houser

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