Today's edition of The Download is the weekday newsletter that gives you a daily dose from the world of technology.
Starter's test flight: Hydrogen-powered aircraft take off
The latest: A startup completed a test flight for a 19-seat aircraft that was partly powered by hydrogen fuel cells. This is a record attempt at low-carbon aviation. ZeroAvia, an innovator in hydrogen-electric planes, flew their largest aircraft for approximately 10 minutes from Cotswold Airport, UK.
The way they did it: During the flight, the left engine was powered by a combination hydrogen fuel cells and battery, while the right relied on fossil fuel kerosene.
Why it is important: This is a significant step towards zero-emissions flying. The industry accounts for approximately 3% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions and is expanding. One possible way to reduce aviation's greenhouse gas emissions is through hydrogen fuel cells. ZeroAvia is optimistic that it will be commercially available in 2025. The full story is available here.
–Casey Crownhart
TR10 – Telemedicine – Abortion pills
The US has seen a dramatic drop in access to abortion care since Roe. However, there has been a major shift in the opposite direction: access to care without having to leave the home.
During the pandemic of 2021, the US Food and Drug Administration allowed healthcare providers to temporarily mail two pills to patients–mifepristone and missoprostol- which, taken together, could induce an abortion.
One year later, the US Supreme Court ruled abortion was not a constitutional right. Nonprofits and startups responded to the growing demand for pills. Access to medication abortion is still a problem. These organizations were able to provide care for many people at a crucial time thanks to their vision. Learn about the shifting stakes when telemedicine is used to obtain abortion pills.
Telemedicine allows you to obtain abortion pills through the internet is one MIT Technology Review's Top 10 Breakthrough Technologies for 2023. Check out the rest of this list and vote in our poll for our final 11th technology.
CRISPR makes farmed animals stronger, healthier, and more productive
Since scientists demonstrated that it can be used to alter the genome of living organisms, the CRISPR gene editing tool has been in the news for 10 years.
The technology will revolutionize healthcare, but it could also change farming and aquaculture. Researchers have introduced an alligator gene to catfish to improve their resistance to disease.
Scientists have attempted to modify the genomes of farmed animals before. Although gene-editing tools such as CRISPR will allow them to speed up the process, they don't anticipate that CRISPR-engineered animals will be on supermarket shelves anytime soon. Continue reading.
–Jessica Hamzelou
Jessica's story comes from The Checkup. This weekly newsletter by MIT Technology Review gives you all the information on biotech. Get it delivered to your inbox every Thursday by signing up
The must-read
I've combed the internet to find you today's most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology.
1 Covid is not being included on death certificates in China
Doctors are under pressure to mention other causes of death. (FT $)
+ China cracks down on "gloomy" sentiments related to covids. (The Guardian)
+ The number of covid hospitalizations has increased dramatically. (Reuters)
+ Long-term covid can be treated with the right combination of drugs. (The Atlantic $).
2 The US Supreme Court is considering the future of the internet
It is poised to reconsider whether web platforms are legally responsible for content. (NYT $)
+ The existing legal protections for firms are disapprovalled by tech critics in both the major US political parties. (FT $)
3 Google is eliminating 12,000 jobs
According to the CEO, it is determined to increase its focus on AI. (The Verge)
+ ChatGPT is getting nervous enough to call the big guns. (NYT $)
+ How to use ChatGPT in the right and wrong ways. (WP $)
4 An elaborate ad fraud targeted 11 million smartphones
This is one of the most complex and extensive schemes ever discovered. (Wired $)
5 Twitter is being sued in court by its experts to force Elon Musk into buying it
The consulting company wants Twitter to contribute $2 million. (Bloomberg $)
+ Elon Musk could be in court today to face a separate legal challenge. (The Guardian)
6 Weather forecasting is a hot topic
Weather prediction startups are known for overpromising and underdelivering. (WP $)
7 Why should we reconsider studying ancient DNA?
It is a difficult ethical task to extract DNA from the long-dead. (Knowable Magazine)
+ The sequencing of DNA from 2 million years ago has been completed. (MIT Technology Review)
8 It is hard to comprehend just how vast the universe really IS
Henrietta Leavitt gave us a measure to use. (Vox)
+ NASA's return trip to the Moon is not going smoothly. (MIT Technology Review)
9 Get ready for the podcast-hosting child prodigies
A host created his own show when he was just seven years old. (The Guardian)
10 Don’t let the cute photo of your dog fool you
Online, toxic ideas can easily be disguised behind animal imagery. (Slate $)
Quote for the Day
"It's not the same criminals. They're just repainting them get-away vehicles."
Bloomberg reports that Bill Siegel, co-founder and chief executive officer of cyber extortion company Coveware, thinks about how a core group hackers is behind most ransomware attacks.
The big story
In the race to create human sex cell in the laboratory
[TAG1]
August 2022
It is possible that the way we have babies may be changing. Maybe.
When sperm and egg meet, an embryo is formed. What if we could use other cells to start the process? A blood sample or skin biopsy could become "artificial" eggs and sperm. Imagine if all you needed was a blood sample or skin biopsy to create a baby.
This is the promise of a revolutionary approach to reproduction. Scientists have created artificial eggs and fertilized sperm from mouse cells, and used them to make mouse pups. Artificial human sex cell are the next step.
It is not easy to get there, and it can be even more difficult to untangle the many ethical issues that may arise along the way. The full story is available here.
–Jess Hamzelou
You can still enjoy nice things
This is a place to find comfort, joy and distraction during these crazy times. (Have any suggestions? Drop me a note or send me a tweet. )
+ We love you, F. Murray Abraham!
+ Is it an animal? It's a plane! No, it's Toadzilla!
+ This made me laugh: Prince Harry's memoir serves as a stark reminder of why British people aren't openly honest.
+ Yikes! This is a warning about speed eating (thanks Will!)
+ The best way to be the best you can be – according to those who know the best.
————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
By: Rhiannon Williams
Title: The Download: hydrogen-powered planes, and abortion pills
Sourced From: www.technologyreview.com/2023/01/20/1067148/download-hydrogen-powered-planes-abortion-pills/
Published Date: Fri, 20 Jan 2023 13:10:00 +0000
Leave a Reply