The Dream of the Metaverse Is Dying. Manufacturing Is Keeping It Alive
Forget Mark Zuckerberg’s vision of VR meetings; the industrial metaverse bridges digital and physical worlds in a way that’s actually useful.
The Climate Crisis Threatens Supply Chains. Manufacturers Hope AI Can Help
The Covid-19 pandemic showed just how vulnerable global supply chains are. Climate shocks could pose an even greater risk.
2025 Is the Year of the Humanoid Robot Factory Worker
Long confined to the lab, humanoids finally appear ready to work in manufacturing. There are just a few hurdles to get them to market.
The Agonizing Task of Turning Europe’s Power Back On
A massive blackout affecting Spain, Portugal, and parts of France has been blamed on atmospheric conditions. Now engineers face the arduous task of getting the power back on.
Eli Lilly Sues 4 GLP-1 Telehealth Startups, Escalating War on Knockoff Drugs
Pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly alleges the companies are selling off-brand versions of its best-selling diabetes and weight-loss drugs, Mounjaro and Zepbound.
Thousands of Urine and Tissue Samples Are in Danger of Rotting After Staff Cuts at a CDC Laboratory
Workers who recently lost their jobs at the National Institute for Occupational Safety say they’re concerned that there’s no plan for managing biological samples tied to research projects.
This Startup Says It Can Clean Your Blood of Microplastics
The elective medical industry is cashing in on plastic pollution fears, but the evidence of harm from microplastics is still deeply uncertain.
How to Delete Your Data From 23andMe
DNA-testing company 23andMe has filed for bankruptcy, which means the future of the company’s vast trove of customer data is unknown. Here’s what that means for your genetic data.
A Mysterious Startup Is Developing a New Form of Solar Geoengineering
Stardust, an Israeli–US startup, intends to patent its unique aerosol technology for temporarily cooling the planet.
DOGE’s Cuts at the USDA Could Cause US Grocery Prices to Rise and Invasive Species to Spread
Thousands of US Department of Agriculture employees, including food inspectors and disease-sniffing dog trainers, remain out of work, leaving food to rot in ports and pests to proliferate.