Uncovering the unexpected link between opioid use and memory loss

This led her to study fentanyl-induced amnesia, documented in a 2018 report in the New England Journal of Medicine and observed in a cluster of Massachusetts patients. In some people, fentanyl kills neurons in the hippocampus—a brain area already vulnerable to the oxygen deprivation that occurs during an overdose—by causing cells to fire out of […]

Asteroid whisperer

“We’ve been observing Didymos for five years, to understand the state of the system before we change it forever, so we can tell [the difference between] what we did with DART versus what was naturally going to happen,” says Rivkin. “Once we get and interpret the results, we can apply them as needed. Or, hopefully, […]

Turning the nation’s capital into the next Kendall Square

Washington, DC, is dominated by the federal government and tourism, but Jeff Jamawat, MCP ’19, SM ’19, thinks that’s no longer enough. “We want people to also recognize DC as a tech hub,” says Jamawat, associate director of economic development and innovation at the Golden Triangle Business Improvement District. The nonprofit is launching an innovation […]

The MIT researcher who helps senators understand digital currencies

This new line of research has introduced some conflict at DCI; after all, many researchers there are interested in cryptocurrency because it eliminates the need for banks or government monetary bodies. But Narula has found a way to bring crypto enthusiasts to the table with central bankers to talk about what lessons Bitcoin might hold […]

He created an indigenous digital currency. The dream is still alive.

From the outset, Harris set aside 10 million coins as reserve for a Lakota development fund. Apart from the reserve, little sets MazaCoin apart technically from Bitcoin, making it a bit of a hard sell as an appealing “alt coin.” But Harris isn’t looking to court a wide array of investors. He says he didn’t […]

Money changes everything

April 1969 From “Computer-Based Services in Personal Transactions”: The challenge thrown down by the computer for the future is to transmit information without the paper. This challenge leads to speculation about a “checkless society,” a phrase that has captured the imagination of journalists to the point of popularizing a concept long before economic, social, and […]

Microsoft finds Linux desktop flaw that gives root to untrusted users

Getty Images reader comments 0 with 0 posters participating Share this story Vulnerabilities recently discovered by Microsoft make it easy for people with a toehold on many Linux desktop systems to quickly gain root system rights— the latest elevation of privileges flaw to come to light in the open source OS. As operating systems have […]

President’s letter links

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The Download: Fertility for trans men, and a Q&A with CRISPR’s co-creator

The must-reads I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology. 1 Elon Musk is buying Twitter for $44 billionHe’s unlikely to enjoy owning it as much as he thinks he will. (The Atlantic $)+ Here’s a recap of the past fortnight: a rollercoaster ride from beginning to end. (FT $)+ Musk […]

Trans men’s eggs have been matured in the lab—and could help them have children

To support MIT Technology Review’s journalism, please consider becoming a subscriber. There are a handful of options for people who choose such treatment but want the option of having biological children someday. Adults can freeze their eggs, for instance. But this typically involves stopping testosterone treatment and allowing a menstrual cycle to return, which can […]