The Download: our bodies’ memories, and Traton’s electric trucks
Plus: China’s on a mission to crack down on Nvidia’s China-specific chips
This is today’s edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what’s going on in the world of technology.
How do our bodies remember?
“Like riding a bike” is shorthand for the remarkable way that our bodies remember how to move. Most of the time when we talk about muscle memory, we’re not talking about the muscles themselves but about the memory of a coordinated movement pattern that lives in the motor neurons, which control our muscles.
Yet in recent years, scientists have discovered that our muscles themselves have a memory for movement and exercise. And the more we move, as with riding a bike or other kinds of exercise, the more those cells begin to make a memory of that exercise. Read the full story.
—Bonnie Tsui
This piece is part of MIT Technology Review Explains: our series untangling the complex, messy world of technology to help you understand what’s coming next. You can read more from the series here.
This story is also from our forthcoming print issue, which is all about the body. If you haven’t already, subscribe now to receive future issues once they land. Plus, you’ll also receive a free digital report on nuclear power.
2025 climate tech companies to watch: Traton and its electric trucks
Every day, trucks carry many millions of tons of cargo down roads and highways around the world. Nearly all run on diesel and make up one of the largest commercial sources of carbon emissions.
Traton, a subsidiary of Volkswagen, is producing zero-emission trucks that could help clean up this sector, while also investing in a Europe-wide advanced charging network so other manufacturers can more easily follow suit. Read the full story.
—Amy Nordrum
Traton is one of our 10 climate tech companies to watch—our annual list of some of the most promising climate tech firms on the planet. Check out the rest of the list here.
This test could reveal the health of your immune system
We know surprisingly little about our immune health. The vast array of cells, proteins, and biomolecules that works to defend us from disease is mind-bogglingly complicated. Immunologists are still getting to grips with how it all works.
Now, a new test is being developed to measure immune health, one that even gives you a score. But that’s a difficult thing to do, for several reasons. Read the full story.
—Jessica Hamzelou
This article first appeared in The Checkup, MIT Technology Review’s weekly biotech newsletter. To receive it in your inbox every Thursday, sign up here.
The must-reads
I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology.
1 China is cracking down on imports of Nvidia’s AI chips
Customs officers are combing shipments looking for the company’s China-specific chips. (FT $)
+ US officials are investigating a firm that’s suspected of helping China sidestep export restrictions. (NYT $)
2 Tesla’s ‘full self-driving’ feature is under investigation
After multiple reports of vehicles using it ran red lights. (WP $)
+ The company is slashing its prices to compete with Chinese giant BYD. (Rest of World)
+ Elon Musk will still receive billions, even if he fails to achieve his ambitions goals. (Reuters)
3 A data hoarder has created a searchable database of Epstein files
Making it simple to find mentions of specific people and locations. (404 Media)
4 OpenAI says GPT-5 is its least-biased model yet
Even when proceeding with “challenging, emotionally charged prompts.” (Axios)
5 The developers behind ICE-tracking apps aren’t giving up
They’re fighting Apple’s decision to remove their creations from its app store. (Wired $)
+ Another effort to track ICE raids was just taken offline. (MIT Technology Review)
6 The world’s biodiversity crisis is worsening
More than half of all bird species are in decline. (The Guardian)
+ The short, strange history of gene de-extinction. (MIT Technology Review)
7 YouTube is extending an olive branch to banned creators
It’s overturned a lifetime ban policy to give the people behind previously-banned channels a second chance. (CNBC)
+ But users kicked off for copyright infringement or extremism aren’t eligible. (Bloomberg $)
8 This startup wants to bring self-flying planes to our skies
Starting with military cargo flights. (WSJ $)
9 Your plumber might be using ChatGPT
They’re increasingly using the chatbot to troubleshoot on the ground. (CNN)
10 Do robots really need hands?
Maybe not, but that’s not standing in the way of researchers trying to recreate them. (Fast Company $)
+ Will we ever trust robots? (MIT Technology Review)
Quote of the day
“Social media is a complete dumpster.”
—Hany Farid, a professor of computer science at the University of California, Berkeley, describes the proliferation of AI slop videos infiltrating digital platforms to the New York Times.
One more thing
Who gets to decide who receives experimental medical treatments?There has been a trend toward lowering the bar for new medicines, and it is becoming easier for people to access treatments that might not help them—and could even harm them. Anecdotes appear to be overpowering evidence in decisions on drug approval. As a result, we’re ending up with some drugs that don’t work.
We urgently need to question how these decisions are made. Who should have access to experimental therapies? And who should get to decide? Such questions are especially pressing considering how quickly biotechnology is advancing. We’re not just improving on existing classes of treatments—we’re creating entirely new ones. Read the full story.
—Jessica Hamzelou
We can still have nice things
A place for comfort, fun and distraction to brighten up your day. (Got any ideas? Drop me a line or skeet ’em at me.)
+ I love this crowd-sourced compendium of every known Wilhelm scream in all sorts of media.
+ Happy birthday to pocket rocket Bruno Mars, who turned 40 this week.
+ Here’s how to visit an interstellar interloper.
+ Bumi the penguin is having the absolute time of their life with this bubble machine 🐧
