The popularity of commercial nuclear reactors has surged in recent years as worries about climate change and energy independence drowned out concerns about meltdowns and radioactive waste.
The problem is, building nuclear power plants is expensive and slow.
A new generation of nuclear power technology could reinvent what a reactor looks like—and how it works. Advocates hope that new tech can refresh the industry and help replace fossil fuels without emitting greenhouse gases.
This is our latest story to be turned into a MIT Technology Review Narrated podcast, which we’re publishing each week on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Just navigate to MIT Technology Review Narrated on either platform, and follow us to get all our new content as it’s released.
The must-reads
I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology.
1 Social media giants have agreed to be rated on teen safety
Meta, TikTok and Snap will undergo independent assessments over how effectively they protect the mental health of teen users. (WP $)
+ Discord, YouTube, Pinterest, Roblox and Twitch have also agreed to be graded. (LA Times $)
2 The FDA has refused to review Moderna’s mRNA flu vaccine
It’s the latest in a long line of anti-vaccination moves the agency is making. (Ars Technica)
+ Experts worry it’ll have a knock-on effect on investment in future vaccines. (The Guardian)
+ Moderna says it was blindsided by the decision. (CNN)
3 EV battery factories are pivoting to manufacturing energy cells
Energy storage systems are in, electric vehicles are out. (FT $)
4 Why OpenAI killed off ChatGPT’s 4o model
The qualities that make it attractive for some users make it incredibly risky for others. (WSJ $)
+ Bereft users have set up their own Reddit community to mourn. (Futurism)
+ Why GPT-4o’s sudden shutdown left people grieving. (MIT Technology Review)
5 Drug cartels have started laundering money through crypto
And law enforcement is struggling to stop them. (Bloomberg $)
6 Morocco wants to build an AI for Africa
The country’s Minister of Digital Transition has a plan. (Rest of World)
+ What Africa needs to do to become a major AI player. (MIT Technology Review)