2026’s 10 Companies Advancing Climate, Public Health and Safety

Once a year, we compile a list of the 10 companies doing the most—or most likely to do the most—to significantly reduce emissions or improve public safety and health. Our 2026 list is complete and scheduled for publication on October 6.

This year’s companies are making progress in energy storage, nuclear power, transportation and other fields, despite today’s regressive climate politics. We hope this package leaves you feeling a little more hopeful about the future of our climate.

Here’s what you can expect:

—James Temple

Subscribe for full access to this year’s list, and keep reading to download it and be among the first to see the 2026 selections.

When can AI be said to have made a scientific discovery?

Last week, Anthropic announced that its new molecular biology laboratory had made its first discovery. The company’s AI agent flagged previously uncataloged patterns around an enzyme that were “reminiscent” of the patterns that led to the gene-editing technology CRISPR. But the claim drew criticism from biologists.

Some questioned whether identifying a pattern alone qualifies as a scientific discovery. Another official said his team had already found the same pattern, raising questions about whether Anthropic’s systems learned from conversations with Claude.

The episode is a reminder that what appears new to AI may be routine or unsurprising to biologists—or may not be especially important. Grandiose claims can also make it harder to recognize genuine scientific progress.

Find out why AI companies may be setting the wrong standards for scientific discovery.