Weight-loss drugs show signs of slowing biological aging, drug companies say

Popular weight-loss drugs may do more than help people lose weight. They may also affect the biological processes associated with aging.

Pharmaceutical companies Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk say their GLP-1 drugs are linked to changes in DNA and key proteins measured by a molecular “aging clock,” which tracks biological changes over time.

The findings add to speculation that GLP-1 drugs could act on some of the underlying causes of aging and might eventually represent a true longevity treatment. But how much can we conclude from these results?

Read the full story about what new research reveals about GLP-1 drugs and aging.

—Antonio Regalado

10 climate change technology companies to watch: Energy Dome and its carbon dioxide batteries

Energy Dome is one of them. MIT Technology Review’s 10 climate change technology companies to watch in 2026 is available to subscribers.

Solar and wind power are among the cheapest and quickest ways to add electricity to the grid. Their output can be intermittent, however, because it depends on weather conditions. Energy Dome has an unusual solution: a giant battery that uses compressed carbon dioxide to store energy for when the grid needs it.

Using compressed gas to store energy is not new. Power companies have used compressed air in underground caverns to maintain reserves for decades. Energy Dome’s approach does not require specific geology, meaning it could be easier to scale for power grids around the world.

Here’s how Energy Dome uses carbon dioxide to store renewable energy.

—Casey Crownhart

Subscribers now have access to the full version of 10 Climate Change Technology Companies to Watch. The list includes mobile sea walls, electric buses, and next-generation nuclear reactors.

MIT Technology Review Narration: Don’t be fooled—LLMs don’t make sense

—Thore Graepel, core member of DeepMind’s AlphaGo team

Ten years ago, I watched a program I helped produce defeat Go champion Lee Sedol, shocking the world. AlphaGo won after making a very strange move that some commentators thought was a programming flaw. Its reasoning power enabled the creative choice—and those are the capabilities missing from today’s AI.

This is why I recently quit my job at Google DeepMind. We believe we need a new approach to machine inference that leverages AlphaGo’s architecture.

This is our latest story: MIT Technology Review Narrated, a weekly podcast featuring narrated stories from MIT Technology Review. Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Follow MIT Technology Review Narrated on any platform to keep up with new episodes.

Must-read technology news

We scoured the internet to find the most entertaining, important, scary, and fascinating technology stories today.

1. OpenAI announces 377 new mathematical discoveries, further disrupting the field
   The results span number theory, algebra, geometry, and physics. (New York Times $)
   + The discoveries came from testing unreleased OpenAI models. (The Verge)
   + They cost much less than previous mathematical breakthroughs. (Scientific American)
   + OpenAI also published a lengthy defense of its approach. (Gizmodo)
   + AI is putting mathematics at a crossroads. (MIT Technology Review)

2. Mistral says its new open-class model is the best outside China
   Mistral Large 4 is a 1 trillion-parameter model. (Reuters $)
   + The model, also known as “le Chonk,” arrives on October 27. (CNBC)
   + French President Emmanuel Macron has described it as the “Third Way of AI.” (TechCrunch)

3. Finland orders Google to halt major data center project
   The order responds to concerns about the project’s environmental impact. (The Guardian)
   + The €13 billion project would be Google’s largest-ever investment in Europe. (BBC)
   + But no one wants a data center in their backyard. (MIT Technology Review)

4. EU plans to tax Big Tech through a new corporate tax
   The tax would apply to companies with revenues exceeding €100 million. (Financial Times $)
   + Tesla is seeking EU approval for “fully autonomous driving.” (Reuters $)

5. Anduril’s $2.9 billion Navy submarine deal raises ethical concerns
   Co-founder Palmer Luckey recently joined a new project for the Department of Defense. (CNBC)
   + Anduril also makes smart glasses for war. (MIT Technology Review)

6. Apple partners with LG on smart locks, thermostats, and doorbells
   Apple’s new smart-home hub is scheduled to go on sale next week. (Bloomberg $)
   + The companies are also jointly developing security cameras. (TechCrunch)

7. Founder of the Cosmic Particle Observatory wins the Physics Nobel Prize
   Francis Halzen used Antarctic ice to detect elusive neutrinos. (New Scientist $)

8. Drones are being used to make rain on demand
   Silver iodide creates clouds and promotes precipitation. (BBC)
   + A startup claims it can stop lightning. (MIT Technology Review)

9. New hydrogels could enable shape-changing smart devices
   The material can evolve alongside living tissue. (South China Morning Post)

10. You’re probably not going to get the plague
    Experts say the risk to the public remains very low. (Wired $)

Quote of the day

“I have ‘NI,’ or innate intelligence, and that’s okay.”

—Mike Tyran, a 66-year-old nurse and technology-upgrade holdout, speaks to The Atlantic about why he does not replace his old gadgets with the latest AI-powered devices.

One more thing: Future AI chips could be built on glass

Glass made by humans is thousands of years old. Now, it is poised to be used in the AI chips powering the world’s newest and largest data centers.

This year, South Korean company Absolics will begin producing specialized glass panels designed to make next-generation computing hardware more powerful and efficient. Other companies, including Intel, are also working in this area.

If all goes well, the technology could reduce the energy demands of AI data center chips, as well as consumer laptops and mobile devices. Read the full story.

—Jeremy Hsu

We still have good things

A place for comfort, fun, and distraction to brighten your day. Have an idea? Please contact me.

• A Swiss coffin-shaped solar power plant on train tracks.
• An interesting explanation of why you can see clear images through windows.
• A teenage boy with a rare genetic disorder walked for the first time after receiving an experimental drug.
• Stunning shots of sea turtles, penguins, and the protected tawny gannet competed for prizes in the Bird Photographer of the Year competition.